Marau to meet Queen Elizabeth - Pg 1 President hails RFMF

B
Marau to meet Queen Elizabeth - Pg 1
President hails RFMF initiative - Pg 1
Workshop Empowers
personnel - Pg 3
Military
CAFF staff participates in College
cleanup - Pg 4
eing over the moon, would be the best centre pieces during the birthday celebrations.
way to describe Mr Joji Marau’s emotion
“I just can’t put in words to describe how I felt
as the Head of School of Mechanical when I was given the news. I never thought that
Engineering – Higher Education, of the College I will be invited by the Queen for her birthday
of Engineering, Science and
and to have my canoe
Technology is still coming to
displayed for the whole
terms with the exciting news
world to see. It’s indeed a
that he will be meeting Her
great honour for me,” said
Majesty, Queen Elizabeth
Mr Marau.
II, at her home town in
Designed and built
Windsor Castle in Britain.
by Mr Marau and his four
Mr Marau has been
other craftsmen, Adi Eta
invited to attend the Queens
will be the centerpiece to
90th birthday celebrations
represent Fiji to the three
to be held in May. The man
day spectacle that has
from Ogea Island in the Lau
been organised to mark
groups will be no ordinary
and celebrate another
guest as he will also be
significant date in the
exhibiting this prestigious
Queen’s Reign.
handiwork the authentic traditional ‘Drua’
Fiji is one of the four countries from the
(double hull) Adi Eta, which will be one of the
Alumni Spotlight - Pg 4
F
ourteen selected senior officers from the
Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) were
part of an electoral workshop facilitated
by Adjunct Professor Richard Herr at the Fiji
National University Nasese Campus on Monday,
March 14, 2016 to discuss their role as members
of the defense force in upholding and ensuring
a democratic election and a democratic nation.
Made possible with the aid of the Embassy
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of Japan, the training focused on “The Law,
Parliament and You: A Professional Development
Workshop.”
His Excellency, the President of Fiji, MajorGeneral Jioji Konousi Konrote visited the
participants thanking them for their willingness
to be part of the training.
“This is a very important training to learn of
the roles you play in a democratic election so I
The Fiji National University Newsletter tracks media coverage of FNU events on a weekly basis.
The following news can be found on the website which shows how FNU was featured in the media in the past week.
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ministry
Commonwealth invited to partake in the birthday celebration and to
showcase what Fiji is best known or represented with, a traditional
Fijian Drua (double hull canoe), made by Mr Marau was selected
to be exhibited at the pageant.
Mr Marau said canoeing was hobby to him from a very young
age. In 2012, with the support
of Fiji National University, he
got his biggest breakthrough
when FNU sponsored him in his
research work to design and built
a traditional canoe – ‘Camakau’.
This canoe was recognised
globally featuring in the local
newspapers and also in the New
York Times.
“Canoes have always played
an important role in the history
of Fiji. Transportation from
an island to another was only
possible by sea and that with
the use of canoes when the first
settlers of Fiji arrived, however,
with modernisation taking over,
tradition and traditional means
quickly died out, and canoe
building and sailing was many of
the unfortunate,” he said.
Mr Marau has also been
invited to appear as guest lecture
and speaker at various events on
the importance and significance
of traditional canoes.
In 2014, he was approached
by Professor Steven Hooper from
the University of East Angli in the
United Kingdom to work with a
Non-Government Organisation
in Germany in the designing and
building of a two hull canoe to feature in an exhibition organised by
the organisation. Thus, the birth of Adi Eta transpired.
Built in 2014, the Drua - Adi Eta as it’s known – is the only
authentic traditional double hull canoe to have been built after the
Ratu Finau, which is now kept and displayed at the Fiji National
Museum.
Adi Eta, the double hull canoe stands at 8 meters in length
and 2.15meters in width and is made from Damanu tree from the
thank you for taking the time out to learn,” said
President Konrote.
Facilitator, Professor Herr highlighted the
training gives a comprehensive detail on the
role of the military in a democratic election and
democratic country.
