Features
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Salanieta Qalo Drives Women’s Health Message at Hibiscus Festival
Meet Salanieta Qalo, a 23-year-old student turning the Hibiscus Festival into more than a beauty pageant. Representing Naivucini, she’s using the spotlight to spotlight women’s health, informed by her own honest health journey—from years of abdominal pain to a life-changing cyst diagnosis. A story of courage, culture, and community empowerment.
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Beauty with a Purpose: Fiji’s Hibiscus Contestant Champions Women and Youth
Meet Miss Social Advocacy Network, a first-time Hibiscus contestant who swaps sparkles for purpose. A machine operator from Nausori, she aims to spotlight women and youth in Fiji and spark real conversations across communities.
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Why Fiji Put 200 Youth Volunteers in Classrooms in 1985
Back in 1985, Fiji launched a bold youth initiative that placed volunteers in classrooms across the country. From careful interviews to on-the-ground teaching and a push for civic duty, the program touched schools, policy, and the shape of national development.
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Resilient Fiji Woman Farmer Shines at Agriculture Show
On the sun-warmed hills, a mother of five tends a diverse, enduring farm that sustains her family and a community. Her steadfast labor—and a growing recognition of Fiji’s women farmers—offers a glimpse into resilience, hope, and the move toward a sustainable future.
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Shyna Lata Champions Women’s Empowerment at Fiji’s Hibiscus Festival
Shyna Lata, a Labasa-born admin officer and Hibiscus Festival contestant, brings more than a sash to the Suva stage—she aims to amplify women’s voices and health awareness. Her festival platform hints at heartfelt stories and bold conversations about leadership, opportunity, and community impact. A teaser of a celebration that could spark real change.
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Nurse-Contestant Sparks Ocean Conservation at FMF Hibiscus Festival
From hospital wards to the Hibiscus Festival stage, a nurse steps into a queen contestant’s sash to champion Fiji’s seas. She blends ancestral protections of marine life with today’s community action, turning tradition into tangible hope for reefs and coastal communities. A timely look at youth leadership, sustainability, and festival-driven advocacy.
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Fiji’s Miss Hibiscus Contender Champions Equity and Youth Empowerment
Nicole Matavesi is a university student and rising advocate making waves in the FMF Hibiscus pageant. Balancing academics with real-world impact, she champions equity, youth participation, and women’s rights—offering a glimpse into a future of inclusive leadership across culture and community.
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Hibiscus Festival Contestant Calls for Family Time to Strengthen Fiji’s Youth
22-year-old Talei May uses the Hibiscus Festival spotlight to champion the quiet power of family time. She argues that everyday moments of listening and togetherness at home build confidence, resilience, and good character in children. A timely reminder that, even in a busy world, family bonds shape our futures.
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From Fiji’s Sugar Cane Fields to Global SDGs: A Pacific Youth Leader’s Rise
From a rural Fiji sugarcane farm to shaping youth leadership across the Pacific, Akmal Ellyas Ali shows how personal struggle can spark powerful change. A story of resilience, regional impact, and the belief that big dreams can transform communities—one humble step at a time.
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Fiji Youth Leadership Camp Sparks Open Dialogue and Community Focus
An inspiring glimpse into a 1970s Fiji leadership camp where young organizers learned how to turn ideas into action. Over four days, they delved into communication, leadership roles, and weaving youth work into the broader community, all while sparking open dialogue and creative problem-solving. A tale of mentorship and bold questions that underscores how empowering…
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From Nursing to Law: Fiji Woman Becomes Legal Practitioner After Six-Year Journey
An inspiring tale of grit, faith, and family—one woman’s determined journey from scarce resources to a milestone in law. Facing tough choices and long days of study, she proves that perseverance can turn a dream into reality. A beacon for anyone pursuing education against the odds.
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Mumu Magic: Papua New Guinea’s Earth-Oven Feast Shaping Culture and Community
A glimpse into Papua New Guinea’s Independence Day feast reveals Mumu, a smoky, tender dish buried in an earth oven with pork, greens, and coconut. The age-old ritual endures as kitchens adapt with modern twists that preserve the heart of the celebration. It’s a story of community, heritage, and shared traditions that resonate across cultures…
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Fiji’s WWII Echoes: A Japanese Volunteer Preserving Hidden History
A lifelong Fiji devotee, Manabu Kitaguchi uses teaching, photography, and storytelling to keep WWII memories alive. From Rabi Island to Banaban communities, his work uncovers hidden histories and the power of cultural connections to educate future generations.
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Women in Fiji’s Fisheries Break Barriers and Lead Change
Hidden biases and old-school expectations are finally meeting their match in Fiji’s maritime world. A fisheries expert shares her journey from marginalization to leadership, revealing the slow but steady push toward gender equality in fisheries—and what that could mean for the next generation.
