FESTIVALS are significant social events in the life of a community. Although their backgrounds vary, they all have something in common. The common feature is rejoicing and having a good time with young and old joining in various activities and generally creating a happy festival mood.
W.G.J Cruickshank, Suva City Administrator 1979
IT all started in 1956 by the Suva branch of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (abbreviated to JCC and hence also called the Jaycess). This was the beginning of an annual event much appreciated and loved by all Fijians uniting as one. It was none other than the Mother of all Festivals, Pride of the Capital City (Suva) and the Premier Festival of the South Pacific — The Hibiscus festival now known as the Vodafone Hibiscus Festival.
Inspiration
The inspiration of the festival came from a local tour operator who had seen the Aloha Festival in Hawaii and whose report on his experiences induced the Suva Jaycees to stage a similar festival. The Aloha festival had been started by the local tourist bureau and the Hawaii Jaycees chapter, both of which wished to prolong the tourist season; it had proved so successful that the low season was turned into a high season. And now the premier festival in Fiji and the Pacific region features Pacific arts and craft, traditional and contemporary dances, sports and many fun and exciting activities. The climax of the festival is the beautiful queens vying for the highly coveted Miss Hibiscus title.
Origins
The Hibiscus Festival is Fiji’s longest-running festival since 1956. The first festival was held for one night only at the Suva Town Hall, now the Vine Yard Restaurant (formerly Ming Palace). Because of its huge success the festival was increased to three days the next year and it wasn’t long before it was to become a week-long festival. Although the festival was very successful, after 30 years the festival took a lapse in the mid-80s with no real vigour. It was later renamed as the Hibiscus Carnival and ran successfully for many years until the early years of the millennium when the carnival began to lose much of its lustre and energy. In an effort to revive the Hibiscus Festival the Suva City Council and the Suva Retailers Association collaborated to establish the Hibiscus Events Group Inc. The group is led by a chairman and a Secretariat that administers its work and is made up of volunteers who form committees and subcommittees.
Activities
The festival brings Suva to a standstill during the first week of the school term two holidays. Thousands converge at the Albert Park which used to be the home of the festival for more than 50 years, to enjoy the food, rides, entertainment, sporting activities, opening march, floats procession, singing and dancing competitions, children’s day, displays, careers village, arts village, contestants judging and crowning to name a few. It is a funfilled week for the entire family to celebrate the different cultures and the diversities that binds this vibrant city.
Vodafone sponsorship
Vodafone together with Suva Retailers Association and Suva City Council re- launched the festival in 2006 after a lapse of three years. Vodafone Hibiscus Festival committee chairman Hirdesh Prasad said since then they have been privileged to a rewarding and fruitful partnership having seen the stature of the event growing from strength to strength. “With the huge media coverage it has now reached the Oceania region during the week of festivity and via live streaming as well,” Mr Prasad said.
60th anniversary
Mr Prasad said the festival will be celebrating its 60th anniversary so this is a huge milestone and gives more reason for us to celebrate this year’s Vodafone Hibiscus Festival with a huge bang. “We are in the process to finalising the venue for the festival so with this will come new ideas, new setup while we maintain the communal structure that will keep the event participation within walking distance from various stalls and stages in place,” Mr Prasad said. “Our theme too this year will be something that will showcase throughout the event through displays and volunteers participation,” he said. Mr Prasad said they would be living the theme throughout the entire nine days of festivity and will be visible all over the park.
“The contestant preparation is also underway so they will be at their best during the week and leading up to the nine days of festival,” he said. Hibiscus Group Event Inc (HEGI) together with their sponsors and key stakeholders are excited and eager to launch the 2016 Vodafone Hibiscus Festival. “With our rugby 7s team going for gold in Rio during the month of the festival, it gives us more reason to prepare the platform for a national celebration,” Mr Prasad said.
Charity chest
The Hibiscus Event Group (Inc.) through the Hibiscus Festival has assisted many charities, children’s homes, homeless children and adults, large families in need, senior citizens homes and blood drive among others. Since 2006, they have distributed over $1 million to needy groups and organisations.
The charity chest distribution is a broad based one. It targets those in genuine need, a wide cross section of the community, religious, education, poverty alleviation, medical — through clubs (Rotary etc), community based projects, registered charitable organisations e.g. Fiji Kidney Foundation, Fiji Cancer Society, National Heart Foundation, and others.
How has festival helped you in becoming the person you are today?
Participating in the Hibiscus Festival initially turned out to be a self-searching phase for me. It opened up my eyes to a whole new world and changed the way I viewed life completely. I am a better person today because Hibiscus has allowed me to accept and appreciate myself completely for everything that I am and simultaneously encourage other young women to feel the exact same way about themselves — reigning Miss Hibiscus Marie Fall
The Hibiscus Festival grooms in confidence and grace. It also showed the nineteen year-old Drue the importance of consciousness. To be conscious of society’s needs outside your own and to be confident enough to know you have the ability to address those needs, that is what Hibiscus gave me. Drue Slatter — Miss Hibiscus 2012.
Being a Miss Hibiscus seems to gives you some sort of magical power which draws people to you, I think. I recognise that this in turn means you get handed the great privilege of an audience and the responsibility of using this influence for good. Lenora Qereqeretabua — Miss Hibiscus 1988.
At that early stage in life, just entering into early adulthood, being a part of the hibiscus festival helped me a great deal with my confidence. I got the opportunity to work with Peter May at FBCL who helped me a lot with my public speaking. I also met some lifelong friends in the other contestants, committee members, and those at FBCL who were my sponsors. Miss Hibiscus 2008 — Filomena Tuivanualevu.
I think, one of the biggest takeaways for me from participating in the Hibiscus was the exposure I got to individuals from all different walks of life. We should never underestimate the impact the impression we make on an individual can make, and for me, the impact of the individuals from that environment on me has enriched my life. Alisi Rabukawaqa — Miss Hibiscus 2011.
Hibiscus was life changing ever since I signed up. It was a redefining moment of who I want to be and what kind of influence do I want to make. The choices and the people I meet today are a result of what Hibiscus has trained and exposed me to. This has been one of the decisions I do not regret. Miss Hibiscus 2014 — Nanise Rainima.
The whole experience taught me the meaning of empathy and friendship because I was in competition with people who shared my struggle and there was no room for spite. It then moulded me to become part of the country in a way that pushed for change in what I believed because the people trusted me to. And it helped me realise that while the definition of a queen will always be controversial, I had the ability to choose what it meant for me and how I wanted it to impact my life. Priscilla Reddy — Miss Hibiscus 2013.
