Avinesh Gopal
Tuesday, September 30, 2014But they also played a major role in the development of Fiji in the early days.
Like the Fijians of Indian descent brought from India as indentured labourers, this group of people also came to Fiji in a similar way. However, they arrived earlier than the first Indians who came to Fiji to work as labourers in the sugarcane fields in 1879. They were either tricked into coming here or were brought by force from some countries that form the Melanesian Spearhead Group now. And as their indenture "contracts" expired, most of them opted to remain in Fiji, with some also marrying the iTaukei women. Their descendants live in different parts of the country today and they remain as one community, but faced with problems of their own. With the Melanesians celebrating 150 years of their existence in Fiji this year, one of their representatives today speaks his mind to The Fiji Times about the group.
IT is a journey that marked the beginning of the indentured labour trade in Fiji.
The journey started in Vanuatu 150 years ago and ended in the sugar, cotton and copra plantations here.
Commonly known as "blackbirding" then, men and women from the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and other Pacific island countries soon followed them to Fiji.
But people who were brought to Fiji from these countries during the "blackbirding" era — starting in 1864 — did not come on their own free will. They were either tricked or forced to come here.
These people provided cheap labour under the Colonial rule then, they lost their cultural connections and also did not see their families again.
As this community prepares to celebrate 150 years of their existence in Fiji in November, we spoke to the Fiji Melanesian Community Development Association's general secretary Pateresio Nunu.
Mr Nunu said Winston Halapua's publication, Melanesians of Fiji, asserts that Melanesians were the most marginalised in comparison to other ethnic groups in Fiji.
"Furthermore, Melanesians were victims of the ongoing developments in the Suva City area, from where they had to be resettled in other areas in the absence of assistance from the Colonial administration from 1920 to 1960s," he said.
"Although these injustices were committed in the past, Melanesians today continue to face similar problems. Furthermore, Melanesians do not have their land rights and are also victims of land problems in Fiji.
"Some Melanesian descendants continue to live in settlements which they and their ancestors have lived on for more than 100 years. They have been served with eviction notices after their land leases expired.
"Consequently, some Melanesian descendants are forced to resettle in other areas around Fiji. This has generated fear and instability within the Melanesian communities.
"Melanesian descendants too have become victims of disputes among landowning units on renewal or non-renewal of land leases."
Mr Nunu said Halapua also argued that Melanesians were also vulnerable and subjected to various social problems which were related to the ongoing resettlements.
He said psychologically, they become narrow-minded, increasingly ethno-centric, immune to developments and were perceived as an illiterate group of people mainly because of the way their ancestors had been treated and dealt with by the recruiters, the colonial government and governments after Fiji's independence.
"Through the years, Melanesian descendants feel that their isolation has alienated them from the social economic contribution and developments provided by Colonial administration and the various past governments since Fiji's independence.
"This has led to the Melanesian descendants alienation of their identity, culture and values which contributed to their limited economic potential.
"During the political upheavals of 1987, the Melanesian descendants were threatened by some nationalist failed politicians that Fiji is only for the indigenous Fijians or iTaukei and not for immigrants or vulagi. This led to the formation of the association. It was recognised by the elders of the Melanesian descendants that their people have been neglected for decades in terms of social and economic distributions, despite their contribution to the economy and even their blood ties to the indigenous people of Fiji."
Mr Nunu said the association was, however, grateful to the Bainimarama government for recognising their existence with their culture, tradition and languages under the preamble of the 2013 Constitution.
He said the association and the Melanesian community also recognised the changes to some government policies that discriminated against them in the past.
Keeping this in mind, the association in conjunction with other organisations will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Melanesian labourers to Fiji in Levuka in November.
The event from November 7 to 9 will also celebrate the liberation of the Melanesian people from all kinds of discrimination and discriminatory government policies of the past, and their existence in Fiji.
Mr Nunu said the association was seeking funding from reputable organisations and donor agencies for the three-day event.
On November 7, a march will be held through Levuka Town and there will be a re-enactment of the first landing of the Melanesian labourers and their trading.
Prime Minister Rear Admiral (Ret) Voreqe Bainimarama is expected to open the celebrations at Nasau Park, which will be followed by entertainment.
Some items of historical significance that have been provided to the association by the Australian South Sea Islanders, the Fiji Museum and National Archives would also be displayed.
Mr Nunu said the association was expecting about 5000 people to participate in the three-day event. He said the participants would include the descendants of Melanesian labourers.
"We are also expecting some descendants of Melanesian labourers who are living abroad to participate in the celebrations.
"The event will reconnect the long lost relatives of Melanesian labourers and also create a permanent link between Fiji, Australia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, PNG and other countries.
"Apart from boosting the tourism, transport and business sector on Ovalau, the event will also set the platform for the establishment of the Melanesian Council," said Mr Nunu.
The majority of the descendants of Melanesians, especially Solomon Islanders, live at Wailoku settlement outside Suva City. Descendants of indentured labourers from Solomon Islands also live at Waidradra in Navua, Nadrala in Nadroga, Drasa in Lautoka, the interior of Rakiraki and in Bua.
Settlements occupied by the descendants of Solomon Islanders are named after places in Malaita province in the Solomons, where most of their ancestors came from.
A distinctive feature of the descendants link to the Solomon Islands is the "ginger" hair in some children, something that is common in people from Malaita.
With the tentative program for the three-day event already drawn up by the association, the 150 year celebration is expected to be one worth remembering for the Melanesians
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