Being independent for a year and seeing the Fiji flag raised on the masthead, a surge of pride in Fiji’s national identity and independence sprung upon Fijians that attended the second Independence Day celebration in 1971.
As the day fell on a Sunday it was ideal to have a day of devotion and religious worships to mark the special event.
During the celebration, the famous national anthem was sung for the first time on an official occasion which described of Fiji’s wonders and blessings.
Religious leaders played a significant role in the day of worship and the program was well planned out. In Suva, the Governor General, Sir Robert Foster, and the Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, attended an open-air service at Albert Park. Details of the event were published in this newspaper on Monday, October 11 of that year.
Attending the event were religious leaders who presented Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and the Sikh faith and they were led on to a dais by the chairman of the Fiji Day Service Committee, the Very Reverend Father L. Hannan.
Passages from holy books and prayers were read in Fijian, English, Hindu, Arabic, Gurmukhi and Urdu allowing all in attendance an opportunity to enjoy the service in their very own religious program.
The principal of the Pacific Theological College, the Reverend Dr George Knight, gave an address in which he said people called God by different names, but everyone’s task was to be obedient to the call of God.
The address was then followed by a personal dedication done by the Prime Minister.
Representatives of a Muslim sect who was not permitted to take part in the services at Albert Park did not attend the service.
A government source said the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat-i-Islam returned 50 tickets for seats in the grandstand and on the dais for its representatives. For Nausori, bad weather forced an outside venue for a combined religious service to be abandoned.
The service was held in the Nausori Methodist Church.
At Lautoka the combined religious service at Churchill Park included music by the Fiji Police Band, hymns by the Fulton Missionary College choir and a song of praise performed by the Assemblies of God church. Representatives of Christian, Muslim and Hindu sects were led by the Venerable Archdeacon J.L. Bryce.
The following day – Monday October 11 – several celebrations were held around the country to mark Fiji’s second independence day.
More than 3000 people at the park heard a broadcast of the ceremony and speeches in Suva and 16,000 young people took part in a March of Youth to Albert Park to the music of the Royal Fiji Military Forces band, for a flag raising ceremony and messages from the nation’s leaders.
Later marching girls and Charman’s All Races Club gave displays and there was an exhibition of handicrafts. Sports were held and the afternoon program finished with beating the retreat and a cultural concert with music, songs and dances by different communities was also held.
The Commissioner Northern R. Dods took the salute at a march past at Subrail Park in Labasa.
Light rain fell on celebrations at Savusavu, Nausori and Navua. At Navua, people listened to a broadcast of Suva celebrations and later held rugby and basketball competitions.
A march by ex-servicemen, guides and scouts preceded a flag-raising ceremony at Suva and there was a program of sports at Yaroi Park.
The Minister for Fijian Affairs and Local Government, Ratu George Cakobau, opened celebrations at Nausori and officially named the Nausori township grounds Cakobau Park.
