FIFTY-ONE years ago, a group of women from Vuda were quietly building what promised to become a successful cottage furniture industry, with exports expected to provide a significant source of income.
A story in The Fiji Times of Thursday, August 21, 1975, detailed how about 18 women from Viseisei, Lauwaki and Lomolomo, together with New Zealander Brian Anderson, were producing handmade dining, lounge and patio furniture.
The venture was the brainchild of Mr Anderson, who had spent about 16 months developing the idea and teaching village women the skills needed to become professional furniture weavers.
By early 1975, the women and Mr Anderson had formed Elstree Handicraft (Fiji) Ltd.
“The venture has got to a stage now where the women are all professionals, and since it is growing into a fair-sized industry, we are looking for retail outlets,” he said.
“The aim is to have a Fiji-made product available locally at a reasonable price. We also aim to make the company fully localised.”
Mr Anderson said he had deliberately looked for a trade that women could undertake in their villages rather than having to work in factories.
Weaving was a natural choice because it was a skill familiar to the women and therefore relatively easy to teach.
The then Tui Vuda, Ratu Josaia Tavaiqia, also supported the venture after plans were presented to him.
By August 1975, the women were producing furniture designed by Mr Anderson, with the company selling its products to 12 hotels throughout Fiji and beginning to supply to retailers.
The furniture were made using plastic-coated rattan imported from Hong Kong and steel frames, initially sourced from New Zealand and later purchased through a local firm.
At that time, about 100 women were capable of making the furniture, while plans were already being developed to export the products to Australia and Canada.
