The latest and arguably most important phase of the Government’s Fijian Made campaign – Fijian Crafted – is being launched by the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, in Nadi on Friday. Why is a crafted object more significant than an industrially manufactured item, however excellent or desirable? Because more than anything else, it represents the artistic skills of ordinary Fijians – the men and women who use their hands to create items of beauty – masi, mats, wood carvings, pottery, paintings and all those things that come under the craft banner and are genuine expressions of Fijian culture and achievement.
These ordinary individuals often display extraordinary talent yet one wonders how valued their work has really been in the eyes of their fellow citizens. Because let’s face it. With certain notable exceptions – Pacific Green furniture for one – there’s a definite tendency on the part of many urban Fijians to prize foreign-made items more highly than anything crafted by a local. If it’s from “overseas” – many people think – it simply must be better. Yet all around us are objects that are not only beautiful and functional but genuinely authentic and reflect our unique surroundings and culture so much better than the imported alternative. Nowhere is this more the case than with decorative items that can be used in the home.
When Grubsheet was a kid in Fiji, our family home was decorated entirely in the “local” style – woven mats on the floor, canvass-clad timber chairs to sink into at the end of a long tropical day, family photos on the wall framed by shell necklaces or salusalu, the odd carved club, spear or fan to fill in the gaps, perhaps a masi hanging and a coffee table or two made out of pieces of local timber ingrained with the map of Fiji or any number of places such as Rotuma which a local artisan was keen to put on the map. We lived in such surroundings happily and with pride. It was part of the Fijian experience of the 1950s and 60s. No-one said “why have you decorated your house like this?” Local families just did it out of aesthetic preference and also to support those who made the items. And because we were keen to reflect the artistic achievement of the place in which we lived.
I am old enough to remember the British colonial era and the way many people decorated their homes. Some colonial servants had lived in other British possessions such as Hong Kong and the East African colonies and sprinkled their homes with Asian scroll paintings, African carvings or the odd leopard or zebra skin. But few families I knew didn’t have certain Fijian items at the core of their decorative efforts – mats, masi, carvings and the like. All over the world today,“ end of Empire kids” – the progeny of those who lived and worked in Fiji under colonial rule – regard the items that they inherited from their parents as being among their most treasured possessions. These aren’t just what used to be quaintly termed “curios” – items acquired as souvenirs of their Fijian visits by international holiday makers or mementos collected by expatriates returning home after a posting here. They aren’t crude items destined for some cupboard or dusty corner, like the countless “swords” engraved with peoples’ names that were once foisted on every tourist. The very best of them are genuine works of art – expressions of individual talent and excellence – that ought to be prized acquisitions and treasured possessions for all Fijians.
Some of the oldest pieces – such as 19th century tanoas, clubs and pottery – are now extremely valuable and fetch high prices at auction or on ebay. So is antique masi, which is similarly prized though obviously more vulnerable to deterioration. Grubsheet is fortunate to have acquired some of these items and the patina of age that has been layered on the original craftsmanship makes them especially beautiful. These are obviously a cut above your average handicraft from Jacks. Yet so many quality items are still being made in Fiji that these too are destined to be treasured and appreciated long after those who’ve acquired them are gone.
The tourist trade still laps up this output and some of the items at Jacks nowadays run into the thousands of dollars. There’s also a brisk trade in mats, masi, magimagi and shells at the handicraft market in Suva, which incidentally needs much better signage and promotion. But there’s plenty of evidence that if it weren’t for the tourist trade, Fijian artisans would have a tough time nowadays making a living. In the Vanua, of course, mats and masi are still prized as items of aesthetic and cultural significance and are a central part of everyday life. But it strikes Grubsheet that most urban Fijians nowadays are eschewing “Fijian style” when it comes to decorating their homes in favour of a generic international look. Better access to Asia and the sudden availability of Chinese furniture has also made the Asian look more popular. But it’s telling that so many affluent Fijians seem to want to live like someone in Sydney or any number of global cities rather than surround themselves with objects of beauty crafted by their fellow citizens.
