THE MAKING OF AI MATAI: A CAUTIONARY TALE IN FIJIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY AND PUBLISHING

Authors

Doug Munro

Abstract

Ai Matai is the official history of the Fiji military’s participation in the Malaya Emergency, written by Tevita Nawadra. What ought to be a milestone in Fijian historiography in fact has had little public or academic impact. Publication in the Fijian language and poor distribution have created a small readership that is largely local. Further official military histories are currently being researched in Fiji, and the experience of Ai Matai provides useful lessons and warnings about how to and how not to go about such projects. This article attempts to identify the difficulties in the writing of history in Fiji and to serve as a reminder of the basic problems that exist where technical resources are deficient, and attitudes, values, and procedures are different from those in the so-called developed countries. If the lessons of Ai Matai are heeded, it should be possible for Fiji to produce official military histories that will correspond with and share the positive features of their counterparts in the First World.

Recommended Citation

Munro, Doug (1997) "THE MAKING OF AI MATAI: A CAUTIONARY TALE IN FIJIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY AND PUBLISHING," Pacific Studies Journal: Vol. 20: No. 3, Article 7.
Available at: https://digitalcollections.byuh.edu/pacific-studies-journal/vol20/iss3/7