After a half-hour journey on the winding Sawani-Serea Road, The Sunday Times team arrived at a vast flatland adorned with rows of century-old rubber trees. Locals refer to this area as Veirapa, which was once the center of Fiji’s rubber trade in the Naitasiri province during the colonial period.
Contrary to popular belief, Fiji’s agricultural landscape included a modest rubber industry alongside sugar, copra, and bananas, with Serea being one of the limited locations for rubber cultivation, harvesting, and processing. The Veirapa plantation reflects the British administration’s efforts to diversify agricultural products to boost colonial revenue and strengthen the empire.
While the pioneers of rubber farming in Serea have passed away, residents indicate that the expansive plantation likely belonged to Mr. Witherow, who also engaged in banana and dairy farming in the 20th century. An article from the Marlborough Express in November 1912, entitled “Rubber in Fiji: An established Industry. First returns next year (1913),” highlights the early rubber farming efforts on Viti Levu, mentioning Mr. F. Powell as one of the first significant rubber farmers managing multiple plantations for New Zealand owners.
The article provided insights into the rubber farming techniques employed, specifically detailing the spacing of trees and the practice of intercropping young trees with bananas to cover costs until the rubber was ready for tapping. Historical accounts suggest that the rubber plants in Fiji trace their origins back to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), but eventually, seeds were utilized for cultivation, which began in earnest in the early 1900s.
Despite a promising beginning, the rubber industry in Fiji began to decline in the late 1920s due to the global economic depression and devastating natural disasters. As a result, many associated industries, including pineapple and meat canneries, also suffered substantial setbacks. Although the rubber industry has since vanished, remnants of the commitment to rubber cultivation remain in Serea, as well as in Wainadoi and other parts of Fiji.
Rueli Rawalana, a landowner in Veirapa, recounted stories from his father about prominent planters during the colonial era, discussing the harsh conditions faced by indentured laborers from India. Rueli described the remnants of the past, with over 100 rubber trees still standing on his land, serving as a stark reminder of historical aspirations to cultivate wealth in the region.
Today, these aging rubber trees are seen more as an encumbrance than a valuable resource. Rueli explained how latex was harvested from tapped rubber trees and subsequently processed on-site, with historical buildings still visible nearby, including the former plantation owner’s house.
Despite the decline of the rubber industry, a report from the Royal Botanic Gardens in 1898 highlighted the potential of Fiji’s unique species of rubber trees, which were noted for their quality. However, a successful rubber industry never fully materialized.
As descendants of laborers from the colonial era continue to pose for photographs amidst the trees of Serea, the decline of this once-prominent industry highlights a chapter in Fiji’s agricultural history that is slowly fading from memory. With increasingly fewer traces of commercial rubber cultivation left, the narrative surrounding Serea’s rubber legacy may soon vanish entirely.