Emerging Fijian writers, Stephanie Datt Wise and Asish Vinay Prasad, have launched a new chapbook to further conversations around the topic of equality.
‘The After’ is 23 pages of poems and short stories about their lived experiences in Fiji. The duo were part of a creative writing workshop led earlier this year by renowned Fijian author, Mary Rokonadravu, with the support of the French Embassy in Fiji.
French Ambassador to Fiji, François-Xavier Léger highlighted the authors’ stories are “not just narratives; they are reflections of our collective struggle for a fairer and more just world.
“By promoting initiatives like this workshop, we reaffirm our commitment to elevating voices that challenge inequality and advocate for a better future for all,” the Ambassador said.
Rokonadravu says about half of the workshop participants were first-time writers, adding: “As a writer and someone who nurtures writers, what was exciting about the workshop was to see that there is a new generation of writers coming up. And familiar to my experience was there were writers who have been writing for a while, but whose work would never be published.
“Writing workshops or creative writing is very under-resourced in this country. For this reason, there is a slow output in terms of publishing opportunities for anyone who’s interested in writing. And this is why I think a lot of writers face the challenge of having to depend on things abroad in order to get their writing [published], which is why I am absolutely stoked for the opportunity that Stephanie and Asish had,” said Rokonadravu.
As a young female writer, Stephanie Datt Wise hopes the book can inspire others to “tell real stories”. “I share my work on my platform on Facebook called Fiction Fiji where there’s local stories in local lingo and a story about domestic abuse, and the response I’ve gotten has been enormous,” she said.
Retired teacher Asish Vinay Prasad hopes similar initiatives can be conducted in schools across Fiji.
“A lot of students [in Fiji] are brilliant writers,” he said.
His poems, ’17 Park Road’ and ‘Moce Mada’, are a lament over the experience of leaving his family home and the antiques it contains, that were handed down from family members who lived during Fiji’s indentured labour period.
Prasad says he will donate the items to Jai Narayan College, where there are plans to establish a museum.