Freedom. The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. In 1970, the British Empire after 96 years of rule over the islands handed Fiji back it’s sovereignty. This would have been the first time in almost a 100 years, a Fijian would have had the right to act and speak as a free person. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Indenture System
I Wish Modi Hadn’t Come To Fiji
Change is inevitable and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s whirlwind stopover yesterday signs for a change of things to come in Fiji. Actually more of an ultimatum. For us to either leap forward and catch up with the global race or be forever left behind. And we Fijians don’t handle changes or ultimatums too well. We had just started coming to terms with our new national identity. We almost had made peace with the 2014 election results. We nearly had it all buried away… Continue reading
Once Were Villages
Something our household hasn’t partaken in a long while is to visit extended relatives living far and further in the rural Viti. “Visiting Extended Relations” used to be a national pass-time in our recent past however thanks to the Vodafone and Digicel towers soaring high on our island hills; our mobile phones and Facebook, visiting family has now become a rather bootless sort of activity. Continue reading
A Disappointed Fijian
My god-father once told me that 90% of anything is ‘looking the part’ and its an advice I’ve never forgotten. Unfortunately as much as I try, I don’t really look like an English teacher. Well I don’t look caucasian. White. Hence it always puts students in the dilemma whether they are getting what they have paid for with a brown-looking teacher!
I have come to dread the question, ” Teacher, where are you from?” My answer is usually Fiji Islands (sorry The Fiji Islands), followed by making circles in the air indicating Australia, New Zealand and a middle circle indicting Fiji’s location. This seems to satisfy them for a few days till they come back and ask “sooo but what are you?” Continue reading
Shyamni 