SINCE a young age Josaia McNamara has been surrounded by the world of art
Born into the iTaukei community of Matuku in Lau and raised in Tamavua, the 50-year-old’s upbringing was a blend of cultural richness and simple rural life.
His early years in Suva, growing up with his maternal grandparents in Tamavua, were marked by hard work and a close connection to the land as his family engaged in farming alongside his mother’s handicraft business.
“We did farming with my family, among other things, but that is just to give you a picture of the type of childhood I had,” he said.
“I have two brothers and a sister and I’m the third child. My mum worked at the handicraft centre, she carved and sold her handicraft.”
McNamara didn’t grow up with a dad but “my mum did her best to raise me”.
From a young age, he was surrounded by a world of artistry. By the age of seven or eight, he was already experimenting with charcoal and pencil, drawing on walls and scrap paper. However, despite his early interest in art, his path was not immediately clear.
After completing primary and secondary schooling in Lautoka, he returned to Suva at 18 to continue his education. It was during his time at USP that his passion for art truly blossomed.
“Aside from my studies, that’s where I attended workshops with invited artists from overseas.
“After years of networking and working and looking for a place to showcase my art and talent, I finally found the Fiji Arts Council.”
For McNamara becoming a professional artist was not an overnight achievement. It took years of networking, learning and searching for the right space to showcase his talent.
His first encounters with the council, back in the early days of his career, were irregular, but it set the foundation for his growth as a practising artist.
“The Fiji Arts Council was a place where I could engage with other artists and showcase my work.”
At the time, the National Fine Arts Exhibition, which the council organised, was not as expansive as it is today, but it offered a platform for emerging artists to make their mark
“The practice of art is not only about success.
“It’s physically, it’s about perfection — the perfection of the spirit, the perfection of your mind.”
For McNamara, art has been more than a profession — it has been a spiritual journey.
“The more we concentrate, the more we dig into our own self. That’s how we know our own peculiar individual realities.”
Despite the struggles, McNamara remained committed to his craft, constantly pushing through the physical and mental demands of being an artist.
Looking ahead, he sees the Fiji Arts Council as a work in progress, a platform that, though still developing, has the potential to bring greater success to artists.
“Emerging young artists should be patient enough to do their practice and believe in themselves.
“What they have is what they got. And that’s their life. After all, it only seems impossible, until it is done.”
