An early history of beekeeping in FijiLittle current information is available on the introduction of honey bees into Fiji. The best that’s currently available is the assumption that bees were introduced in the middle of the nineteenth century by European missionaries. A current web page 1 of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community states “European missionaries probably first introduced honey bees into the Pacific in the mid 19th century. Early attempts to establish national apiculture industries were largely unsuccessful until the 1970’s when projects were initiated in Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Fiji.” Such conjecture about 19th century events is not all that improbable for there are several records of missionary attempts, some successful, to take bees to the Pacific.

The Rev. John Hewgill Bumby, a Wesleyan missionary headed from England for the far north of New Zealand in September 1838, 2 was accompanied aboard the James by his sister Mary Anna and her hive of bees.

Church of England missionary Rev. William Charles Cotton attempted to take hives of bees to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, in December 1841. He eventually succeeded through the help of his friend James Busby to introduce some hives from Sydney in August 1843.

The Rev. Petit Jean, a Catholic missionary based in the Bay of Islands, returned from Sydney with a general cargo of donations aboard the brig Julia in September 1842. 3

The Melbourne Argus, 18 June 1861, (p.7c) in a short entry mentions a Mr Buzacott of the John Williams who took one hive from Melbourne to Sydney. This was, to be forwarded to the South Sea Islands the following year. 4 Reverend Aaron Buzacott of the London Missionary Society was a pioneer missionary of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. 5

The London Missionary Society’s barque John Williams

1 spc.int/rahs/Projects/Apiculture1E.htm (as of June 2010 this web site is being reconstructed so this link is not currently active)2 Barrett, Alfred (1853, 2nd. ed.) The life of the Rev. John Hewgill Bumby : with a brief history of the commencement and progress of the Wesleyan mission in New Zealand. John Mason, London3 Stevenson, Bruce (May 1996) “In Search of Father Petitjean’s Bees, Early History of New Zealand Beekeeping”, New Zealand Beekeeper, May 19964 Refer also The Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener, Country Gentleman for 18 Feb 1862.5 Mission Life in the Islands of the Pacific,being a Narrative of the Life and Labours of the Rev. A. Buzacott. John Snow & Co., London, 1866.

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Eva Crane states in her 1999 The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting 6 that A. mellifera ligustica, the Italian or Ligurian honey bee, was introduced to Fiji “by 1924”. Crane also supplied the best known dates for other Pacific Islands: Rarotonga (Cook Is.) “by 1890”; Niue 1952 from NZ and New Caledonia (A.m.l) “by 1902”. Crane also states, citing “Black, 1963” that bees were common in Suva, Fiji, during 1955-63. (p.98)

From Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Honey Bees by Tsutsumi, Lorna H. & Oishi, Darcy E: 7 “In 2001, a joint project between New Zealand and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) was conducted, the first phase of the Feasibility of Apiculture in the Pacific program, which was designed to strengthen beekeeping activities in the island nations of Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands (Rarotonga, Mangaia, Atiu), Fiji Islands, Tuvalu, Pitcairn island, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, and Wallis & Futuna (Driscoll, undated). 8 …

In 2006, a Regional Honey Standards Development Workshop was held in Fiji to further expand on the growing honey industry in the Pacific. The specific goals of the workshop participants (from Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu) were to increase the production and standards of honey, tap into niche and regional markets, and elevate honey from a subsistence crop to a viable export. Agricul-turally, this industry has been prioritized by many Pacific island nations. Presently, beekeeping activities are limited on some islands but are thriving on others such as in Fiji, where the annual honey production increased by 65.8% to 494 MT (543 T) in 2007 (Fiji Times, 2008). The importance of beekeeping in Fiji is acknowledged through the issuing of Fijian stamps showing bee hives, bees, a beekeeper, and a child holding a bottle labelled Fiji honey.” 9 (pp.9-10)

The “Honey Production in Fiji” stamps were issued on 16 October 2006, 10 consisting of 18c Bees on honeycomb. 40c Beekeeper collecting honey. $1 Beekeeper and hives. $3 Child with bottle of honey.

official first day cover

6 Crane, Eva (1999) The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting:7 Refer http://67.222.61.70/scps/Honey_Bees_specialty_crop.pdf8 Driscoll, J. Undated. Feasibility of Apiculture in the Pacific. NZaid and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). http://www.spc.int/rahs/Projects/Apiculture1E.htm9 Tsutsumi, L.H., and D.E. Oishi. 2010. Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Honey Bees (Apis mellifera). In: Elevitch, C.R. (ed.). Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry. Permanent Agriculture Resources (PAR), Holualoa, Hawai‘i. http://agroforestry.net/scps10 Refer http://www.joll.co.nz/stamps/Fiji.html

