Melanesian descendants mark 150 years

Avinesh Gopal
Tuesday, November 11, 2014

 

 

It was an event that a group of people had prepared for since last year. And as expected, it was filled with emotions, some even shedding tears. The event was to commemorate the arrival of the first Melanesian labourers to Fiji in 1864 from Vanuatu (then New Hebrides). It also commemorated the existence of the descendants of Melanesian labourers in Fiji for the past 150 years. They are the descendants of labourers brought to Fiji during the blackbirding era from Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and some Pacific island countries. Since I have visited them in different parts of the main island for stories on their ancestors and their lives now, it was just ideal to also bring to you their stories as descendants marked 150 years of their existence in Fiji at an event held in Levuka, Ovalau at the weekend.

MELANESIAN descendants, and even some people of Levuka, saw it as a blessing.
As they arrived there on Thursday night, the skies opened up.
Some people in the country's old capital said they had not experienced heavy rain for the past few months.
While it cannot be confirmed, some said it was raining in Levuka when the first labourers from Vanuatu arrived there in 1864 during the blackbirding era.
Following them a few years later were those from Solomon Islands, PNG and some other Pacific island countries.
And 150 years later, the descendants of those labourers braved the heavy rain in Levuka last Friday morning and marched through the town to mark the opening of the three-day event to commemorate the arrival of their ancestors.
Fiji Melanesian Council's head of secretariat Pateresio Nunu said the rainfall experienced during the three-day event was a blessing for them.
My journey to Ovalau started with the Melanesian descendants on Thursday from Natovi jetty.
It was after a few basins of yaqona with my friends from Maniyava in the Nakauvadra mountain range in Rakiraki and some from Lautoka.
The "brown label" kept flowing until the ferry arrived from Vanua Levu to take the group to Ovalau, departing at about 5:15pm.
Going back to the event, the descendants continued with their program at Nasau Park as scheduled despite the rain.
Vanuatu's Lands Minister Ralph Regenvanu represented his government at the commemoration and he said: "We feel very honoured and emotional to be here to commemorate something that happened so long ago that set us apart."
While opening the event, Assistant Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts Vijay Nath said it marked another significant day of Fiji's history.
Mr Nath said the three-day event "rewrites Fiji's history in remembering the arrival of the Melanesian and also some Polynesian labourers 150 years ago".
"We are here today to honour them, to remember their achievements, their courage and their dedication and to say thank you for all the good work they have done," he said.
"Many probably didn't ask to leave their homelands or didn't even volunteer to come to Fiji but they shared fundamental qualities.
"They shared courage, determination, selflessness — all the qualities needed to serve a cause larger than one's self."
Mr Nath saluted the contribution of the labourers in the past and that of the Melanesian descendants after independence, saying that support was still evident to date.
He told the Melanesian descendants that the Government was also committed to assist them in whatever ways to help them revive their culture, tradition and languages.
Among those present at the event were Vanuatu's Great Council of Chiefs president Senimao Tirabe and Solomon Islands high commissioner Patterson Oti.
In a traditional move, Mr Tirabe presented baskets and coloured mats to the elders of the Melanesian descendants.
A group of Australian South Sea islanders, whose ancestors were also taken from Melanesian or Pacific island countries, was also present at the event.
The three-day event ended on Sunday evening with a combined church service lasting a few hours.
Mr Nunu said the commemoration event was a success.