In 1991, the Fiji Museum celebrated the nation’s diverse history with its second temporary exhibition, Fiji’s Early Settlers, featuring artefacts from various communities that settled in Fiji
According to a report in The Fiji Times on June 5 that year, the exhibition ran from June 1 to August 31.
The chief manager of the National Bank of Fiji at the time, Visanti Makrava, opened the exhibition.
“Exhibitions such as this were not just about objects of the past but provided us with an understanding that would benefit our future directions,” he said.
He said the program of the events would “enable a deeper understanding of the rich cultural heritage that the early settlers had left as their contribution to Fiji’s present society.”
“As such, these exhibitions should be seen as a vehicle for providing this and future generations with a compassion and understanding for moving into the future.”
The program of events included storytelling, talks, film, dress, and dance.
The exhibition opened with “a fashion parade from the National Dance Theatre of Fiji, then wearing traditional dress and dances from the Indian, Chinese, Rotuman and Banaban communities in Fiji.”
Addressing about 100 people who attended the opening, Ratu Meli Bainimarama, chairman of the Fiji Museum Board of Trustees, said the aim of the Temporary Exhibition Program was threefold.
“The museum housed the most comprehensive collection of traditional Fijian artefacts in existence, as well as smaller Pacific and historical collections,” Ratu Meli said.
“Only a third of this collection was on display at any one time, and therefore the temporary exhibitions allowed the museum to display artefacts that would otherwise be kept in store.”
“The exhibitions were also intended to publicise and generate ongoing interest in the museum’s national collections and were aimed at promoting Fiji’s rich cultural heritage.”
The exhibition was the second in a series of three and was part of a Temporary Exhibitions Program opened the previous year.
Each exhibition ran for three months and was organised in association with the Fiji Arts Council then.
The first one, titled Fijian Pottery – Past and Present, opened the previous November and featured examples from the museum’s extensive collection of traditional Fijian pottery.
Also included in the program were “pieces by three contemporary Fijian potters, pottery firing and pottery making demonstrations, testing sessions of food cooked in the traditional kuro and talks on various topics of interest related to Fijian pottery”.
Ratu Meli said the exhibition “benefited the potters participating by giving them exposure to traditional pottery from the Museum’s collection”.
He said “potters from different areas were also able to share their skills”.
The third and final exhibition was titled Fiji’s Celebrations and ran from December 1, 1991, to February 29, 1992. The display aimed at looking at various aspects of celebrations cross-culturally.
The program of events included “tasting sessions of festival food, displays of cultural costumes, talks, film and dance.”
Sponsored by the Naitonal Bank of Fiji, it aimed to promote Fiji’s cultural heritage and to generate ongoing interest in the Museum’s national collection.