“Your duty as the military is now guided
by our nations Constitution – to defend and
protect,” he said.
“To understand the proper relationship
between these aspirations we need to
understand the purpose and value of a
democratic constitution and this workshop is to
enlighten us on this.”
Manager Development, Dr Asalei Tuibeqa
while welcoming the participants said the
workshop is another learning experience.
“Learning should not stop. In fact we should
continue to learn new things. With this workshop,
we hope to enlighten, discuss and learn new
things about elections. The role each officials
hold and the power we have as the people of
Fiji and your role as the guardian of the country,”
said Dr Tuibeqa.
The second training with the RFMF was held
on Thursday, March 17, 2016.
interior of Viti Levu in Nakorosule, Naitasiri.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Adi Eta was not exhibited at
its planned venue, but it was not the end of the road for the double
hull.
Adi Eta was then used locally in canoe racing where it hailed
victory in the 2014 during the Hibiscus Canoe Race. In 2015, Adi
Eta was used as a float by the
Fiji Broadcasting Cooperation
to transport their Queen for the
Vodafone Hibiscus Festival.
As its success story continues,
Adi Eta will now feature as Fijis
display masterpiece at Her
Majesty’s
Birthday
Pageant
scheduled from the 12 – 15 of
May.
Proud of the achievement,
Mr Marau said the passion and
interest in traditional canoes has
been revived.
“The successful completion
of the making of the drua was
a breakthrough in itself. Now
with the pageant, it shows we
have achieved what we started
years ago and that was to revive
traditional sailing,” said Mr
Marau.
The head of school said, the
invitation from the UK brings him
a lot of emotion and happiness
because it shows they are
interested.
“In designing Adi Eta we
had to refer also to the libraries
in London to help us because
we don’t have records available
locally on literature aspects in
making a drua. My four member
team of craftsmen was too good
because they knew exactly what they were doing.
In the final day of the pageant, the Queen, Members of the
Royal Family, government and international delegations will tour
and inspect the displays.
Days after the birthday celebration, Adi Eta will then be
transported down to Norwich to be showcased in an exhibition
in August before it moves to its new home the National Maritime
Museum, where it will be maintained and kept.
Y
ou are the guardian of the nation soldier must stand strong and deal with it.
with a solemn duty to defend and
“Deal with the critics, never allow
protect the nation and the people of it to pull you down but rather to help
Fiji.”
you improve for the better,” he said.
Professor Richard Herr made the
The College of Humanities &
comments to the fourteen senior officials Education Adjunct Professor said
from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces that as the guardian of the nation,
during the electoral workshop on ‘The the RFMF are entrusted with the role
Law, Parliament and You’ organised by to ensuring democracy is achieved.
the Fiji National University in collaboration
“To achieve a democratic election,
with the Embassy of Japan on Monday, the four principle goals of elections
March 14 at the FNU Nasese Campus. need to be considered and enforced
The
workshop
provided
an though they might not be mutually
opportunity for the officers to learn compatible,” said Professor Herr.
and discuss the important role the
Professor
Herr
discussed
RFMF play in a democratic election. legitimacy is the most important
Professor Herr stressed that the role principle in a democratic election.
comes with criticism and every good
What do you
do at FNU?
“I work as a
receptionist.”
What do you
like best about
your job?
“Meeting
and greeting
new people,
answering phone
calls.”
Briefly
describe your
work life?
“Taking an
office / administrative support position as well
as to receive or greet any visitors, customers,
or clients and answer telephone calls.”
What motivates you every day at work?
”When I look back I just see my parents
who supported me in each and every phase
of my life, in each and every condition. Now
it’s my time to return something to them which
motivates me a lot.”
What stresses you the most at work?
“We only have one pair of hands. We
only have one set of eyes. Our body and our
voice cannot be in two places at once. Being
a receptionist who has to meet and greet
in-person, as well as answer the telephone
and also respond to emails is a great and
challenging task; therefore, I would say the
nature of the job is bound to be stressful.”
What is your biggest challenge in life?
