Fiji — books & literature

The story of Fiji

Fiji's story begins with Austronesian and Melanesian voyagers who settled its islands starting around 1000 BCE, developing chiefly societies built on fishing, farming, and elaborate ceremonial exchange. European contact came late and slowly: Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted the islands in 1643, but sustained contact with traders, missionaries, and whalers only grew through the 1800s, an era that also gave Fiji its old nickname among sailors, the 'Cannibal Isles'. In 1874, paramount chief Ratu Seru Cakobau ceded Fiji to Britain to head off instability, beginning nearly a century of colonial rule. Between 1879 and 1916, Britain brought tens of thousands of indentured labourers from India to work sugar plantations, permanently reshaping Fiji's population and culture. Independence came on 10 October 1970 under Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, but the young nation faced political turbulence, including military coups in 1987, 2000, and 2006, before returning to elected government in 2014. Today Fiji is a multicultural Pacific nation known for its warmth, rugby prowess, and postcard islands, still balancing indigenous iTaukei tradition with its Indo-Fijian and wider Pacific communities.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 1000 BCE

   Austronesian voyagers settle the Fiji islands.

2. 1643

   Dutch explorer Abel Tasman becomes the first European recorded to sight Fiji.

3. 1874

   Ratu Seru Cakobau cedes Fiji to Britain (Deed of Cession, 10 October).

4. 1879-1916

   Britain brings indentured labourers from India to work sugar plantations, founding the Indo-Fijian community.

5. 1970

   Fiji gains independence from Britain (10 October); Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara becomes first Prime Minister.

6. 1987

   Military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka; Fiji is declared a republic.

7. 2006

   Military coup led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

8. 2014

   Fiji returns to parliamentary democracy in its first election since 2006.

9. 2016

   Fiji's rugby sevens team wins gold at the Rio Olympics , the country's first-ever Olympic medal.

Top 10 things to know about Fiji

1. Fiji is an archipelago of more than 330 islands, of which about 110 are permanently inhabited.
2. The capital, Suva, sits on Viti Levu, the largest island.
3. "Bula" is Fiji's famous all-purpose greeting, heard everywhere from villages to resorts.
4. Fiji's first-ever Olympic medal was gold, won by the men's rugby sevens team at Rio 2016.
5. A large share of the population is Indo-Fijian, descended from indentured labourers brought from India starting in 1879.
6. The kava ceremony (yaqona) is a central ritual of Fijian hospitality and chiefly protocol.
7. The island of Taveuni is crossed by the 180th meridian, near the International Date Line.
8. Fiji was nicknamed the "Cannibal Isles" by 19th-century European sailors, referencing pre-colonial ritual practices.
9. Rugby, especially sevens, is the dominant national sport and a major source of national pride.
10. Fiji's flag still carries the Union Jack, a visible link to its British colonial history.

Famous people from Fiji

Say it in Fiji's language

Did you know?

• ★The island of Taveuni straddles the 180th meridian, close to the International Date Line.
• ★Fiji's 2016 rugby sevens Olympic gold was the country's first Olympic medal of any kind.
• ★European sailors once called Fiji the "Cannibal Isles" after encountering ritual practices that ended with Christianization in the 1800s.

Fiji culture

• The kava (yaqona) ceremony is central to Fijian social life, welcoming guests and marking formal occasions.
• Rugby sevens is a national obsession, uniting the country around its Olympic and World Series success.
• Meke, a traditional performance blending dance, chant, and music, tells stories of history and legend.
• Fiji is genuinely multicultural, with indigenous iTaukei, Indo-Fijian, and other Pacific communities each contributing distinct food, language, and festivals.

Why read Fiji's books

Fijian storytelling spans oral chiefly genealogies, Indo-Fijian indenture memoirs, and a modern Pacific literary voice shaped by coups and resilience. Reading Fiji's books opens a window onto both sides of that shared island history.