Fijian literature

Among the first published works ofFijian literature,in the late 1960s and early 1970s, wereVivekanand Sharma(inHindi), Raymond Pillai's and Subramani's short stories (inEnglish) and Pio Manoa's poetry (in English and inFijian). The emergence ofFiji'swritten literature(as distinct fromoral literature) coincides with the country's transition to independence in 1970.

DrVivekanand Sharmawrote several novels such as "To An Unknown Horizon" (Anjaan Kshitij ki Ore), "The Waves of the Pacific"(Prashant Ki Laherein). He made several radio plays, established schools and promoted Hindi in various levels in Fiji. He has been awarded by the Government ofIndia,Mauritiusand locally by theSanatan Pratinidhi Sabha of Fijifor his immense contribution in Fiji literature.

In 1968, the founding of theUniversity of the South Pacific,whose main campus has been in Fiji's capitalSuva,provided a stimulus for Fijian (and, more widely, Pacific Islander) literature.Creative writingcourses and workshops were set up. The South Pacific Arts Society was founded at the university in 1973, and published Pacific Islander literature (poetry and short stories) in the magazinePacific Islands Monthly.In 1974, the Society founded the publishing house Mana Publications, followed in 1976 by the art and literature journalMana.The journal published anthologies of Fijian poetry.PlaywrightVilsoni Hereniko's work also began to appear in this print at this time.

Among Fiji's most noted writers areSatendra Nandan,author of poetry, short stories and thesemi-autobiographical novelThe Wounded Sea,published in 1991. Fiji poetSudesh Mishra"combines classical Indian poetic forms with an English peppered with Hindi and Fijian words"; his collections of poems includeTandava(1992) andRahu(1997). Larry Thomas is a contemporary playwright and director. His 1998 playThe Anniversary Presenthas been described as "captur[ing] the words and rhythms and creative power of the basilectal 'Fiji English' many of his marginalised characters speak: the young, the unemployed, disempowered women and men ". Joseph Veramo is a contemporary novelist, whose works include the novelMoving Through the Streets(1994), the children's bookThe Shark,andBlack Messiah,a collection published in 1989 which includes short stories and a novella.

Sources

• "English in the South Pacific",John Lynch and France Mugler, University of the South Pacific