It’s tempting to cast this as a “wannabe” phenomenon- wannabe “like overseas”, don’t wannabe like our parent’s generation. Yet it’s also striking how little genuine effort is going into promoting “Fijian style” when it comes to home décor. The opposite happens to be the case in Hawaii, where “Hawaiian style” is huge and has become a popular local slogan. Many Hawaiian residents are actually recreating their homes in the manner of their parents and grandparents. Those 1940s “pretzel” rattan lounges that people once threw out are now fetching thousands. And people are also paying top dollar for any decorative item that reflects “old Hawaii”- before the generic age of leather lounges and the bland “international look” that makes any home, no matter where in the world, appear no different to any other. So there’s clear evidence of a strong return to authenticity of surroundings when it comes to decorating and a repudiation of “same, same” blandness. And therefore a strong argument that those arbiters of contemporary taste in Fiji would do well to emulate the Hawaiian example. We’ve got the stuff and, in the main, it’s top quality. We’ve got no shortage of skilled artisans. So let’s use them and make Fijian Crafted a brand that’s as celebrated, treasured and in vogue as Fiji Water or the new Fiji Airways.
How do we do it? By tapping the same creativity that has made Fijian fashion such a phenomenon. The top Fijian fashion designers such as Robert Kennedy, Hupfeld Hoerder, Aisea Konrote, and others have led the way in generating a local industry and showing us that “local is better”. What we need is a new generation of local interior decorators to do the same. These people need to be conduits between our local artisans and the wider market to set trends and generate demand. They need to create interiors using local products that inspire, are showcased by glossy magazines like Mai Life and their counterparts abroad and fire retail interest in the “Fijian look”. They need creative flair but also the sensitivity and judgment to enhance indigenous culture, not cheapen it. And they need to preserve the artistic integrity of our artisans and put their best interests at the forefront of this effort.
One of the wonderful aspects of the new Fiji Airways – quite apart from the supremely comfortable new A330 aircraft – has been the way in which the work of Makareta Matamosi – the masi artisan from Namuka-i-Lau – has been celebrated. Her striking design for the livery of the new airline hasn’t only attracted overwhelmingly positive comment and won a major “new best airline design” award. What struck Grubsheet most was the surge of national pride that erupted when the planes bearing Makareta’s work flew low over the nation’s islands, villages, cities and towns on their way into Nadi on their delivery flights.
What were we collectively responding to? Yes, A330s are handsome planes but are a dime a dozen at airports around the world. It’s nice that Fiji has them but many ordinary Fijians will never have the means to set foot in one. No, what really stirred emotions in most people was seeing the name of our country emblazoned on the side of the plane and under the fuselage. And most of all, the shouts of excitement and tears of pride came because of the beauty and authenticity of what we saw painted on the fuselage and tail and those brilliant tattoo-like rings around the engines.
The point was that we didn’t need a design studio in New York, London or Paris to come up with a logo or motif for our national airline. Our inspiration came from within, from Fiji’s grass roots in the form of an ordinary wife and mother from a small island who may be just like other masi makers except for one thing. Her skills and a great commercial opportunity combined to propel her to the apex of Firjian artisan achievement- someone so good at what she does that her status transcends these islands and can be acknowledged and appreciated anywhere on earth.
This is what makes Makareta Matamosi a national treasure and inspired the Prime Minister to ask the board of Air Pacific to name the second A330 after her home island. In doing so, he captured the national mood perfectly. Because we all want someone like Makareta to be acknowledged and revered. Which is why Grubsheet is also hoping that the celebration of her work sparks a national revival in Fijian crafts and the value we place on what our people are making.
Dozens of artisans are on the books of the Fiji Arts Council, which has emerged as one of the main bodies keeping Fijian arts and crafts alive. Many of those people – especially from the West – will be present for the Fijian Crafted launch in Nadi. All of them are budding Makareta Matamosis, different only because they haven’t had the same opportunity to be “discovered”. But they are all national treasures in one way or another and we should do everything we can to encourage them, celebrate their work, buy it and prize it as genuine expressions of our national culture and character and something than makes Fiji unique. Just like the masi design on the big aircraft tail that’s now turning heads and drawing appreciative comments at airports around the Asia Pacific region.
Graham, The same logic, “wannabe” phenomenon- wannabe “like overseas” could be applied to the abysmal lack of local content of drama sitcoms shown on the 3 local TV stations in Fiji.
Thank GOD, I was wondering when this day will come….
Ok we can begin by increasing the import tariff on the supposedly “Fijian” artifacts, manufactured in Indonesia/Thailand etc and sold by the the locals. That is one way to protect the local industry and I believe the government should also protect/fund/market the products crafted locally….well in the initial stages anyway.
We should also be aware of the local cartels who would undermine the local products for profit.
Made in Fiji labels (not just any stick on labels etc)…….may be imprinted on TAPA and use coconut weaved “threads” as a tie up…..here we go I’ve just started an industry.
And yes any violators/cons who undermine the local products must be punished severely….
