#kadavu

Exploring Dravuni’s Volcanic and Climate Change Past

I briefly introduced these two aspects of Dravuni in earlier postings. In the posting: Solo Lighthouse: beams light to ward off mariners from its treacherous rocks; hides secrets from the past, I touched on the volcanic characteristics of the Solo Reefs and the Solo rock on which Solo Lighthouse stands today.  In my Reflection: It was a triple hit in 1959: the prospect for the same in future…

Much has happened since then. Publication, dated 2017, was done through the Institute of Education (IOE) of the University of the South Pacific (USP). Dr Ruth Toumu’a of the IOE was the books’ Editor. Quality Print of Suva, Fiji was responsible for printing.

The books’ launch was on 13 October 2018. My co-author, Ema Tavola, was in Fiji for that. She also curated a pop-up exhibition to mark the launching, which was well attended. The exhibition was kindly hosted by the USP’s Oceania Centre of Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies. The exhibition remained open for a week.

The Fiji Times ably covered the event. An article: ‘Children’s book launch’ was published on the same day as the launch. Two more articles about Ema’s work were published subsequently: ‘Art reflects who we are’ on 19 October 2018, and ‘Showcasing Pacific Art’ on 28 October 2018. The latter touched on Ema’s production of ‘A Maternal Lens’ planned for the 4th international Biennial of Casablanca in Morocco from October to December later that year. All the articles were penned by Ms Ana Madigibuli.

Sale and marketing of the books started before the launch. The IOE, at first, was selling the books from its premises in the USP campus. The IOE has now arranged with the USP Bookshop to stock and sell the books. The authors have their own means of marketing: privately, through art-related events domestically and abroad and through their own arrangements on Dravuni Island to cater for cruise tourists who visit the island regularly. Another point of sale locally is under discussion.

All sales presently are geared towards the recovery of publication costs by IOE. However, that will end soon after the sale of all the copies currently being held by the authors. A future sale and marketing arrangement has been proposed by the IOE. The authors will take this up soon with the Institute.

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Reefs’ names reveal either prominent features or star occupants

In ‘Solo Lighthouse: beams light to ward off mariners from its treacherous rocks; hides secrets from the past,’ I referred to the collective ownership of the Great Astrolabe Reef and Lagoon under the headship of Tui Ono. That is the legal position. Throughout the length of the Great Astrolabe Reef and Lagoon, however, there are the various qoliqoli, traditional fishing grounds freely accessible…

Solo Lighthouse: Beams light to ward off mariners from its treacherous rocks; hides secrets from the past

Solo Lighthouse was built in 1888. The lighthouse stands on a massive rock surrounded by the circular Solo Reef, also known as the North Astrolabe Reef, adjacent to the Great Astrolabe Reef and Lagoon. The Solo Reef is actually the crater of a distinctive volcanic system, now extinct, and the massive rock in its centre and on which the lighthouse stands is its volcanic plug. The volcanic system…