Memories of ‘taba va’
RAIWAQA has a rich history that goes far back as the ’60s. That was when the first residential housing blocks were built to cater to average income-earners.
The idea was to provide them with an affordable means of owning their own home.
When the late Queen Elizabeth II was in Fiji in February 1970, she visited the Raiwaqa four-storey blocks and interacted with residents there.
Brushed by the breeze coming off Laucala Bay, the housing estate is centrally located with nearby Nairai and Vatuwaqa.
When it was established, the iconic Raiwaqa housing project had four different house setups, with the most famous being the elephant house, followed by the black house, single-block homes and double-storey units governed by the Housing Authority of Fiji.
Residents said designers experimented on which of the building designs would best suit housing purposes for people in the late ’60s.
The development of public housing began in Fiji in the late 1950s, fuelled by the high demand for affordable homes for low to average income owners.
The Fiji Times published an article on September 3, 1969, which said five fourstorey blocks of flats and 114 two-storey terraced houses in the newest section of the Raiwaqa estate would be occupied towards the middle of the month.
It said the mass migration of 1800 people to new homes in Suva marked the completion of another phase in the Housing Authority’s scheme in 1969, which was said to have established the largest selfcontained estate in the colony in the ’60s.
The Fiji Times article also said the estate was expected to be completed by the end of 1971 and would house as many as 23,000 people.
While doing research, I came across an article on the Fiji Columbans online page of Catholic priest Father Dermot Hurley.
He had a passion for housing and was involved in building the Housing Authority Raiwaqa Estate.
In 1969, he wrote to the Fiji Council of Churches and suggested that it form a committee to prepare a constitution of a charitable trust to build houses for the very poor.
That committee went on to become HART (Housing Assistance and Relief
Trust).
Today, HART provides housing and other services for more than 850 poor or destitute families.
Anthony Wai Wong is one of the first tenants to move into the new two-storey homes in the late ’60s and still resides in Viuyasawa lane, Raiwaqa.
Originally from Canton in China, Mr Wong was born and brought up in Natovi, Tailevu, and moved to the concrete jungle of Suva in the early ’60s in search of a better life and better employment opportunities.
He said both he and his wife Ro Litiana Kuma Todua Wong first moved into one of the four-storey units in the late ’60s.
The four-storey buildings, commonly known as ‘taba va’, were unfortunately demolished in 2003 due to structural issues and all the tenants had to vacate their homes and were relocated to different parts of Viti Levu.
“We were living in block one on the third floor of the taba va when we heard from the Housing Authority that they were planning to build two-storey homes across the road,” Mr Wong said.
“We secured one of the homes and my wife and I were one of the first to move in.”
Mr Wong said before construction of the homes, the site was full of bushes and soil.
“Rent was much cheaper back then, and we managed after a few years to pay off the home and own it.
He said the walls and staircase of his double-storey home held many fond memories for his family.
“My wife and I got married inside this home and the marriage was blessed by none other than former Archbishop Petero Mataca.
“These four walls have sheltered, protected, and nurtured all the memories of my three children and our grandchildren over the years.”
Mr Wong said during his stay in the new flats, he witnessed many memorable events, such as the visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the taba va building with Prince Charles and Princess Anne in February 1970.
“I remember that day when she came to taba va, everyone was outside their homes just hoping to catch a glimpse of the queen.
“They were showing her around the housing and everyone was just mesmerised as this was the first time for someone of her status to visit Raiwaqa. It was a memorable day for us.”
Mr Wong added that many of his friends have since passed or moved out of Raiwaqa for greener pastures.
Second-generation Raiwaqa resident Mary Batita said growing up in the public housing estate was filled with many fond memories.
Born June 28, 1970, she attended Vishnu Deo Primary School and attended church at the St Pius X Catholic church - both were located one block away from her home.
“We would just cross the road to go to school and to church. Everything was within walking distance from your home,” she recalled.
Ms Batita said being a young person growing up in Raiwaqa, there were lots of activities young people in the area would take part in as there was not much available in terms of technology back then.
“I remember when I was still in primary school in the late 1970s early 1980s we would have disco nights at the Raiwaqa Parish hall.
“We would pay about 20 cents to 50 cents admission fee and that money would go towards fundraising for the youths in Raiwaqa.”
She said in the ’80s, the Raiwaqa Twin Cinemas (A and B) was a popular hangout for youth and was located across the road from where the Hot Bread Kitchen and the Raiwaqa police post are now situated.
Sadly, the Raiwaqa Twin Cinema’s closed down during the early ’90s.
“Back then in the ’80s, breakdancing had just started becoming popular in Fiji and my brother, Mario Todua or ‘Fish’ as he was known back then, was popular because he used to break-dance.
“They would hold the break dance competitions at the old Raiwaqa Cinema and also at the Suva Civic Centre, where we would go and watch.
“At the cinema, we also would go and watch our neighbourhood band Roostrata. They had the famous George ‘Fiji’ Veikoso singing for them. Both the band and Fiji grew up and started singing and playing in and around Raiwaqa.
“The cinema there used to be a single, double or triple feature where you could watch two or three movies in one seating.
“My friends and I would spend our Sundays at the cinemas.
“Sometimes we would spend half the day there, then come home where our parents would be waiting for us with sticks because we were missing the whole day.”
Ms Batita said growing up in Raiwaqa has made her more sensitive to the struggles faced by people living in the community.
“Back then, everyone was trying to make a living and not everyone had a lot of money.
“We would go next door and borrow a cup of sugar or flour and we would also help the neighbours in the same way.
“There was and still is a great sense of communityship with regard to helping each other because we know the struggles of our neighbours as we ourselves went through the same situations growing up.”
She said most of her friends had moved out of Raiwaqa, but still kept in touch through social media.
Many sons and daughters who grew in the Raiwaqa-Raiwai area have carved a name for themselves in the field of medicine, sports, music, industry, law and education, among others.
Raiwaqa continues to home close to three generations and the descendants of those who moved in during the establishment of the housing project some 60 plus odd years ago.