This book must be read by as many people as possible — only when people have changed their views by reading this modest collection of 50 literatures that has been captured by the author on this island nation “Fiji”— will they begin to understand what makes this country so unique and special.
Why do people still call Fiji – a place called home and live so comfortably.
This is not a literature review or a survey of scholarly articles. In this publication, renowned author, Daryl Tarte, who has published several other books on Fiji, rhetorically takes some of Fiji’s most famous studies that captures history, experiences, discoveries, biographies, culture, tradition and religion that have been published into books by academics, researchers and individuals by recording these events and people who helped shape this nation.
Authors who have given us the opportunity to develop our own distinct knowledge on the pre and post-Colonial Fiji, its traditions, culture, history and etc.
His attempts to succinctly reframe them by providing a new perspective and understanding in the past 200 years of Fiji’s history.
It is quite extraordinary, because some of these books are dated as back as 1926 and are now out of print, Mr Tarte unlocks the knowledge and experiences those authors stocked in their writing that were directly associated and instrumental in the development and shaping of this nation.
These people and their trials will never be forgotten, but will be part of our lives.
Mr Tarte’s projection in presenting the objectives of these literatures so skillfully in a fashion that as such no one will finish reading them without imagination or remembering the particular objectives of each book.
This goes to show his acquaintance and appreciation over the specialty of these books, specifically phrasing them to start each book’s summary at the beginning of each chapter – one of which he phrases for his own book — “Turaga”.
“Tourism must remain our servant and must not be permitted to become our master” — Mr Tarte (quoting Ganilau).
There is no common thread in this book, subjects range from politics to agriculture, nature, history, human relations, discoveries, migration, biographies, leadership, turmoils, legends etc… — each giving us a distinct glimpse of Fiji.
It will be difficult to quote each and every book and its authors in this article, but it includes books written by prolific writers such as Prof Brij Lal, Prof Subramani, Prof Satendra Nandan, R. A Derrick, Cyclopedia of Fiji, Sir Alan Burns, A Schultz, Peter Thomson, Prof Randy Thaman, Dr. Dick Watling and others including the most recent one by Ben Ryan, “Sevens Heaven”.
This important book is almost preternatural in its timing during the gigantic upheavals of 2020 — the COVID-19 which has not spared our nation.
The optimistic writer sifts through the past in his mission as a bearing witness to prove that this is the book we need right now that touch our lives as we celebrate our 50 years of independence this year, October 10th 2020 and take a look back of what have we missed to know in the history of our beloved nation, Fiji.
Finishing the book with Fiji’s National Anthem, Mr Tart reflects his patriotism for this country which is also undoubtedly proven by the literatures he has produced over his life time so far.
Mr Tarte was born in 1934, on the island of Taveuni, in Fiji.
In 1968, he moved on to a career based Viti Levu.
Mr Tarte resigned from his executive post in the sugar industry in 1999 to devote more time to travel, corporate affairs and writing.
He has so far published “Fiji Fiji, a coffee table book”; “Fiji, an historical novel”; “Islands of the Frigate Birds”; “Stalker on the Beach- a novel about the Pacific”; “Turaga, a biography of Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau”; and co-authored “20th Century Fiji – the people who shaped the nation” in August 2015, he published “Fiji – A Place called home” with ANU and USP Press.
His publications include “Once Upon a Time in Fiji” by USP Press in 2016, “The Beginning of The End” by Olympia Press in 2018 and the most recent one in 2020, “The Old Man, The boy and the Wreck”.
- The views expressed are those of the author of this article and not of the opinion of University of The South Pacific (USP) or this newspaper. Most of his books are available from USP Bookcentre – contact maharaj_v@usp.ac.fj. – 9431694.
