The Wilmington morning star., 1944-01-30
THE FIJI ISLANDS


Yanks?" The series has been
prepared by the National Geo
graphic Society for the Will
mington Star-News, to inform
readers about the regions
where American service men
are stationed. An article will
appear in the Wilmington Star
News each Sunday.
Thousands of Yanks know Suva,
capital of the British Crown Colony
of Fiji. Some fought through the
Jap-infested jungles of the Solo
mons. aided by the sharp eyes,
keen ears and strong arms of FL
iian commando-trained troops.
Returning home in force some
day, these Yanks will put across"
the true story of modern Fiji and
the Fijians. Until then this far-oif
island group will remain in many
minds as painted by the circus
sideshow barker-tiny, torrid, the
home of the worlds most glut-
tonous cannibals.
Tiny? Land area Of Fiji almost
equals New Jerseys, exceeds that
of the Hawaiians, and is actually
large among Pacific island groups.
Torrid? Lying as far south Of
the Equator as the island of Ha-
wall lies north, Suva has cool
climate for the tropics. Tempera-
lures rarely top 80 degrees Fahr-
enheit or fall below 60. Gentle
:ephyrs from the east help to
make the Suva base ideal for SOL
der rest and recreation.
No Cannibalism
Cannibals? Fits notoriety was
once well-deserved. Human flesh
was a popular dish in the early
18th century, but has not been
served for fifty years. Cannibalism
and other brutal practices have
yielded completely to missionary
tact, and are viewed with shame
by the natives today.
Fiji sits astride sea lanes from
the Panama Canal and west coast
of North America to Australia and
New Zealand. Suva's large, busy
harbor lies by airline southwest
from San Francisco "a miles,
from Honolulu $3.50 miles, from
Pago Page. American Samoa, ITO
miles. Sydney is 2,100 air miles
southwest Of Suva, Auckland 1920
miles south. Jap thrusts came no
nearer than Guadalcanal, 1,S70
miles northwest.
Patterned like buckshot fired at
close range, the Fills pepper the
South Pacific Ocean target with
two big island dots and 260 small
to-tiny ones. Viii Levi (meaning
Great FijD and Vanua Lew
Great Land are the large is
lands, studded with green noun
tains rising 1900 feet, watered by
many short rivers, edged by fer
tile plantation plains. Covering
1850 and 2,130 square miles re-
spectively, they leave less than 300
square miles of Fiji for all its
other islands.
Population of the Fiji group is
$1,000. Three-fifths live on Witt
Levu, nearly another fifth on Van
VA Lew, 5000 on Kandavu and
Taveuni, third and fourth islands
in size. One natives fingers and
toes are enough to count heads on
each of several of 80 other in
habited islands.
1900 White Persons
Not quite half the islanders are
native Fijians-Melanesians with
pronounced Polynesian traits-cop-
per brown, fuzzy headed, tall,
1.-the, gentle and easy-going. AL
most as many are British East
Indians, frugal and Industrious,
eirst brought to the islands in 1878
or plantation work. There are nor
mally 1000 whites, 5000 half
castles, many Samoans, and Chi
nese.
Ir the traffic afoot and awheel
along Suva's broad Victoria Pa
rade, the nationalities mix in ineir
varied dress. Add the uniforms Of
land, sea and sky fighters from
several of the United Nations, set
the cosmopolitan scene against the
background of bright green hills.
The whole makes picture OF FIJI
that the Yanks will not soon forget.
Suva, on the southwest coast OF
VIII Lew, counted more than half
East Indians and 1000 whites in
its 1000 prewar population. Tran
sient military thousands find a
town with modern and beautiful
buildings, fine hotel, hospital and
school facilities, and clubs and
playing fields for leisure. Gardens
blaze with tropical blooms. Furni-
ture, clothing, biscuits, soap, orna-
ments in native gold, tortoise shell
and leather are made in Suva fac
tories.
Sugar and Coconut
Sugar and coconut products are
Fits long established crops,
brought to export importance by
East Indian labor. Banana ship.
ments are normally large, and
since 1882 export gold, mined on
both main islands, has rocketed to
second place in revenue value
Good motor roads encircle VIII LIE
WI, with short branches reaching