Ok here’s how I would do things:
1. Nadi….”encourage” every store in the main street…well all streets to provide a 1m x 1m minimum space in their front window for ‘Token” display of artifacts proudly displaying made in Fiji products. They can sell the products at any price but not lower than being sold by the “owners”/ manufacturers.
Those that are “not encouraged” and as a good gesture to support the mainly i-taukei built crafts……..oh the Indians can make dholaks etc……well I am happy to visit these guys in my blue T-shirts….
….so what we gonna do with all the Chinese who have flooded the country than….kick the police vehicles????
Now that is the ultimate “Island in the Sky”
Interesting article Graham,
You are certainly right about the Suva handicraft centre. Each day I drive past this building with magnificent cruise ships alongside and the tourists flooding the streets I cringe.
It has to be one of the most uninviting buildings around from the outside, filthy roof and walls that need some fresh paint and as you say a total lack of good sinage. It’s certainly not going to attract business in that state.
You also mention ‘local timbers’ but how accessible are these to someone wanting to use these materials ? Fiji has an abundance of mahogany and some other great hard woods but you try finding them. Five years ago there was a timber yard in Nabua where you could purchase just about any size of sawn or prepared timber but no more. The main hardware stores only sell the most basic poor quality local pine. Certainly not promoting ‘home made’.
For a country that has so much good timber I’m surprised that we see no other furniture manufacturer of a similar standard to the unique Pac Green. It seems our interest is in the easy quick money maker of raw timber export and let others make the big bucks by adding value to it.
Very true about the supply for timber.
Interesting article indeed. And very inspiring.
As with Fijian made products – I think a billion dollar industry is in the horizon!!!
Our Govt in my view is putting in place some necessary measures that will assist our local artists, designers, carvers, sculptures, etc right from the grass root level. Also measures that will assist at the various levels right up to the exporting and distribution levels.
But perhaps its time we re-look and explore those areas where we haven’t addressed really well and seem to have missed so we can actually make this industry really become a billion dollar industry.
For instance we have alot of mahogany and native hardwood but we seem to be concentrating our efforts on exporting logs rather than creating those Fijian made (with a special touch of our local design) products that will sell for huge sums of money.
I think we can train our people to make furniture, artifacts, boats, guitars, etc from these hardwood and add to it designs that can be associated with us. These people perhaps can also be assisted with the provision of tools and soft loans to start off their business.
Imagine making an English table but with a special touch that is linked to us. And then selling these types of products in partnership with famous worldwide companies. I think we can really make this dream of having a billion dollar industry become a reality.
But we need to sit and re-look at the whole process and involve all the necessary parties/groups that can map out a direction for us to take, the assistance/schemes that Govt will need to come up with, the roles that can be played by existing local investors and companies and potential roles that can be played by us and our overseas partners, and so forth. We also need to re-look at the incentives we offer and tax arrangements and whatever necessary that all needs to be addressed together.
If we do this right I really believe we can make it. If the Indonesians have made their mahogany industry into a billion dollar industry so can we.
There are other products we can also add our Fijian touch to like black pearls – we seem to be concentrating on selling just these pearls but not jeweleries. We also mine gold but make bars and sell them.
Oh goodness me, we seem to have missed alot of opportunities for the past 40 years and not invest in our talented local people to add value to our products.
Perhaps now is the time that we should realize that we need to do something about this and benefit from it for the opportunity is here.
So thank you Graham for this timely article and may our Govt’s Fijian made campaign be a successful one – for we really need it.
So far, only the current Govt has the insight and foresight to lead us into these new ‘horizons’. This Govt does really care about all our people and has broaden our vision.
I am certain more of our designs and identity will be incorporated into our products. Our talented local people are being more recognized and appreciated and with new directions being put in place by this Govt we surely will reach our destiny.
Our PM has been working hard with all the trade shows and the marketing of our nation and products. He has even extended our foreign relations and brought in potential markets. As for the Fijian made campaign no Govt has ever done it with pride and to the extent that he has. If Fiji votes him in for another term as our PM we surely will reap the benefits in the not too distant future.
Indeed there is a bright future ahead for all of us. Imagine all these youngsters now roaming the streets of Suva are producing high quality craft in little workshops with the products sold around the world. Our PM could even introduce his own brand like Maria Sharapova. Crafted bula shirts, sandals and sulus, luxury watches made in Fiji to rival Rolex and perhaps most importantly luxury yachts inspired by masi designs like on our new truly wonderful new aircraft. I can even imagine a luxury liquor production from all this molasses that we currently export and get paid peanuts for it. With the new casino now being constructed and all the exiting new Chinese investments in agriculture, housing, sugar, mining and tourism Fiji has the potential to grow its GDP by 10% p.a. or even more. The only thing we have to do is voting for our visionary leaders, the PM and his AG.
