Younger members of the Fijian Indian community performed a dance at the Fiji Day celebration in Stratford on October 12. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Younger members of the Fijian Indian community performed a dance at the Fiji Day celebration in Stratford on October 12. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Members of Stratford’s Fijian Indian community and guests enjoyed an evening of celebration, dance, music and food on Saturday night to celebrate Fiji National Day.
Anji Padiachi said the event was organised by herself, Ashneel Nadan and fellow members of the Stratford Fijian Indian community to mark their home country’s independence day. Thursday, October 10 marked 54 years since the island nation gained independence from Great Britain, an event the community enjoyed celebrating on the Saturday night, she said.
Councillor Ellen Hall and Mayor Neil Volzke were guests of honour at the 2024 Fiji Day celebration in Stratford. Photo/ Ilona Hanne
Members of the district’s Fijian Indian community were joined by invited guests on the night including Stratford District Mayor Neil Volzke and councillor Ellen Hall.
The evening started with formal speeches and a kava ceremony. Volzke, who was the keynote speaker, told those present that he was privileged to have been invited. He said the fact he was there, along with councillor Ellen Hall and the council chief executive Sven Hanne reflected the fact Stratford District Council was supportive and proud of its “diverse community”.
“Stratford has a significant number of Fijians in our community, which we see through our citizenship ceremonies every three months. The Fijian community in Stratford brings a richness to our district.”
Image 1 of 49: Members of Stratford's Fijian Indian community celebrated Fiji Day with a party on Saturday, October 12, 2024. Photo / Ilona Hanne
Fiji was well known as an exporter of “lots of good things”, he said, of which sugarcane was one.
“And rugby players would be another significant export. Our championship winning team here in Stratford this year included Fijian players in the team.”
Celebrating independence was, he said, “the most important thing I would think for any country”, and he was pleased and honoured to have been invited to the celebration.
Another guest speaker on the night was 10-year-old Aliza Fatima Imran, who shared her thoughts on the significance of the day.
“Fiji Day is special because it reminds us of our beautiful country and how we became independent on October 10, 1970. This means we have been free for a long time, and we can make our own choices as a country.”
That country, she said, was “an amazing place”.
“With lots of islands, friendly people and different cultures. We have Fijians, Indians and people from other backgrounds living together in peace. That’s what makes us strong - our unity.”
Anji and Amar Padiachi pictured at the Stratford Fijian Indian Fiji Day celebration.
Another speaker, Shobna Prasad, also reflected on Fiji’s rich cultural diversity, saying Fijians came from many backgrounds.
“Our culture makes Fiji the best in the world, and we must continue to cherish it.”
After the speeches and the kava ceremony, guests enjoyed entertainment from two dance groups, one made up of the younger members of the community, and the other the adults.
Children had also been invited to make cards to celebrate Fiji Day, with trophies awarded to the children for their cards and their dancing.
Anji said the event was a way of keeping the children in touch with their heritage as well as sharing Fijian Indian culture with the wider Stratford community.
Ilona Hanne is a Taranaki-based journalist and news director who covers breaking and community news from across the lower North Island. She has worked for NZME since 2011.
