Marist Brothers High School (Fiji)

Marist Brother's High School is a Roman Catholic all-boys high school situated in Suva, the capital of Fiji. It is a school in the Marist tradition, founded in 1949 by the order of Marist Brothers, which has had a presence in Fiji since 1844. The Catholic Marist education in Fiji is acknowledged as having a tradition of academic and sporting excellence^[1]. Many high-profile citizens of Fiji and the surrounding region are alumni of the school, having been fashioned by its motto, "In Hoc Signo Vinces".

Historical background

Marist Brothers High School was founded and run by members of the Marist Brothers order since it opened to students in 1949. Founded by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest in France in 1816, the order went by the names of the Petits Frères de Marie (Little Brothers of Mary) and Fratres Maristae a Scolis (FMS or the Marist Brothers of the Schools, the post-nominal letters of the Marist Brothers). Marcellin's desire to have brothers to teach the rural children grew after his visit to the bedside of a sixteen-year-old, Jean Baptiste Montagne whom St. Marcellin discovered knew nothing of his faith. The first step to realising this occurred on 26 October 1816, when St. Marcellin asked Jean Marie Granjon to be a brother. The formation of Brothers was St. Marcellin’s project and it grew because of his faith, dedication, simplicity, family spirit and striving to follow Jesus as Mary did, all qualities he encouraged in his brothers and students. In his own words, he promoted that following Mary's example of humble piety for God, "To Jesus Through Mary", was to be the way of the Marist Brothers. The group quickly grew across the French countryside, and was approved as an institute of the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Pius IX in 1863.

The Holy See, keen to get the Catholic faith established in the area known as the Vicariate Apostolic of Western Oceania (including Micronesia, Melanesia, Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga), entrusted its evangelization efforts to the Marist priests. With the early connections with the Marist priests, the Brothers followed the priests as they journeyed to their first missionary efforts in Western Oceania. In 1837 a band of Marists, both Fathers and Champagnat’s Marist Brothers arrived in the Pacific. They began their work on Wallis and Futuna, where the first Marist martyr, Saint Peter Chanel, was killed in 1841.

In 1844 Fathers Roulleau sm and Breheret sm and Brother Annet fms arrived at Lakeba in the Lau Islands. Br. Annet died in 1848. He was the first Marist to be buried in Fiji. Brothers Paschase, Sorlin and Augustine arrived in 1851. Br. Sorlin worked for over fifty years in Fiji and is buried behind the old Loreto Mission on Ovalau. Brother Lucien Magnaudier worked in Rotuma from 1847 to 1853. These Brothers did not teach in schools but assisted the priests in their apostolic work as catechists and faithful to Champagnat’s charism, they were not afraid to work as farmers, carpenters and even boat builders. All of this helped the spread of the word throughout the mission areas of Fiji. True to Champagnat, they put their relationship with God before everything else.

Marist Brothers’ schools began in Australia in 1872 and in New Zealand in 1876. On 27 August 1888, three Brothers, Harvey, Vincent and Alphonsus, arrived in Suva to begin a school for the children of Catholic Europeans. This was in response to Bishop Vidal’s request to Brother Theophane the Brother Superior General in France. On 7 September 1888, they began their school in a house, just above the Lilac Theatre in Waimanu Road. In 1889 they moved to Suva Street. At first only European boys were admitted but by 1897 Bothers Columba and Claudius had begun a school for Indian boys and other races, known as the Indian School or the Cosmopolitan School, on the corner of Suva Street and Toorak Road. By 1936 this had developed into St Columba’s School.

In 1912, Brothers Augustine, Alphonsus and Loyola began secondary classes in St Felix College, also on the Suva Street property. In 1936, after a considerable struggle with the civil authorities, who opposed secondary education for locally born children, the Brothers were allowed to reopen their secondary classes to all races. Thus the Marist Brothers’ High School had its beginnings in Suva Street. The High School was built at Bau Street during 1948, ready to begin the year there in 1949.The school does not take students of Indofijian origin anymore including Catholics.

1963 is noted for two significant developments in Marist primary education in Suva, both of them very much the work of Brother Raphael Penarroya. Saint Columba’s and Saint Felix College became overcrowded so it was decided to open a new primary school further out towards the areas where the population was spreading. Marist Bothers’ Primary School Vatuwaqa was opened under the leadership of Brother Sebastian Bendall (later, in 1982 it became co-educational and its name was changed to Marcellin Primary School). At Suva Street, St Columba’s and St Felix’s were combined into one school for all the boys regardless of race. It was named Marist Primary School Suva Street and Brother Raphael was the first Head Teacher.

