THE legacy of one of Fiji’s greatest statesmen came full circle yesterday as the Ratu Josefa Lalabalavu Vanayaliyali Sukuna Memorial Library was officially opened at Wairuku Primary School in Rakiraki – the very school where a young Ratu Sukuna first began his educational journey more than a century ago.
Long before he became a national leader and respected architect of modern Fiji, Ratu Sukuna sat in the classrooms of what was then known as Wairuku Indian School, attending from Year 1 to Year 4 between 1898 and 1901. He was among the pioneering students when the school first opened its doors.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ifereimi Vasu reflected on the profound significance of Ratu Sukuna’s early years in Ra, and the school that contributed to shaping the character, discipline, and leadership of one of Fiji’s greatest sons.
“This school was founded by Pandit Badri Maharaj, himself a son of the girmitiya experience and later the first Indo-Fijian member of the Legislative Council,” he said.
“In choosing this school for his son, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi placed young Sukuna in an environment where iTaukei and Indo-Fijian children learned and grew together during the formative years of his childhood.”
Mr Vasu said those early experiences helped shape the leader Ratu Sukuna would later become which included building unity among Fiji’s diverse communities.
“That experience did not weaken his love for the iTaukei people,” he said.
“Rather, it deepened his understanding of Fiji as a shared home. He later defended the permanent protection of iTaukei land and identity, while also recognising that Fiji’s peace and progress depended on all communities living together with respect, fairness, and opportunity.”
He thanked the Wairuku community, teachers, and generations connected to the school for the role they unknowingly played in shaping one of Fiji’s most influential sons.
The new facility is officially named the JLV Sukuna Memorial Library.
