1869: Suez Canal aided European influence in Pacific: new era of European influence: journey from Asia to Europe reduced by 6,500 km

The Suez Canal was constructed between 1859 and 1869 by French and Egyptians interests with a cost of about 100 million dollars.  It removed the need to go around Africa to get the Asia and the Pacific, The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 brought forward a new era of European influence in Pacific [...]

1865: Birth of BLAKELOCK James Thursfield -1865

Birth, BLAKELOCK James Thursfield -1865
- parents Thomas and Elizabeth BLAKELOCK
Fiji Births/baptisms registered at British Consul, prior to 1870. This reference comes from Christine Liava’a, member of the NZ Genealogical Society and founder of the Pacific Islands Interests group. She says: ” All of these, plus others from 1870 – 1873 are registered in the 4 [...]

May 1870; ‘gentle giant’ William Kopsen arrived in missionary ship John Wesley at Levuka

Described as ‘a giant, elegant both in appearance and manners’, Kopsen had great personal charm, humanity and optimism, with the ability to organize, act quickly and take command. He had been brought up as a Lutheran, believing in the virtues of thrift, industry and self-discipline; in Australia he was a Congregationalist.
Born on 29 December 1847: [...]

20 July 1871: Hennings, Sagar and Woods create Fiji “Government”, at Levuka, fund private army; drill 29 Fijians to fight “Ba mountaineeers”

The North Otago Times, reported “A body of over over 29 natives were being put through their facings in July 20 ( 1871), by Lieutenant Woods and the fact of discplining them in the white man fashion caused much indignation”.
1871 image?  This unsourced image shows about 29 soldiers at a place that [...]

28 September, 1857: W. T. Pritchard arrrives in Levuka as British representative for Fji: reports only 40 Europeans in Levuka

“In December, 1856, my father sailed from Samoa for England, leaving me as Acting Consul. On the 28th of September, 1857, I was appointed H. M. Consul at Fiji, though I still served in Samoa until the middle of 1858. Prior to my appointment there had not been a British Consul resident in Fiji, for [...]

1858: Ma’afu the most powerful man in Fiji

Heneli Ma’afu was son of Josiah Tupo’u, the previous Kanokupulo. It is often suggested that George Tupou, King of Tonga sent Ma’afu to Fiji to make a kingdom for himself in in 1947 because he was a potential rival whose high birth and cleverness could make him a leader for the Kings energies. [...]

March 1855: Siaosi (Taufa’ahau) arrived from Tonga with forty ships and 10,000 warriors

Berthold Seeman wrote, ‘In March 1855 Siaosi arrived from Tonga with forty drua (ships) and 10,000 warriors, turning Cakobau’s siege of Kaba, into a victorious charge. After some ambassadors were killed on the shore, the Tongans on their way home, killed 300′. Siaosi (Taufa’ahau) aso known as King George, Tupou II, ruled Tonga [...]

September 1858: Maafu’s men massacre 30 of Ritova’s party in Church on Sunday at Natakala, Bua

Consul Pritchard favoured Cakobau over Maafu,  because of the brutality of the Maafu-lead Tongan Methodist Wesleyans.  Cakobau (Thakombau) in his time, was as brutal, but by the time Pritchard arrived at Levuka, Cakobau had begun to modify his traditional behaviour;  he  had  a decade of  engagements with missionaries and traders, notably,  beche de mer trader, [...]

1835: Fijian double canoe with platform and cabin

Lorimer Fison, in his  Tales of Old Fiji, used this undated and unreferenced image, above,  “from an old block” etching of a “Fijian double canoe.”
Construction of the double canoe: Fison wrote “A double canoe is made of two queer-shaped boats, which are fastened together, side by side, with a considerable space between them, [...]

24 May 1738: John Wesley’s conversion, while reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans was a foretaste of religious revivals at Vewa, Ono, Lakemba and Mbua Bay 100 years later

24 May 1738 was day and hour of John Wesley’s conversion, while reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans.  “It came, somewhat unexpectedly it would appear, at 8.45 on the evening of 24 May 1738 at a meeting in London of which he has left a definite record in his Journal: In the [...]