P. O. Box 7222, Nasinu, Fiji. Tel: (679) 3394 000 Fax: (679) 3394 003 www.fnu.ac.fj
Colleges:
Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry
Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies
Engineering, Science & Technology
Humanities and Education
Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
National Training & Productivity Centre
Wednesday23 March, 2016.
PRESS RELEASE
Marau to meet Queen Elizabeth
SUVA - Fiji Islands. Being over the moon, would be the best way to describe Mr Joji Marau’s emotion as
the Head of School of Mechanical Engineering – Higher Education, of the College of Engineering, Science
and Technology is still coming to terms with the exciting news that he will be meeting Her Majesty, Queen
Elizabeth II, at her home town in Windsor Castle in Britain.
Mr Marau has been invited to attend the Queens 90th birthday celebrations to be held in May. The man
from Ogea Island in the Lau groups will be no ordinary guest as he will also be exhibiting this prestigious
handiwork the authentic traditional ‘Drua’ (double hull) Adi Eta, which will be one of the centre pieces
during the birthday celebrations.
“I just can’t put in words to describe how I felt when I was given the news. I never thought that I will be
invited by the Queen for her birthday and to have by canoe displayed for the whole world to see. It’s
indeed a great honour for me,” said Mr Marau.
Designed and built by Mr Marau and his four other craftsmen, Adi Eta will be the centerpiece to represent
Fiji to the three day spectacle that has been organised to mark and celebrate another significant date in
the Queen’s Reign.
Fiji is one of the only four countries from the 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),
designed and built 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,” said Mr. Marau.
Mr Marau has 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.
Locations: College of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Head Office - Koronivia, P. O. Box 1544, Nausori: Ph:(679) 347 9200, Fax:(679) 340 0275. College of Humanities and Education, Head Office – P. O. Box 7222, Nasinu: Ph:(679) 339 3177 Fax:(679) 334 0210.
College of Engineering, Science & Technology, Head Office - P. O. Box 3722, Samabula, Suva: Ph:(679) 338 1044 Fax: (679) 337 0375. College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Head Office - Brown Street, Private Mail Bag, Suva: Ph:(679) 331 1700 Fax: (679) 330 3469.
College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Head Office - P. O. Box 3722, Samabula, Suva: Ph:(679) 338 1044 Fax: (679) 337 0375.
College of Humanities and Education, Head Office - P. O. Box 7222 Nasinu: Ph:(67 9) 3393 245 Fax: (679) 334 0210.
National Training & Productivity Centre: Training House Lot 1, Beaumont Road Narere, Nasinu PO Box 6890, Nasinu, Fiji. Tel: (679) 339 2000 Fax: (679) 334 0184. Namaka Centre: Queens Road, NamakaPrivate Mail Bag, Nadi Airport. Fiji Tel: (679) 672 5730 Fax: (679) 672 5722.
Nabua Centre: Jerusalem Road, Nabua GPO Box 15676, Suva Fiji Tel: (679) 338 4777 Fax: (679) 337 0446 Lautoka Centre: Off Naceva St, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka, Fiji. Tel: (679) 666 7000 Fax: (679) 664 0436 Suva Centre: 11 Cumming St, Suva. Fiji Tel: (679) 330 6377 Fax: (679) 330 6340.
P. O. Box 7222, Nasinu, Fiji. Tel: (679) 3394 000 Fax: (679) 3394 003 www.fnu.ac.fj
Colleges:
Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry
Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies
Engineering, Science & Technology
Humanities and Education
Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences
National Training & Productivity Centre
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 interior of Viti Levu in Nakorosule, Naitasiri.
Due to unforeseen circumstance, 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 where it will be
showcased in an exhibition later in August before it moves to its new home the National Maritime
Museum, where it will be maintained and kept.
For further information, contact the Communications Office on 339 4000 extension 2890/2886.
Locations: College of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Head Office - Koronivia, P. O. Box 1544, Nausori: Ph:(679) 347 9200, Fax:(679) 340 0275. College of Humanities and Education, Head Office – P. O. Box 7222, Nasinu: Ph:(679) 339 3177 Fax:(679) 334 0210.
College of Engineering, Science & Technology, Head Office - P. O. Box 3722, Samabula, Suva: Ph:(679) 338 1044 Fax: (679) 337 0375. College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, Head Office - Brown Street, Private Mail Bag, Suva: Ph:(679) 331 1700 Fax: (679) 330 3469.
College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Head Office - P. O. Box 3722, Samabula, Suva: Ph:(679) 338 1044 Fax: (679) 337 0375.
College of Humanities and Education, Head Office - P. O. Box 7222 Nasinu: Ph:(67 9) 3393 245 Fax: (679) 334 0210.
National Training & Productivity Centre: Training House Lot 1, Beaumont Road Narere, Nasinu PO Box 6890, Nasinu, Fiji. Tel: (679) 339 2000 Fax: (679) 334 0184. Namaka Centre: Queens Road, NamakaPrivate Mail Bag, Nadi Airport. Fiji Tel: (679) 672 5730 Fax: (679) 672 5722.
Nabua Centre: Jerusalem Road, Nabua GPO Box 15676, Suva Fiji Tel: (679) 338 4777 Fax: (679) 337 0446 Lautoka Centre: Off Naceva St, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka, Fiji. Tel: (679) 666 7000 Fax: (679) 664 0436 Suva Centre: 11 Cumming St, Suva. Fiji Tel: (679) 330 6377 Fax: (679) 330 6340.