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Want more historic photos about Fiji? Rob Ewins has a huge and beautiful collection.
	This is a beautiful postcard picture showing the Suva Grammar School, a school for boys only. It houses now the computer centre of the Fiji government which is called Information Technology & Computing Services (when I was working there we simply called it E.D.P. Services, which probably stands for Electronic Data Processing). It is interesting to note that all the sea in front of the school is now reclaimed land where, for example, the Fiji Development Bank building, the Ro Lalabalavu house and the Suva Holiday Inn are now standing. Moreover, the school itself and the trees to the left are already on reclaimed land. The foreshore in the front of the picture show the REAL Suva coast line around 1930. I am not sure if the Grand Pacific Hotel (not seen in this photo, but probably somewhere around the spot this photo was taken, was also built on reclaimed land or not.
	This picture shows the bridge over the Nabukalou Creek. The colonial building to the left is still there today. Just behind it starts now the Suva market. Left to the photographer of this picture would now be the Village 6 Cinemas complex while to the right is the Suva Harbour Centre. I have no idea when the picture was taken.
	The caption of this picture reads "Road to the Suva Hospital". I doubt that the old hospital was at the location where now the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWM) is located, on top of Waimanu Road.
	The 'ivi' tree is still there today. Just behind is the place where the last land sales took place in the late 1880s or so. The building behind is also still there, housing now Prouds and the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs. Just in front where you can see a house is today the Westpac bank. The road is called Victoria Parade.
	Again the building that houses Prouds today.
	Under the indenture system, the British brought from the 1870s onwards Indians to Fiji as labourers, mainly on sugar plantations. This photo shows two Indian ladies in their traditional dresses. The ratio of Indian man to woman was around 4 to 1, resulting probably in a lot of jealousy.
	Nice photo showing Fiji's largest river, the Rewa. The two men are probably on a outrigger canoe. But even today, people are still building and using 'bilibili', rafts made out of bamboo.
	I can only guess that this pictures the early members of the Fiji police or army during an inspection by a colonial master.
	There is no more a police island in the middle of the Victoria Parade. The Regal was a famous cinema in the 50s. The building behind houses now the McDonalds and behind you can see trees from the Sukuna Park. Guessing by the cars, photo probably taken in the late 50s or early 60s.
	Suva around 1910. One can clearly see the Renwick Road with the old bridge over the Nabukalou Creek. The 2-story colonial building is still there today.
	An old picture of the "main business center" in Suva
	Kava ceremony; Fijian girl preparing kava; two young girls mixing 'grog' in 1902; three girls with tanoa The drinking of kava, or yaqona as the Fijians call it, was invested with solemn formality. "Drinking in" was the essential part of the ceremony of installation of a chief, and a kava-drinking circle was the invariable form of deliberation in council or transaction of public business. The large wooden yaqona bowl is placed before the chief, and the drink is prepared to the accompaniment of a ceremonial chant. The first cup is presented to the chief, those present steadily clapping during his libation, ceasing only when he spins the empty cup along the floor. Each member of the circle then receives his portion in turn, with the same jealous observance of precedence as in the apportionment and distribution of food at a feast.
	Bathing scene
	Firewalking scene on Beqa Island The well-known fire-walking ceremony in Fiji is by no means a general practice. It is restricted to a certain social class on the island of Beqa (pronounced 'mbenga'). It is not really "fire-walking," but "hot-stone-walking." The people who perform the ceremony understand that they are passing through an earth oven, and they have legend which records a remote ancestor's descent into the depths and rising up from an oven. The rite used to be performed when the Dracaena root was ripe, and preceded the cooking of the root in the oven. It was now considered to be a first-fruit rite, a kind of proprietary sacrifice and resurrection.
	An early picture of a Fijian warrior
	An another warrior shot, this time he carries even a rifle
	A Fijian in a 'meke' dress
	A Fijian warrior beating the 'lali' drum
	Two Fiji girls making baskets in 1902
	Adi Cabobau, the Queen of Fiji. I am not sure if she was the wife of Ratu Seru Cakobau or the wife of the Cakobaus thereafter. The beautiful dress is called 'masi' and is made out of a bark.
	Ratu Seru Cakobau, the stelf-styled Tui Viti, who later ceded Fiji to the British Empire in 1874.
	Early Fiji engravings
	Early picture of Government House in Suva
	A Flying Clipper of Pan American Airways. These airplanes started service to Fiji in 1939.
	Looks like those canoes were like covered like houseboats
	Early image of a Fijian canoe
	Government Buildings as seen from Thurston Gardens. The look has not changed until today.
	A marching band plays in front of Government Buildings. Albert Park with the visitors tribune also on this picture.
	The Grand Pacific Hotel in 1921. I assume that the photo was taken from the back of the hotel since the beautiful colonial entrance can't be seen...
	...but here it is.