This is only the beginning! If we stand behind our beloved PM and AG, if we can see through all the negativity that is thrown at this government, if we can ignore the lies about torture, human rights violations and corruption that the anti-government forces publish every day, we can only reach one conclusion: We have to vote for the PM/AG’s party and confirm them in office. We could do away with all this ministries, we could have a lean administration managed by two capable man. With this leadership we could finally develop Fiji’s idle land and become a prosperous country. Please vote for our leaders!
Of course Mr Bainimarama must remain in office with this AG so that we all feel safe in Fiji.
On the same note people like Micheal Field, who believe in writing lies will have no show in our beloved country.
I am challenging Micheal Field to come up with the truth he ‘feels’ he knows about 2006 take over and the beneficiaries he named in his blog and FB. Defaming people is not Media Freedom!
Does anyone else see the irony.
The man who has done more to destroy Fijian Culture is now launching the latest and arguably most important phase of the Government’s Fijian Made campaign – Fijian Crafted.
Cultured Fijian Please elaborate of whats destroyed if anything the culture is now now more enshrined than ever!
Friends we have to prepare for another massive propaganda attack orchestrated by Winston Peters. He will launch a book by the deceased NZ High Commissioner Green which is nothing but a shameless attempt to ridicule and smear our PM. Green describes our PM as a moronic bully and ruthless thug. He even claims that he was personally threatened by the PM. Now we all know what a warm hearted intelligent and lovely person our PM is and it will be necessary to counter this smear campaign not only in the media but also with legal means. I sincerely hope that our AG has his legal guns loaded to prevent the publication of these attacks on Fiji’s sovereignty.
Winston Peters is still so hurt because they couldn’t get their way of getting rid of Bainimarama that he carries on with his idiotic remarks. Reality is both NZ & Australia with their combined Forces couldn’t move a Pacific Island Leader – do they really believe they could do any better when dealing with countries much, much larger than Fiji. Here in their own backyard they already treated as just another bunch of ‘know it all ‘colonisers.Now Australia wants to increase Aid to Fiji -what another form of bribery.Give us your money but we ain’t doing what you think you want us to do! Its about time the likes of Winston just looks at himself in the mirror and asks what he has done for the Pacific countries – shit!
Winston Peters is a seasoned politician who will do anything to gain political ascendency even “marrying” an opposition party if it would give him a ministerial post after spending years ridiculing them. He continuosly lambasted Helen Clark (Labour PM) for her foreign policies, and when there was a chance for him to be a Minister of Foreign Affairs in the same Labour led government (still under Helen Clark), Winston jumped and “slept with the enemy”. Winston is currently now making headlines in NZ waving the racial card something that Fiji is trying to get rid off. I quote one of his many memorable gaffes (this one from 2002),
“We place our country at risk by bringing in thousands of people whose views are formed by alien cultures and rigid religious practices. If immigrants are allowed to settle here, regardless of their ability or willingness to live in harmony with us, we will create a breeding ground for conflict.” This is unbelievable from a person who is trying to tell Fiji to treat people with respect and quickly return to democracy. What a joke! No wonder the former Deputy Leader of Labour Party, Michael Cullen said that Winston Peters is the blow fly of New Zealand politics.
Winston Peters,rides on “first class seat” 24/7 as far as NZ’s hypocritical policies/stance against Fiji goes.
Could not agree more with you as far as Sir Winston is concerned, he is an attention whore, nothing else. The problem is that the audience in NZ and the wider Pacific region will not see this clear enough. In addition, the book launched tomorrow is authored by former High Commissioner Green, a man who has a reputation as a professional diplomat. Therefore we need good arguments to deflect his claims, otherwise this book will do a lot of damage by depicting our PM as a ruthless moron unwilling to negotiate or compromise. If this image is portrayed the entire 2014 elections will be in jeopardy. It will be seem as a charade staged by a dictator rather than an expression of the desire of the overwhelming majority of people to be governed by our PM and his AG.
Is it au fait for former diplomats to kiss and tell about information they acquired while holding official diplomatic positions? Has Green told all the truth about his experiences in Fiji or has he been selective about his “truth”? For instance has he disclosed who all his sources were in Fiji? And who told him what? And to who he leaked official secret information acquired by him I’m sure he has not.
Most of these diplomats are dimwits c0@k sucking political appointees who have spent all their lives shoving their hands and heads up their bosses @rse to get postings abroad.
