LONG before women commonly worked in technical roles, Hassum Mati Dayaram quietly made history inside Taveuni’s famous Dateline 180th Meridian Cinema.
In 1969, she became the cinema’s first female projection assistant, helping bring movies to life for audiences from across the Garden Island.
Meridian Store managing director Champak Lal Dayaram said his sister’s role reflected the family’s commitment to preserving and operating one of Fiji’s most unique cinemas.
“My sister Hassum Mati Dayaram was the first female projection assistant in the cinema back in 1969,” he said.
Operating a projector during those years required patience, precision and technical knowledge. Film reels had to be carefully threaded through the projector, monitored throughout each screening and changed at exactly the right moment to avoid interruptions.
Any mistake could leave hundreds of moviegoers staring at a blank screen. For many women at the time, such technical responsibilities were uncommon. But within the Dayaram family, everyone contributed to the success of the cinema.
Mr Dayaram said the cinema was more than just a business. It was something the family treasured.
“Like her, the cinema was something that we treasured through the years and would like to maintain it, but there are land issues associated with the cinema that are out of our reach.”
The cinema brought together people from every corner of Taveuni.
Residents travelled from the north and south of the island to enjoy movies, talent quests, debates and community gatherings.
“The excitement of the movies got to the whole family, and we were just proud to be hosting people from the south and north of the island,” Mr Dayaram said.
Built in 1954 by the late Ambaram Dayaram, the cinema quickly became one of the island’s best-known landmarks.
Its unique location along the 180th Meridian also earned it international recognition as the only cinema where people could technically cross into another day simply by changing seats.
Movie nights were often packed.
Thursday, Saturday and Sunday screenings regularly attracted full houses as families gathered to enjoy the latest films.
The cinema screened Hollywood productions, British documentaries and later became well known for Bollywood movies.
Behind every successful screening was a dedicated team ensuring every projector operated smoothly.
Among them was Hassum Mati Dayaram.
Her work may have taken place away from the audience’s view, but it was essential to the cinema’s success.
Mr Dayaram believes the cinema has now become more than just an old building.
“Considering that the cinema has outlived other cinemas on the island, it has almost become a family heirloom.”
Although the cinema has fallen into disrepair and would require a lot of money to restore, the memories created there remain vivid for many former patrons.
The building still stands as a monument to generations of entertainment, family commitment and community spirit. For the Dayaram family, preserving those memories is just as important as preserving the structure itself.
Among those memories is the quiet achievement of a young woman who stepped behind the projector in 1969 and helped illuminate the silver screen for countless audiences, making her own unique contribution to one of Fiji’s most remarkable cinemas.