Soon after their arrival in Fiji, the brothers became involved in rural education. They were part of the Catholic Mission at Cawaci, teaching there from 1894 until the refounding of St John’s College in 1951. They were active in Naililili Mission, teaching there from 1899 until 1954. In 1962 the Brothers ended twenty years of work at Wairiki, on Taveuni also. From 1974 to 1984 the Brothers helped Napuka Junior Secondary School for ten years, to establish a very good reputation. Brothers helped St Bede’s College at Savarekareka to a good start in 1980, together with the Cluny Sisters, Sisters of Nazareth, Marist and SMSM Sisters and dedicated lay teachers.

During their time at Cawaci on Ovalau, the Brothers ran a teacher training establishment called St Bede’s. Archbishop Mataca chose the same patron for the new school in Savarekareka, to continue the spirit of the first St. Bede’s. The work of teacher training at Corpus Christi College has been part of the Brothers’ work. A number of brothers including Brothers Bertrand, Paul Kelly, Montfort Hickey, John Blewman, Paulo Guibreteau, Fergus Garret, Douglas Dawick, Kees van der Weert and Joseph McDermott (as Principal) have had full and part time involvement there.

Recent history

There has generally been a spirit of cooperation between the Brothers, the Bishop and priests. Since 1971 four Brothers have held the position of Diocesan Director of Education. They are Brothers John Blewman, Joseph McDermott, Clement McGougan and Douglas Dawick whose combined time totals over twenty years. Cathedral Secondary School has also long association with the Brothers, beginning with Brother Victor in 1963. Brothers John and Majella have had terms as Principal there and others, including Brothers Fergus Garrett, Samuel Eathorne and Paul Lavelle, have made significant contributions towards the growth of that school, up to the present time. Brother John is still working there part time.

In 1971 the training of Brothers from the Pacific Islands was begun at Lomary. There a novitiate has served the Brothers of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and, for a few years, India as well as Fiji. Having completed their Postulancy in their own lands, these young Brothers spend two years at Lomary. That is followed, after First Profession of vows, by three further years of religious and professional formation at the Marist Asia Pacific Centre in Manila in the Philippines.

Extra-curricular activities

Marist athletics

The school has for four decades dominated the schools athletics scene in Fiji.^{[citation needed]} The school is acknowledged as having a strong sporting history, and for producing some of the more high profile Roman Catholic men in Fiji and the surrounding region.^{[citation needed]}

Athletics is a uniting force for the Marist community who come together every year to help athletes train and perform at the annual Coke Games and later on in international meets. The school has been in partnership with the Marist Old Boy's Community for the past two decades: they assist in training each year.

For the last sixteen Games since the medal system was introduced,^[when?] the school has won 12 times.

Marist has also won the Deans Trophy, a senior school rugby competition in Fiji , on four occasions and drawn twice.

Noted Alumni

Politics

• The late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Fiji's 1st Prime Minister, 1970; late President of Fiji, Turaga Na Tui Nayau.
• Dr. Feleti Sevele, Prime Minister, Kingdom of Tonga.

Military and Police

• Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (1998–present) and interim Prime Minister of Fiji (2007–present).
• Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka, former Fiji Military Acting Land Force Commander.
• Commodore Esala Teleni,Commissioner Police, Naval officer; (Former Fiji Rugby Captain).
• Colonel Pio Wong SDL Politician. Served as Cabinet Minister in Qarase Govt.(Head Boy 60s).
• Lt Colonel Rt Tevita Uluilakeba Mara, Current 3FIR Commander.

Sports

• Ilivasi Tabua, Former Australian Wallaby and former Flying Fijian coach
• Marika Vunibaka, former Fiji & Canterbury Crusaders Rugby winger.
• Netani Talei, current Flying Fijians backrower
• Gabriel Lovobalavu, Flying Fijians center
• Sunia Koto, current Flying Fijians hooker
• Dominiko Waqaniburuto current Flying Fijians utility forward
• [Leslie Copeland] Current Fiji Javelin Record Holder.
• Lote Tuqiri (Junior) Currently playing for the Japanese Rugby Sevens Team.
• Banuve Tabakacoro, currently Fiji's top track athlete. He has just recently won (3)three gold medals in the Pacific Games held in New Caledonia,in the 100m, 200m, and the 4 by 100m relay. He is the fastest man in the Pacific at the moment and also the youngest ever athete to win the 100m and 200m in the Pacific Games. This year (2011), he has set new games(Coke Cola Light Games) records in the 100m and 200m respectively.

References

1. ^ Fiji Education Commision Report 1909,p.53.cited in Robert Nicole, Disturbing History: resistance in early colonial Fiji, University of Hawaii Press,2011,p181.