“Life itself has so many challenges but we
should be face it and try to solve it whether you
succeed or fail; you will gain knowledge to face
next one.”
What are you most passionate about?
“I am passionate about living life, keeping
myself happy and content, not worrying about
the small stuff, trying not to let the routines of
daily life get me down, not getting overwhelmed
about things that will not matter in the long
run. Also am passionate about my family and
friends.”
What are the three things for which you
are most thankful?
“I would say lovely family, friends and basic
necessities of life (food, water & shelter),
perfect health , gaining wisdom with age ,
learning from mistakes and education.”
What is your favourite saying that you
believe in?
“I believe that everything happens for a
reason. People change so that you can learn to
let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate
them when they’re right, you believe lies so you
eventually learn to trust no one but yourself,
and sometimes good things fall apart so better
things can fall together.”
Advice for staff and students?
“My advice to staff and students is to put
God first in everything they do, and work hard
with great expectations at the end of their
work.”
C
ollege of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Forestry
(CAFF) has committed
itself in ensuring their staff are
taking their daily exercise on
campus.
The program is part of the
FNU sanctioned Wellness
Program that encourages all
staff to partake in any wellness
or sporting activities being
knocking off work two times in
a week.
For CAFF, a 30 minutes
walk around campus and to
nearby areas is organised
every
Tuesdays
and
Thursdays.
Their latest program saw
staff cleaning up around the
campus which served as a
wellness event and a post
Winston clean up exercise.
Campu
Wellness
Coordinator,
Makereta
Lomavatu is overwhelmed
with the participation of staff
saying the program has grown
more popular than when they
first started.
“Special thanks to staff
who took their time out for
the Wellness program, we
manage to do some clean up
around our campus and we
enjoyed it,” said Ms Lomavatu.
The forest technician is
hoping that more staff will join
in the good cause in the future
programs.
M
r Salabogi Mavoa
graduated
from
the Fiji Institute of
Technology (now FNU’s
college of Engineering,
Science & Technology)
in 1981 with a Diploma
in
Telecommunication
Engineering.
Originally from Suva, this academic joined FIT as
an Assistant lecturer in 1989 in the School of Electrical /
Electronic Engineering; progressed to the position of Head
of Department of Electronics and was appointed Computer
Services Manager in 2003. The engineering enthusiast had
the privilege of becoming the first Associate Dean of the
college and now serves as the Acting Dean.
Mr Mavoa appreciates all the opportunities leading him to
contribute to his alma mater. One of the highlights of his career
was developing the Bachelor in engineering programme for
the college under the direction of Dr Ankim Veera Swamy,
who has been his mentor.
The support of the Fiji National University solidified into
achievements of Mr Mavoa as he pursued his educational
dream of obtaining his Bachelor of Engineering degree from
the United Kingdom and completion of the Cisco Instructors
Course that was instrumental in the introduction of Cisco
training in Fiji.
Mr Mavoa shares his time at FNU has been an enjoyable
journey where he actively contributes towards training the
next generation. The success of students leading them to
make positive contribution to their families, communities and
the nation is what drives Mr Mavoa to continue being engaged
with the FNU community. Mr Mavoa takes pride in being part
of the student body that started the first Christian fellowship
group at FIT which changed the spiritual profile of the nation.
A friendly Dean, an inspired mentor and a man with a
graceful personality are the traits of the Acting Dean who
makes a difference in the lives of his staff and students hoping
to enhance the students experience while building a great
future for all graduates.
Vacancies
For job vacancies and career opportunities at Fiji National University, go to http://waf.fnu.ac.fj/eoi/ New posts are logged each week for academic and
non-academic vacancies, so check regularly for the opportunity that could lead you to a new life. Some of the positions currently available online:
•
•
Lecturer I in PBL
Training Officer in Electronics
•
•
Quarters and Lodge Assistant
Quality Service Officer
•
•
Academic Assistant
Clinic Coordinator
•
•
Office Administrator
Laboratory Assistant
The FNU newsletter is prepared by University Communications. Send your articles to [email protected]