TWO sisters of the Dayaram family unfortunately missed out on the Meridian Store’s milestone 100th-anniversary celebrations.
Their eldest sister, who resides in India, was unable to make the long journey due to her advanced age, while another sister sadly passed away just days before the historic event took place. Tara Mati Taylor wanted to be in Taveuni to celebrate one of the proudest moments in her family’s history, the 100th anniversary of Meridian Store.
She had spoken about being there with her brothers, sisters, and relatives as they celebrated a century of the family business that had become part of Taveuni’s history. But she never made it to the celebration.
Mrs Taylor passed away a few days before the centenary, leaving her family to celebrate the milestone while mourning the loss of a beloved sister.
Her absence was deeply felt throughout the celebration.
The Meridian Store managing director and young brother Champak Lal Dayaram paused his prepared speech to honour the sister whose greatest wish was simply to be home.
Before speaking about business, history, and the future, he chose to remember family.
“I would also like to pay tribute to my sister, who passed away about days ago,” he said.
“Nothing could stop her from coming to Taveuni. No matter how much we told her she shouldn’t travel, she insisted on being here.”
His voice reflected both grief and gratitude as he remembered a sister who had remained deeply connected to the island despite spending years overseas.
He said she wanted to celebrate the family’s historic achievement alongside those she loved most.
“She wanted to be in the place of her birth. She wanted to be on her island. She wanted to be with her family.
“I am sure a higher power had other plans for her, but she remains with us. She is with us today, and I am sure she is smiling down on us.”
For those gathered beneath the marquee in Wairiki, the tribute was a reminder that the centenary was about far more than a business.
It was about people.
It was about family, and it was about the ties that continue to bind generations of the Dayaram family to Taveuni, no matter where life has taken them.
The celebration brought together relatives from across the world, many returning to the island after years overseas.
Flags representing the countries where family members now live stood alongside the celebration, symbolising just how widely the family has spread during the past century.
Yet, according to Mr Dayaram, distance has never weakened their connection to home.
“We will never forget this day. The Dayaram clan will never forget this day. It will remain engraved in our hearts forever.”
He said every family member, regardless of where they now lived, continued to identify Taveuni as home.
“Our family from various parts of the world are here. That is why you see the flags displayed, they represent the different countries where they have made their homes.
“Although they have spread across the world, their roots are here. They will always say Taveuni is their home. They will always say, ‘I’m going home,’ because Taveuni is in their blood.
“They may have children overseas, and they may live around the world, but they will always tell their children, ‘This is my home. Taveuni is mine.’”
Mr Dayaram said family had always been at the heart of the Dayaram story.
“That is the power of being raised on an island under challenging conditions. We are family, always family.
“We may fight, we may argue, but we love each other. That is what families do, and that is how families grow stronger.”
He also acknowledged the many communities that had stood beside the family throughout the past century.
Representatives from Buca Levu, the Mataitoga clan, suppliers and guests were recognised for their contribution to the family’s journey.
“We never moved away from Taveuni. We never opened a business elsewhere. We stayed here, and we achieved 100 years because we stayed here.
“That would never have happened without having a strong relationship with our wider family, not just our own family, but the community around us.
“Our community is our family.”
The business itself began under the registered company name Dayaram Fakir, while Meridian Store became the trading name recognised by generations of Taveuni residents.
“This year, Dayaram Fakir, a small-scale business, turns 100 years old. A century ago, the world looked very different.
“The roads were quieter, technology was simpler, and the coconut wireless was much stronger. The challenges were different, but they were just as real.
“There was hardship. There was growth. In that world, a small and determined group of people planted the seed that became this company.”
From those modest beginnings, the business survived changing economies, natural disasters, and dramatic social change.
“We have gone through many challenging times. We came from humble beginnings, but today we have become part of the history of the people of Taveuni.”
According to Mr Dayaram, only a handful of businesses in Fiji have survived for a century.
“Not many companies in Fiji have reached 100 years.
“We did some research a few days ago, and we believe we are only the fifth company in Fiji that is still standing strong after a century. That takes determination and perseverance.”
Mr Dayaram said his grandfather, Dayaram Fakir, arrived in Fiji during the 1920s as a tailor rather than a businessman.
Like many Gujaratis who migrated during that period, he brought a trade rather than wealth.
“He made coats, and his first customers were probably the missionaries who lived here, as well as the local people.
“He later became close friends with the family of Ratu Penaia Ganilau. They attended the Catholic Mission School together and formed lifelong friendships.
“That is our connection with Taveuni. From tailoring, the business gradually expanded into retail.
The original shop stood on the same site where the centenary celebrations were held.
“This is the original location where Meridian Store began 100 years ago. There is no more appropriate place for us to celebrate this milestone than right here.”
He said his forefathers succeeded not because they had detailed business plans but because they believed in honesty, trust, and hard work.
“He did not have a grand vision. He simply had a strong instinct. The challenges he faced were real, but he believed in hard work, trust, loyalty and perseverance.”
Those values became the foundation of the business.
“Today we stand on the shoulders of those pioneers who built this business with honesty and dedication.”
Over the past century, Meridian Store endured cyclones, changing markets, economic downturns, and global events.
“We adapted, innovated and persevered.
“We did not simply build a business, we built a legacy.”
That legacy extended well beyond commerce.
Their forefathers witnessed the installation ceremonies of the Tui Cakau, the arrival of the first aircraft in Matei, the first telephones, generators, and radios, and helped establish Taveuni Central School.
They introduced Meridian Cinema to the island, promoted the Scout movement, supported sport, and documented many historic moments through photography.
“Above all, our forefathers-built relationships based on trust and friendship with the people of Taveuni.”
Looking ahead, he acknowledged that the next century would present different challenges.
“The past is behind us. If the last 100 years have taught us anything, it is that change is constant. The next 100 years will bring new challenges, new technologies and new ways of doing business.
“We will have to adapt to those changes.”
For the Dayaram family, however, one memory will forever remain part of the centenary.
Among the celebration, speeches and applause was the quiet remembrance of a sister who had wanted nothing more than to be there.
Although Mrs Taylor was unable to celebrate alongside her family, her brother made sure she was remembered before anything else.
His tribute reminded everyone present that while businesses are built through determination and hard work, they are sustained by family, love and a sense of belonging.
As Meridian Store begins its second century, the Dayaram family will carry forward not only the legacy of those who founded the business, but also the legacy of those who have passed on.
