Literature of Fiji
Encyclopedia
Among the first published works of Fijian literature, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were Raymond Pillai's and Subramani's short stories (in English
) and Pio Manoa's poetry (in English and in Fijian
). The emergence of Fiji
's written literature
(as distinct from oral literature
) coincides with the country's transition to independence in 1970.
In 1968, the founding of the University of the South Pacific
, whose main campus was in Fiji's capital Suva
, provided a stimulus for Fijian (and, more widely, Pacific Islander) literature. Creative writing
courses and workshops were set up. The South Pacific Arts Society was founded at the University in 1973, and published Pacific Islander literature (poetry and short stories) in the magazine Pacific Islands Monthly. In 1974, the Society founded the publishing house Mana Publications, followed in 1976 by the art and literature journal Mana. The journal published anthologies of Fijian poetry. Playwright
Vilsoni Hereniko
's work also began to appear in this print at this time.
Among Fiji's most noted writers are Satendra Nandan
, author of poetry, short stories and the semi-autobiographical novel The Wounded Sea, published in 1991. Fiji poet Sudesh Mishra
"combines classical Indian poetic forms with an English peppered with Hindi and Fijian words"; his collections of poems include Tandava (1992) and Rahu (1997). Larry Thomas is a contemporary playwright and director. His 1998 play The Anniversary Present has been described as "captur[ing] the words and rhythms and creative power of the basilectal 'Fiji English' many of his marginalised characters speak: the young, the unemployed, disempowered women and men". Joseph Veramo is a contemporary novellist, whose works include the novel Moving Through the Streets (1994), the children's book The Shark, and Black Messiah, a collection published in 1989 which includes short stories and a novella.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
) and Pio Manoa's poetry (in English and in Fijian
Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
). The emergence of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
's written literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
(as distinct from oral literature
Oral literature
Oral literature corresponds in the sphere of the spoken word to literature as literature operates in the domain of the written word. It thus forms a generally more fundamental component of culture, but operates in many ways as one might expect literature to do...
) coincides with the country's transition to independence in 1970.
In 1968, the founding of the University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
, whose main campus was in Fiji's capital Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, provided a stimulus for Fijian (and, more widely, Pacific Islander) literature. Creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
courses and workshops were set up. The South Pacific Arts Society was founded at the University in 1973, and published Pacific Islander literature (poetry and short stories) in the magazine Pacific Islands Monthly. In 1974, the Society founded the publishing house Mana Publications, followed in 1976 by the art and literature journal Mana. The journal published anthologies of Fijian poetry. Playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
Vilsoni Hereniko
Vilsoni Hereniko
Vilsoni Hereniko is a Fiji Islander playwright, film director and academic. He was the writer and director of Fiji's first ever feature film, The Land Has Eyes .-Biography:...
's work also began to appear in this print at this time.
Among Fiji's most noted writers are Satendra Nandan
Satendra Nandan
Dr Satendra Pratap Nandan is a Fiji Indian academic, writer and former politician.- Early life :Nandan was born in Nadi, Fiji. After completing his secondary education he studied in Delhi, Leeds, London and Canberra from where he obtained his PhD in English...
, author of poetry, short stories and the semi-autobiographical novel The Wounded Sea, published in 1991. Fiji poet Sudesh Mishra
Sudesh Mishra
Sudesh Mishra is a contemporary Fijian-Australian poet and academic.-Career:Sudesh Mishra was born in Fiji into an Indo-Fijian family. Coming to Australia to study he completed a Ph.D. in English literature at Flinders University. He has published several volumes of poetry, the first of which,...
"combines classical Indian poetic forms with an English peppered with Hindi and Fijian words"; his collections of poems include Tandava (1992) and Rahu (1997). Larry Thomas is a contemporary playwright and director. His 1998 play The Anniversary Present has been described as "captur[ing] the words and rhythms and creative power of the basilectal 'Fiji English' many of his marginalised characters speak: the young, the unemployed, disempowered women and men". Joseph Veramo is a contemporary novellist, whose works include the novel Moving Through the Streets (1994), the children's book The Shark, and Black Messiah, a collection published in 1989 which includes short stories and a novella.
Source
- "English in the South Pacific", John Lynch and France Mugler, University of the South Pacific