"A 25th anniversary celebration almost wiped out our 200-year history at the Fiji Museum on Friday night. A fiery dance group of teenaged girls and boys were performing a fire-dance when kerosene they were using spilt on to the floor and burst into flames in front of guests as well as the Ra Marama replica that stood not more than 15 metres away. The dancers attempted putting the fire out with water but induced the "chemical fire". Intoxicated guests rushed in and helpedput the fire out."
Some of the blogs have been a little less guarded.
http://www.babasiga.blogspot.com suggests that the "celebration" was
nothing to do with the Museum but rather was for a computer company.
They quite reasonably ask how such events with "intoxicated guests"
can be allowed to be held among the priceless objects in the museum,
let alone demonstrations involving fire. One can only imagine that,
strapped for cash, the Museum was renting the space to make some
money, but on the face of it, it remains a quite incredibly stupid
thing to have countenanced. One can only hope whoever made this
decision have learned their lesson, fortunately on this occasion
without a disastrous result.
Apart from the shock of the actual incident, there are a couple of
points worth noting about the reportage. "Our 200-year history" is a
stupid statement since in fact many of the objects are far older than
that, and the point is that it is one of the most important
assemblages of Fijian cultural material in the world. It is not a
resource that belongs to Fiji or Fijians alone, it is part of the
world's internationa cultural heritage. Second, the drua
double-hulled sailing canoe that the reporter refers to as "a Ra
Marama replica" is actually not a replica of any sort. As a cursory
reference to Fergus Clunie's seminal work "Yalo i Viti" (based on the
Fiji Museum collection) would have told them. this is an authentic
vessel, the Ratu Finau, made for collector Hon. J.B. Turner and
generously given to the Museum by his family. it was made in Vulaga
in 1913-14 and sailed to Suva for delivery to Mr Turner. Before going
into storage it sailed for a time around Suva harbour and beat all
comers in races against local yachts - it made better than 17 knots
in ideal conditions. It is the last such fully authentic vessel in
existence and its loss alone would have been incalculable.
It is sad to see that the change of ownership of the Fiji Times has
not resulted in any improvement in the quality of their reporting.
Also that, with censorship of so much of their news, they would only
give such an important story six lines in a "News Briefs" column.
Ed. note: I am sure the Fiji Times was free to publish as much as it wished on this incident. I agree with Rod that the quality of the paper has not improved since the change in ownership but censorship is not the cause. Fiji Live, Fiji Village and Fiji Sun continue to have much fuller accounts of happenings in Fiji and they are subject to the same restictions.
For a humourous account of a trip to the National Museum, here's what NZ journalist Graham Reid had to say. Click here. See also www.elsewhere.co.nz
For a humourous account of a trip to the National Museum, here's what NZ journalist Graham Reid had to say. Click here. See also www.elsewhere.co.nz
3 comments:
Rod Ewins is right to highlight what could have been an unmitigated disaster at the Fiji Museum. What an earth were they thinking allowing fire dancing in close proximity to such a priceless collection? Ignorance under these circumstances is no excuse. We need protocols in place to prevent any repeat of this lamentable episode.
Unfortunately, this is just another instance of an appallingly cavalier attitude in Fiji to our national heritage. The "misplacing" of the instruments of independence is an unforgivable lapse. Now, we have to be content with a copy of the document that the British had the sense and foresight to keep. But it will always be a copy because, unbelievably, the original is "lost". Can you imagine this happening to something like the Magna Carta or the American Declaration of Independence? Whoever was responsible for this deserves a long stretch in Naboro.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated instance. A few years back, I tried to find something I knew had appeared in the Fiji Times and no-one could find it in their archives. The country needs to wake up to itself and realise that the preservation of its history is a sacred obligation to posterity and future generations. Where else would this kind of neglect be tolerated? Totally shameful.
@ Criminal historical neglect.....
Losing the original document of the Deed of Cession?..yes, it is criminal neglect but not too different from the Police files and records which have been going missing for a decade or more. Vital affidavits upon which entire trials depend. This too is criminal and those responsible have yet to be investigated and charged. How many cases have failed in the Fiji courts due to missing documents, statements and files? How many criminals: rapists, corrupt public officials and repeated violent offenders walk the streets of Fiji due to this phenomenon? Is it deliberate? Or just a "State of Mind"? Whatever it is, it needs fixing.....fast.
@ Walker Texas Ranger and "fixing fast"..
Today, one was witness in a Fiji court to a man being sentenced to ten years in prison without parole. He had a history of......110 previous convictions since 2001 These convictions were for: home invasions and robbery with violence. He stood in the dock attached to a prison officer by handcuffs. He was a terrifying prospect to behold. He was later followed by two other prisoners similary restrained.
In the past, such daunting persons were free to ramble in and out of our courts as they pleased. They were approached freely and offered items of food and lighted cigarettes. It appears that this is now 'not on'. The Courthouse was also receiving a coat of paint: long overdue. Is sanity returning to the Courts in Fiji? Sanity & Safety?
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