RATU Kadavulevu School embarked on a week-long tour of Sydney, Australia, since arriving on March 27.
They were invited to the annual Scots College Invitational International 7s tournament. The tournament which is held annually comprising teams from New Zealand and Australia.
This year it was the first time that a team outside the two countries was invited.
The invitation also gave the students and the principal Peni Senikarawa an opportunity to discover career options and future prospects for the students. As part of the activities leading up to the 7s event, the students were given a tour of Sydney University.
Some of the interesting facilities at the university included the Nano Science Research Faculty, the Sports Science Faculty, the new innovative architecturally designed building namely The Charles Perkins Building.
They had a collaborative session with an Aboriginal elder at Wollongong University and also toured the university after the elder’s presentation.
The tour of Wollongong included performing in front of West Wollongong Public School Year 1 to Year 6 students and also a collaborative meke with the Year 1 dance troupe.
The students were invited by Dr Ian Lambert, principal of The Scots College to sing at the senior school assembly which left teachers and students in awe of the incredible harmony that only Fijians can assemble without much practice.
Several comments by teachers and students after the assembly included that “they had goose bumps” listening to the incredible collaborative harmony of the students.
News of the singing spread like wildfire and within that same day, the chaplin of the Scots College Prep School invited the RKS students to sing two hymns at the Prep School Friday Chapel Service. Again their singing was incredible.
The students then stood in line and shook every student’s hand as they left the chapel service which also left all the teachers and people attending in admiration of the RKS student’s politeness and devotion.
Some of the other highlights included the RKS students being invited by The Scots College Volleyball team to play a set which RKS won and then the students performed a dance for the Scots team with several students improvising with their own dance moves.
The Scots athletics team stopped training to watch the students dance. RKS always sang after every morning training and this just gave a different perspective of how the wonderful game of rugby all over the world can give so much happiness and camaraderie to the wider community.
Every team training on the Scots main oval stopped training to watch the team sing due again to the incredible harmony. In addition, the students sang at the end of the tournament in front of the rugby players and supporters.
For most teams and supporters, it was something they will treasure for a long time. Visiting Taronga Zoo was a highlight.
The students were also treated to a photo session with South Sydney Rabbitohs after their training sessions with Sam Burgess as the most popular Rabbitoh in most of their selfies and group photos.
The day before the tournament on Friday night, RKS students attended the Roosters and Manly rugby league match and the Fijian players from both teams held photo sessions with them after the match.
After the 7s tournament, they attended the Waratahs versus Crusaders game again chatting and taking selfies with the Fijian players playing in both teams.
The RKS students and coaches stayed at The Scots College Boarding Houses namely Royale and Fairfax.
The matrons were very impressed of how neat and clean the students kept their rooms. The Scots boarders became great friends with the students during their week long stay and were sad to see them leave.
The RKS students and staff enjoyed their week-long stay in Sydney.
This trip gave the students a different perspective on visiting a country that has vast richness in many forms. It also opened their eyes and hopefully rekindled their inner thoughts, future prospects, a renewed energy to work harder, study harder and have ambitions to reach for the stars and become champions in their own right in whatever they want to do. As a great statesman once said “Nothing is impossible, but it takes hard work and an incredible determination”.
So, students of RKS, you have made your school and Fiji proud through your cultural etiquette while touring Australia as being great ambassadors.
The rugby community in Sydney are in awe and has given you a greater admiration and respect. You have seen the incredible opportunities you can attain and become great leaders of Fiji in whatever capacity you want to. So your journey has already begun since you were brought into this world and we hope the tour has enriched and will motivate you. Mai Lodoni Mai. Thank you from Australia and the RKSOB community in Sydney.
Below is the introduction read The Scots College Year 11 student Tom Linstrom before the RKS students sang at the Scots College Senior School assembly.
“Ratu Kadavulevu School was established in 1924 by one of Fiji’s high chiefs.
“It is the largest boys boarding school in Fiji consisting of approximately 800 students. RKS as it is affectionately known is one of three schools established in Fiji to educate students for leadership roles in government and the wider community after consultation between Fiji’s high chiefs and the British. The other two schools are Queen Victoria School and Suva Grammar School.
“Notable alumni’s of RKS include two Prime Ministers of Fiji since Fiji gained independence in 1970, many government ministers to name, high profile CEOs in various non-government organisations and of course many high profile rugby players including Sisa Waqa (Melbourne Storm), Joeli Vidiri and Sitiveni Sivivatu played for Fiji and later represented the All Blacks and Seru Rabeni (Flying Fijians centre) to name a few.”
The school motto ‘Dui Mate Ga Ena Nona Ucu Ni Vatu’ roughly translated into the English language ‘One must espouse ones-self and move forward in life with their family, traditional and cultural Fijian values as they progress through life standing strong in society as individuals”