Try talking to these blokes…. either be the court officials, fair trading officials, road and traffic authority officials or any friggin government employee in Auistralia and you will see what I mean.
These friggin men and their frigid other beings, the women, are so soooo living in their tiny boxed world that the front counter where they stand, stoney faced, calling “next”, becomes their pulpit of authority…… and suddenly every other being who comes his way is a lesser mortal.
This is their attitude. And the guy in the office…well his constantly phonesexing the boss.
And what happens to the lady with the knife…..???
I watched 2 guys on ABC last night.
1. Tupeni Baba.
I wish one day that you will trip and fall over the mongrels flea to get some sense in your head. Never have I felt so ashamed since that other bloke decided to seek help from the Australian Army. What a disgrace.
2. NZ Winston Peters.
You reading this Winsi……yes you are….now let me tell you something maybe your own people are afraid to say: You are are disgraceful native of NZ and a disgrace to those warrior people known world over. A pathetic sell out who would even put Terry Tevita to shame.
And you think that by building some homes in Fiji you could dictate your policy towards this country.
Or were you confused with Samoa.
Get out of our affairs….useless moron.
I think these diplomats read the hate blogs and actually believe what is written there! What a useless bunch of intellectually challenged wankers. Not sure who’s worse. The writers of the hate blogs or the diplomats and politicians who rely on the contents?
I am not so sure that diplomats read the blogs. Why would anyone waste their time with the lowest form of journalism?
Green’s book is full of the old lies: he portrays the PM as a vindictive, corrupt thug, unable or unwilling to negotiate or compromise. He claims that he was declared persona non grata because of a rugby match when he knew full well that it was his disrespect for the PM and his spying on the Fiji government that got him send packing. Green smears Bainimarama who is widely accepted by a vast majority of Fiji’s population as a violent, greedy dictator who has no respect for human rights. He claims that our PM has suppressed investigations in torture and violence committed by the disciplined forces in Fiji while police violence in New Zealand is not even mentioned once in this so called book. I am glad that we have the media laws in Fiji that will prevent this vicious smear is being published and I truly hope that Graham will weigh in and reveal what this is all about: A pathetic attempt to prevent that our PM becomes a legitimate, elected leader. I also suggest that our PM closes the NZ high commission with immediate effect. NZ tourists should also be forced to apply for a visa when they want to visit our beautiful and happy country. This will teach the NZ government a long overdue lesson.
Believe me Peter, they read the hate blogs. The hate blogs support their own theories and sometimes they write posts in them too to protect their own dispatches.
I wonder whether Kevin Rudd can really win the elections against Tony Abbort after naming more women in Cabinet?
Tony Abbort perhaps would be more willing to work with our current Govt in finding an agreeable solution and realistically providing a better working relationships. Unless Rudd has his changed stance on Fiji.
Interesting developments in Australia indeed. Tony Abbott will the elections hands down as Graham has predicted. There will be a very short honey moon for Rudd, then Australians – despite their love for the underdog – will see the light and vote for a true leader with clear policies, a principled stand and heaps of charisma: Tony Abbott. Tony will change Australia’s stand on Fiji, open the country for Fijian seasonal workers and facilitate immigration for Fijians. Military cooperation will resume between the two countries and the aid programme will be restored to pre-coup levels.
I don’t think so that Abbot will win as easily predicted-people will wake up to the fact that is another dope in disguise – ” i have yet to know what he actually stands for’? Have you heard anything positive come out from his mouth? If Newman in Queensland is anything to go by -Abbot will be worse!
Riverside they have no choice be it Abbot or Rudd. Nz is playing the good cop now because it realises it has its back to the wall. Australia has not only played the bad cop but was even going to the extent of trying its darndest to cripple Fijis economy whilst pretending its was helping-by give us Aid! It still hasn’t dawned on Canberra that the South Pacific Forum might be doomed-great having a meeting of Samoa (NZ), Tonga (neither here nor there), Cooks (NZ) but still retains its relations with Fiji and the other Atolls around the Pacific who NZ & Aussie have in their ‘coin’ pocket is about as big as this forum gets! The key players are missing or really don’t care. Now thats Franks movers you seening – so far no counter moves-so whos the fool in this whole process?
Well said Graham, we need to inspired with what we have amongst us! The creation of this myth that everything that comes from ‘overseas’ is great needs to be re-looked . In todays world where we have massive numbers of NCD’s, increases in crime etc its nothing more than copy cats – sorry to say in what we eat, drink, dress, etc with hardly a look in with all good things local. Congratulations also to Makereta Matamosi for carrying on a tradition.
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