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Sardar Najar Singh’s Gift Sparks Fiji’s Naidiri Bay Khalsa School
From a small coastal village in Fiji, a farmer who could neither read nor write sparked a lifelong beacon of learning by donating land for a school. What began as a humble act grew into a diverse, resilient institution—powered by community effort, solar energy, and remote lessons—united by education. A testament to how a single…
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Verata Soqo Ni Cara Sala Homecoming Reconnects Fiji’s Ancestral Ties
Descendants retrace the footsteps of Buatavatava in Verata’s Ucunivanua Village, returning for a homecoming rich with soqo ni cara sala, gifts, and a vow to heal old wounds. Through rituals, dances, and shared memories, the day hints at renewed unity and Fiji’s enduring cultural heartbeat.
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Anaseini Qionibaravi: Fiji’s First Woman Senator and Trailblazing Leader
From classroom to the Senate, Anaseini Qionibaravi broke barriers with principled service and a lifelong push for consumer rights and rural empowerment. Her enduring legacy challenges today’s leaders to pursue equity, integrity, and real community impact.
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Fiji Airways Unveils Pacific Rim Inflight Menu by Chef Galuvakadua
Rafaele Galuvakadua is reshaping inflight dining from Suva to the skies with a Pacific Rim menu that champions local produce and Fiji’s vibrant flavors. Fresh seafood, traditional favourites reimagined with modern technique, and a touch of Fijian hospitality await at 35,000 feet.
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Mindful Shopping in Nasinu: How a Fiji Family Stretches a Budget for Healthy Meals
Susau Sapeta models mindful, budget-conscious shopping in Valelevu. With a tight $100 weekly grocery plan and regular trips to the market for fresh veggies, she shows how careful choices and quality can sustain a busy family—and inspire healthier habits in the community.
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Repurpose Plastic Containers: Simple DIY Hacks to Declutter and Go Green
Turn everyday plastic containers into clever home hacks that declutter and sustain. Discover simple, surprising ideas—from pantry organizers to a tiny windowsill garden and beyond—that show how small repurposing changes can add up.
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Shakhtar Donetsk Wartime Underdog Tale Heads to TIFF
An underdog tale of grit, heart, and survival unfolds around Shakhtar Donetsk’s 2022 season, battered by invasion and forced into exile. Across cities and continents, the club keeps the game alive through resilience, compassion, and a shared fight for freedom. A screenplay-in-progress peels back the human stories behind the game when the world stops and…
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Dress, Dreams & Desire: When Fashion Encounters the Unconscious at FIT
Fashion, desire, and the unconscious collide in a bold new exhibit. Nearly 100 designer pieces reveal how what we wear speaks to personal armor, hidden cravings, and identity. Curated by Valerie Steele, the show invites a fresh take on clothes as a language of the mind.
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Home Redefined: 60 Artworks Reframe Belonging at the American Folk Art Museum
Home isn’t just a place—it’s memory, love, and belonging lived in color, texture, and time. Through 60 diverse artworks in the exhibition Somewhere to Roost, this collection invites us to rethink what “home” truly means.
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Cook Islands Sailor Sparks Ocean Hope Ahead of Pacific Islands Forum
Metua Mitchell sets sail with a message of hope and ocean stewardship. This voyage blends ancient Pacific navigation with a modern call to protect the sea that sustains communities and cultures.
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Menopause in Fiji: Breaking the Silence to Protect Women’s Health
Menopause reshapes health and daily life, especially in rural and coastal communities where activity can drop. Experts stress the value of personalized exercise plans from qualified physiotherapists to protect bone and heart health. As conversations around menopause grow louder, a path toward empowerment, reduced stigma, and healthier aging emerges.
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Labasa Brothers Forge Dual Paths in Medicine and Law
Two Labasa brothers chart parallel paths in medicine and law, guided by a family foundation of values and service. Their journeys—from classrooms to clinics and courtrooms—highlight perseverance, integrity, and the power of giving back to their community.
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Fiji’s Local Foods Hold the Secret to Lifelong Eye Health
From Bele greens to fresh tuna, Fiji’s local foods offer a tasty path to lasting eye health. This concise guide links everyday meals to vision-friendly nutrients and practical tips for protecting sight across life.
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Monish Kumar: Fiji’s rising devotional singer blending kirtan with work and study in Nakasi
At just 23, Monish Kumar is turning Fiji’s music scene into a crossroads of tradition and ambition. Rooted in Labasa and Nakasi, he balances studies, work, and family mentorship while delivering devotional melodies—kirtans and bhajans—that aim to unite communities across Fiji and beyond.
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Plastic to Profit: Fiji’s Upcycling Art Revolution
Across Fiji, discarded plastics are getting a stylish second life—as art, home decor, and small livelihoods. From flower-inspired pieces to community-led workshops, this movement blends creativity with sustainability, turning waste into opportunity and inspiring everyday change.
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From Reform to Regional Hub: Fiji’s Medical School and Pacific Health Education
From bold reforms to regional partnerships, the Fiji School of Medicine’s 1966–1986 era reshaped Pacific medical education. A period of new curricula, expanded facilities, and collaborative vision that helped define local health leadership for decades to come.