Chinese Plantation Heritage on Malolo Lailai, Mamanuca Group, Fiji

Abstract

The Chinese presence in the Pacific Islands during the nineteenth and early twentieth century has been largely explored through the lens of indentured labor as well as small island traders, whereas archaeological and heritage-related work in the circum-Pacific region primarily focused on the presence of Chinese on the goldfields and associated construction activities. Using evidence encountered on Malolo Lailai, an island off the north-western coast of Viti Levu (Fiji), this paper is the first to focus on the cultural heritage of Chinese-owned plantations. The elements of that heritage encompass residual copra plantations spaced in Chinese paces, a copra shed, a well and a small cemetery. The significance of the sites as a manifestation of the Chinese presence in Fiji are discussed as well as opportunities as to how this heritage might inform current understanding of the role of Chinese in the economic development of Fiji during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.