Fiji’s VE-Day

Archives-June 1945

Radio and village Drums Spread the News

In Suva there were some radio listeners who heard the 6 o’clock announcement from London that Tuesday was to be VE-Day; but in view of New Zealand’s decision not to have a holiday until Wednesday, there was some doubt as to what was going to happen in Fiji. So everybody went to work as usual and the town wore its normal air.

At 8.15 am, the governor spoke from ZJV, and the holiday announcement was made. By this time,

church bells were ringing and lalis were being beaten. In the space of almost minutes, shops and buildings were decked with bunting and flags appeared on motor cars. Shops which had flags to sell sold out quickly. Soon all doors were closed and workers were on their way home.

There was a general atmosphere of elation and relief - elation at victory and relief that friends and relations in

Britain or serving in the armed forces in Europe were free from the threat of death or injury.

At Nausori the news was received early. The GSR Co.’s mill whistle was blown continuously, and the lali at the Government Station at Naduruloulou was beaten.

This was the signal for the lalis in village after village to begin, and so the news spread for many miles.

It recalled the arrangement which was made in the years when threat of invasion by the Japanese was real, and when representatives in every village were carefully coached, so that at a pre-arranged signal they could pass on by lali beats the information that the Japanese had landed.

They never did; and on May 8 the sound of the lalis brought much more joyous news. ■