	Same hotel. Probably just a black and white picture and later coloured. Fancy, though, that is was in this condition that I have seen the GPH - as the 'old lady' is called - during my first visit to Suva in 1986.
	Nice photo of how beautifully furnished the GPH was
	Ditto
	The General Post Office in Suva. I tried hard but I just can't make it out where the photo was taken from. Any one has a clue?
	The cruise ship "Oriana" berthing at the Suva harbour. Picture must have been taken in the 60s or early 70s, I suppose.
	No idea where in Suva this picture was taken in 1921.
	Again a photo from 1921 showing the Suva market.
	I tried to magnify the location from where the photo was taken - can only read island. One also can read Levuka as probably the place of business of the company who made the postcard.
	A lovely shot of Fiji children in the good old times. I love their fancy haircuts.
	Native 'drua' sailing boats in the Suva Harbour in 1923.
	A canoe race in Suva Harbour
	Antique print of a double hulled Fiji canoe, 1870.
	"Local soldier in 1923" read the caption. Note that the Fiji Police looks similar. So I doubt it even that this photo was taken at that time.
	It would be nice to know when this photo of Levuka was taken. I can't see any cars so maybe early 1900?
	Another Levuka picture with the Catholic Church in front.
	Can't believe it but not much has changed at the beachfront. A few more trees nowadays, though.
	Apparently, picture taken in 1874. This was the same year when Ratu Seru Cakobau ceeded Fiji to Queen Victoria.
	Levuka panorama in 1917
	The mountain in the back is called "Devil's Thumb". It is one of the famous signs in Levuka.
	Beautiful view of Levuka
	Unusual shot of Levuka as seen from the north
	Levuka in 1910 seen from the sea
	Levuka port in early days
	Making ropes
	Fiji woman making pottery
	I would not bet on it but this chief's house 1in 1919 really resembles the one of the Tui Levuka.
	Roko's house in Bau. It his hard to imagine how this small island of 1/2 km2 was able to conquer virtually all of the Fiji islands in the mid 1800s.
	The village Waiwai in Namosi province in 1934
	No, it's not "Taviuni" but the island is called Taveuni and is famous for its rare flower, the tagimaucia.
	The top photo looks like the current Queen Elisabeth Drive.
	The 'bure kalou' in Bau
	Fijian woman bathing (1902)
	Fijian beauties in 1914
	Fijian in gala dress
	This Fiji boy looks like he is from Lau. Lauans are nearer to Tonga then to Suva.
	Fijian boy with war club
	The caption implicates him as a cannibal. Not sure about that. But the rasta movement of today would surely admire his dreadlocks.
	Is this the same "cannibal" as above?
	Hair styles in Fiji in 1870
	An engraving of a Fijian warrior, 1834
	Building an old Fijian house
	I wish I could offer my friends such a spacey guesthouse. Really cute and huge!
	Look inside a chief's home. Plain lovely.
	The sugar mill in Labasa on the second largest island of Vanua Levu
	The old sugar mill of the Colonial Sugar Refinery in Nausori. I think the mill was closed in 1953.
	Pay day in Nausori in 1906. Note that virtually all people in this picture are intendured labourers from India.
	Could this beautiful village really be Serua Island? Never heard of it. Photo apparently taken in the 1950s.
	Still wondering from where this photo was taken. From Toorak area or does it show the view of Walu Bay?
	Rather fearsome Fijian warriors with clubs (bati) and in traditional dresses. Thanks God I don't have to encounter anyone of them!
	Nice old Fijian 'bure'
	House of a Fijian chief. To me indeed quite a large chiefly house.
	Chances are that not one girl is a native Fijian.
	The Tongan influence in Fiji is still visible today
	Again, it would be interesting where this Suva picture was taken from. I don't even want to put my speculations to paper...eh...web.
	Beautiful Fijian village scene
	The Catholic Mission on the Rewa river
	The picture shows Suva harbour. The road is probably today the Edinburgh Drive that goes up to Samabula.
	View across Tamavua. Actually I doubt it since it rather looks like the picture was taken where today is the Suva Cemetery.
	Beautiful picture of Suva. The building in the front left is still there as is the one at the right which now houses Caines Janiff. In the background the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
	The old Masonic hall in Suva. It's a pity that the one in Levuka was burnt to the ground in 2000.
	The sugar mill in Lautoka
	The Lautoka Hotel as seen from the adjacent park (forgot the name). The structure at the far left is still visible today and houses the reception.
	Could it be that this photo is virtually 100 years old (1/7/04). Apparently it shows the Rewa river.
	Older picture of Albert Park. Hard to imagine that in the 20s an airplane was able to land here, isn't it?
	Seems that in the Colonial days only white settlers were allowed inside the pub of this hotel.
	The Korolevu Beach Hotel. It is a pity but I think some villagers burned it down in the 80s. Probably because of land disputes.
	Two posters about Fiji