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“The burenivanua in the centre of Sorokoba. The house is the official residence of the Tui Ba. It was rebuilt according to traditional designs atop the original yavu, but with modern materials” Source: Nicholas halter 2018.
Sorokoba Village, Ba

Sorokoba is located 3km north of Ba town and is the seat of the Tui Ba (paramount chief of Ba).

“Suva Government Buildings, Cakobau Memorial replacing obelisk at old government bldgs demolished late 40s” Source: Fiji Musuem P32.5/14
Government Buildings

Originally comprised of wooden buildings relocated from Levuka, the government buildings precinct today includes the Parliament of Fiji, the law courts and other government ministries. The art deco design was completed in 1939 and includes a unique clock tower with a dome covered in glazed tiles.

“6-inch naval gun and bunker” Source: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g612490-d3240252-Reviews-Momi_Bay_Battery_Historic_Park-Denarau_Island_Viti_Levu.html?m=19905
Momi Bay Battery Historical Park

Momi Bay Historical Park contains several gun emplacements which were used during World War II to defend against possible attacks to the mainland of Viti Levu.

"Laucala Bay Secondary School Classroom". Source Shivani, 1991, LAUCALAN magazine
Laucala Bay Secondary School

Laucala Bay Secondary began as a demonstration school for University of the South Pacific teacher trainees in 1972. Many Suva students will remember it as the site of the N.Z.U.E. Examinations. The school motto was “In Omnia Paratus” meaning “Be prepared for all things”. LBSS was closed in 2015.

“A small child, possibly the Governor’s son, Jack, seated on a pony with two Fijian attendants in front of Government House in Nasova, Ovalau Island, Fiji”. Source: collected by A. von Hügel, 1875-77, Museum of archaeology and anthropology, P.99680.VH, http://maa.cam.ac.uk/photo-government-house-p-99680-vh/
Government House

Government House was the residence of the British Colonial Governors of Fiji since 1892 and was rebuilt after a lightning strike in 1921. Today it is known as the Presidential Palace.

“Ba Civic Museum” Source: Nicholas Halter 2018
Ba Civic Museum

Ba Civic Museum was opened in 2014 and celebrates the township’s history. It also documents the diverse cultural history of the region which is the most populated of the 17 districts in Fiji.

“Suva Pier, c.1880s” Source: Fiji Museum P32.5/77
Queen's Wharf

Queen’s wharf was originally the main wharf for Suva. It was connected to Pier Street before the area underwent land reclamation works. It was dismantled in 1921 and replaced by the larger King’s Wharf at the present site in Walu Bay.

An example of diagrams at the Nasonini Battery outlining how to use the defensive equipment, photographed in 2016 and partially defaced by graffiti (taken from Global Archaeology).
Nasonini Gun Battery

The gun battery now nestled within the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s main premises has deteriorated like its sister structure in Veiuto, with it also existing in less-than-ideal conditions. However, only one of its guns remains in it (broken up into pieces, unfortunately) and one of its three emplacements has been demolished so a residence for the High Commissioner of New Zealand could be built in its stead.

“Boys Grammar School postcard”, Co-operative (W.J.B. Stinsone), c.1930s? Source: http://www.justpacific.com/fiji/fijiphotos/grammar/bgs3.jpg
Suva Grammar School

The original Suva Grammar School was built in 1917 on Victoria Parade specifically for European boys. Girls were educated at another building on Selbourne Street a year later. Suva Grammar School is a co-ed school currently located at Nasese.

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Website content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All material used on this site retains the original Creative Commons Licences and can only be re-used under their respective licences. Note that corporate logos (such as the Fijian History logo) and images used in some collections and branding are specifically excluded from the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without the express written permission of the copyright holders.

Fijian History © 2018 - The University of the South Pacific
About

This project was a collaborative effort by staff and students of The University of the South Pacific to document some of the historic sites of Fiji.

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