Emerging Fijian authors Stephanie Datt Wise and Asish Vinay Prasad have launched a new book to advance the discussion on gender equality.
“The After” consists of 23 pages of poems and short stories about their experiences in Fiji. The duo took part in a creative writing workshop earlier this year, led by renowned Fijian author Mary Rokonadravu and supported by the French Embassy in Fiji.
The French ambassador to Fiji, François-Xavier Léger, stressed that the authors’ stories were “not just tales; they reflect our common struggle for a more just and fair world.”
“By supporting initiatives like this workshop, we reaffirm our commitment to amplify voices that challenge inequality and work for a better future for all,” the Ambassador said.
Rokonadravu says that about half of the workshop participants were writing for the first time, adding: “As a writer and someone who supports writers, it was exciting for me to see a new generation of writers coming up. And I know from experience that there were writers who had been writing for some time but whose work would never be published.”
“Writing workshops or creative writing are very underfunded in this country. Because of that, there are very few publishing opportunities for anyone who is interested in writing. And that’s why I think a lot of writers face the challenge of having to depend on things overseas to get their writing published. That’s why I’m absolutely thrilled about the opportunity that Stephanie and Asish had,” Rokonadravu said.
As a young author, Stephanie Datt Wise hopes the book can inspire others to “tell true stories.” “I share my work on my Facebook platform called Fiction Fiji, where there are local stories in local slang and a story about domestic violence, and the response I’ve had has been tremendous,” she said.
Retired teacher Asish Vinay Prasad hopes similar initiatives can be implemented in schools across Fiji.
“Many students (in Fiji) are brilliant writers,” he said.
In his poems “17 Park Road” and “Moce Mada” he laments having to leave his childhood home and the antiques it contained, which he had inherited from family members who had lived in Fiji during the period of indentured labour.
Prasad says he will donate the items to Jai Narayan College, where plans are underway to set up a museum.
