Ministry of Information & National Archives

Fiji Business Excellence Awards Awareness at the Ministry of Information

The Sir Alport Barker Library is a public reference library housed within the National Archives of Fiji. It has a vast collection of newspapers dating back to 1869, government publications from 1874, manuscripts and rare books. The Archives library provides a space for the public to read on Fiji's history, conduct research on land issues and genealogy search. Recently while sifting through it's collection, we stumbled upon three published materials from the 1800s and early 1900s. These three items are part of donated permanent collections that make up the Archives library's historical holdings.

The National Archives of Fiji recently received a timely boost to its digital collection with the handing over of digital copies of the Indian Indenture Labour System Records from Mr. Garrick Parr, Pacific Area Manager, Family Search International. On hand to receive the records was Government Archivist Timoci Balenaivalu.

Included in the list are:

20 - 0673 Immigration Passes 1879 - 1916
20 - 0673 General Register of Indian Immigrants 1879 - 1916
20 - 0687 Plantation Register of Indian Immigrants 1879 - 1919
20 - 0688 Indian Death Records 1899 - 1922

The digitized records will assist the Department in its efforts to have accessible information to the public through its archival collection.

To all our patrons and followers of this page, please be informed that as of today our page will now be referred to as the Ministry of Information & National Archives. The department will maintain the same services, and if you wish to reach us you may do so by sending us a message.

Open Day at the National Archives of Fiji.

We will be open till 7pm with the last tour at 6.15pm.

See you soon.

From the Archives Family "Happy International Archives Day"

Come and be part of our Open Day and meet your Archives team today.

We are celebrating International Archives Day on June 9th 2026. with the theme : Rights, Memory & Futures.

To commemorate this special day the National Archives of Fiji will be having an Open Day and an exhibition reflecting Fiji's history through historical documents and images from 11am - 7pm.

Come on down and celebrate with us and experience what it's like to preserve our history within our doors. Our staff will be able to answer your queries on the work they do daily.

There will be tour slots from: 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm, 6pm.

Come with your families, work colleagues and friends and check out your Archives along Kimberley Street on Tuesday 9th June.

See you soon.

Congratulations Dr Anawaite

It is our pleasure to introduce our next Pacific Development Field Research Grant awardee — Anawaite Matadradra-Dolavale.

Ana is an emerging Pacific scholar based in the School of Law and Social Sciences at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji. She holds a Master of Arts in Development Studies and a PhD in History from the University of the South Pacific.

Ana's current research focuses on social cohesion, trust, and community life within informal settlements in Fiji. While research on informal settlements has often focused on relocation, housing, infrastructure, and environmental vulnerability, her work explores how people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds build relationships, support one another, and navigate everyday life within shared community spaces. The research also examines how migration, settlement experiences, displacement, and colonial legacies continue to shape community relationships and social cohesion today.

"I am truly grateful to DevNet NZ for awarding me this research grant and for supporting emerging Pacific scholars and community-based research across the Pacific region. Vinaka vakalevu for this opportunity," said Ana.

Congratulations Ana!