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An 1872 introductionBees were undoubtedly introduced, if not for the first time, in 1872. James Carroll, a Queensland beemaster, stated in the Brisbane Courier, 12 December 1872, “I have great pleasure in stating that I have sent hives stocked with bees to all parts of the colony and to New South Wales, Victoria, and the Fiji Islands, with the greatest success.” (p.4) Italian bees were not then in Queensland so Carroll could only have sent the English bee. From his arrival in the colony Carroll had been using modern frame hives so a hive of this type would have been shipped containing the bees. The hive was most likely of the same specifications to the one he shipped to Cardwell that same year. From the Queenslander, 6 July 1872 “Transport of Bees. – Mr. Carroll called on us on Thursday with a couple of model bee-hives, stocked with bees, prepared for a trip by steamer to Cardwell, and thence to the Valley of Lagoons. The hives are each 15 inches long, 9 deep, and 3 1/2 wide, arranged with ventilators, places for feeding the bees and supplying them with water. They are screwed together firmly, and so arranged that a man can carry them together or singly on horseback. Each box contains a queen and a medium stock of workers, with a supply of honey sufficient to keep them for a month. Water must be given at the rate of about two tablespoonfuls daily, and a water bottle accompanies the hives for that purpose. The boxes are so constructed so that, in the event of their having to remain in Cardwell for a time, a ventilator can be opened at each end so that the bees can fly out in search of stores. ...” (p.3)

Jas. Carroll 11

1886-88 ‘bees have been introduced”From Her Majesty's colonies: a series of original papers issued under the authority of the Royal Commission (1886) 12 “Bees have been introduced, but it is said that the flora of the Colony is not in all places suitable for their sustenance. This defect, however, could easily be remedied.” (p.267) How recently the bees had been introduced was not made clear. From The Australian handbook: incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea; shippers,

11 Mackay, Angus (1885) Elements of Australian Agriculture12 Her Majesty's colonies: a series of original papers issued under the authority of the Royal Commission. (1886, 2nd ed.) London, W. Clowes and Sons.

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importers and professional directory & business guide (1888) “Ligurian bees, and more recently carrier pigeons, have been imported.” 13 (p.529)

1897 “a great wealth of bloom, most of which will be honey-yielding”An article in the British Bee Journal for 1897 suggests advice is being given to an active beekeeper in Fiji. The Google snippet provides the following: “… species of leguminous plants (beans, peas, and such) [are] grown in considerable quantities, all of which are honey-yielding. In the mountain districts, especially around Fiji, there is a great wealth of bloom, most of which will be honey-yielding; and I have no doubt that later in the year you will have …” (Vol.25, p.402)

1920s “nobody keeps bees properly in patent hives.”From On Fiji Soil: memories of an agriculturist (1989), Wilfrid Laurier Parham arrived in Fiji with his father, Charles John Parham, aboard the steamer Makura out of Auckland on 18 May 1919. (The Makura of 8,075 tons, along with the Niagara, constituted "the Canadian-Australasian Line which makes monthly trips each way between Vancouver and Sydney, calling at Honolulu in Hawaii, Suva in Fiji and Auckland in New Zealand on the way." 14) Laurier, as he preferred to be known, had been born in South Africa but was schooled in New Zealand. From where or when the Parham’s obtained their bees is unknown, however they may have brought them from New Zealand aboard the Makura. Presumably armed with several seasons of Fijian beekeeping in the mid 1920s, Laurier wrote a paper 15 titled Bees in Fiji, which he intended “to offer to a beekeeping journal as payment for a subscription.” 16

It appears Laurier used modern frame hives for he had diarised “Everyone says bees are greatly needed here yet nobody keeps bees properly in patent hives." (p.16) Phyllis Reeve, author of On Fiji Soil: memories of an agriculturist, wrote “There seemed to be openings for all their skills and interests, including his recently acquired beekeeping capability." The use of frame hives was confirmed by Reeve’s commentary “The beekeeping was typical of Charles' projects now assumed by Laurier: 'the placing of too few frames has resulted in the building of irregular comb. It will take time to put things to rights but I think I shall make a success of things if only I am let alone. vaka malua is the way, for shorthanded as we are it would be foolish to undertake the responsibility of too many hives.' " (p.79)

Feral bees were present at Drailuika, three hundred and thirty feet above sea level, the source springs for a creek, the Luika. "On a bank near a tiny island the tevoro tree, the devil tree, spread its immensely long roots. Its two great clumps of growth connected with each other by a sort of suspension bridge, and housed a variety of creatures including a white owl and a hive of bees." (p.60) Circa 1923 "He condensed into his 'Farm Record' his journal notes of crop progress, the comings and goings of hornets and flowers, the production record of bees and poultry, and his special care, the cattle." (p.90) Circa 1924 "Laurier and his bees concocted an excellent mead. He was a little shocked at his own enjoyment and subsequent dizziness." (p.91)

13 The Australian handbook: incorporating New Zealand, Fiji, and New Guinea; shippers, importers and professional directory & business guide for ..., Vol. 19, 1888 (Vol. 16, 1885 – Vol. 37, 1906) London [u.a.] Gordon & Gotch14 Chant, C. A. “An Astronomical Trip to Australia-on the Way. (1922) Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Vol. 16, p.25115 Possibly under the pseudonym Wilton Pavely16 Reeve, Phyllis & Parham, Wilfrid Laurier (1989) From On Fiji Soil: memories of an agriculturist, Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji

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A “snippet” from the Google Book Search facility

A letter, which first appeared in the Fiji Times and Herald (date unknown), was reproduced in Fiji’s Agricultural Circular 17 for 1922 “To the Editor, Sir, - The article in your issue of the 7th February on honey in tropical countries tempts me to give the results obtained by my bees in Suva. …” (p.103) Unfortunately, the image above was all that Google would provide. It’s most likely the author was Laurier. The remainder of the article would have made interesting reading – it may have contained much that he wrote in his paper Bees in Fiji previously referred to.

1957 “some interest may be generated”A 1957 report 18 simply titled “Bee Keeping” by G.B. Gregory, Senior Agricultural Officer of the Fijian Department of Agriculture, stated “Production of honey in Fiji is at present almost negligible” (p.38) The availability of any historical detail within the report however is unlikely as it opens with “This article is not intended to serve as a treatise on bee-keeping; it is hoped that by presenting the story of bee-keeping in simple language, some interest may be … (generated?)” 19

1960 “He sends them by air”Another Google snippet reveals the following extract from the South African Bee Journal for 1960 "... suburb of Sydney, sends bees to new Guinea, Thailand and Fiji. He sends them by air. His 'package' is usually a nucleus of three brood frames, with a queen, bees, brood, and honey. He uses a specially light ..." (p.21)

late 1970s “importation of bees from NZ was delayed by adverse weather”Thanks to Google Book Search this tantalising snippet is made available from Technical cooperation activities, beekeeping: a directory and guide (1982) by Wilhelm Drescher and Eva Crane: 20 "The follow-up of the project, now being undertaken by a VSA volunteer from New Zealand, was hampered by the fact that only two of the original hives were located, and importation of bees from New Zealand was delayed by adverse weather. At present 22 hives are at Lomaivuna, 40 miles north of Suva; 50 others will be in the northern area near Raki Raki in October 1979, and expansion to 200 hives ..." (p.42)

From the “Stampsfiji” web site “Beekeeping or Apiculture has become one of the fastest growing industries in Fiji with interest shown by people from all walks of life. The present industry traces its origins to project Phoebee; which began in September 1975, with the assistance of Jeremy Fox, a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific.” 21

“New Zealand aid was forthcoming to extend the project to the Lomaivuna area in 1979, where 40 hives were distributed among 33 farmers, albeit with limited success. In 1980 the project was restructured to enable interested persons to purchase the necessary equipment

17 Agricultural Circular, Fiji. Dept. of Agriculture, Vol. 3-5, 192218 Agricultural Journal, Vol. 28, 1957, Dept. of Agriculture, Fiji19 The “snippet” view provided by Google Book Search was limited so I’ve guessed the missing word.20 Published Eschborn: GTZ, 198221 http://www.stampsfiji.com.fj/menu.htm

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from the Department of Agriculture. Assistance provided included establishing hives and training, with emphasis given to the commercial unit.

However, commercial honey production was developed in a number of areas in the 1950’s and 1960’s. An organization known as “Morrison Bross” is reputed to have operated 1,000 hives in the Greater Suva area and exported honey to Europe until Cyclone Bebe decimated their stock. Hives are also known to have been established at Navuso Agricultural School, vatukauloa, Taveuni/Laucala and in Suva; however in virtually all cases, the apiaries have disappeared, either as a result of natural disasters or technological problems. …” 22

mid 1980s “our Italian-german bee crosses were good producers, though a bit cranky at times”From the “Experiences of a Peace Corps Beekeeper in Fiji: “In the mid-1980's, I had an opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps doing rural development work in Fiji.  … I was in Fiji for two years, mainly to provide beekeeping technical assistance to a village cooperative and farmers who were interested in beekeeping. Beekeeping was viewed by the Fiji government as a potential source of rural income that did not require a big investment to get started.  Fiji was a honey-importing country and the country's goal was to be self-sufficient in honey production. An agricultural worker from New Zealand established some bee hives in the early 1980's and proved the area's potential for honey production.  … The cooperative had two employees for me to work with on a honey project called Saivou Honey.  I also worked with several farmers and a shopkeeper who owned their own hives. We worked entirely with deep hive bodies, since we were rapidly expanding our colony numbers.  The hives were on concrete blocks to reduce losses from cane toads.

The wild bees on the island were the German ‘black’ bee that were brought to the South Pacific by the early European visitors in the 1800's.  They are a mean, nasty, bee!  They were very defensive, ran on the comb, and the queens were hard to find. We imported Italian queens and raised our own Italian-German bee crosses that were good producers, though a bit cranky at times. …” 23 In 1986 and 1987 John imported over 200 Italian queens to Fiji from New Zealand. 24

22 http://www.stampsfiji.com.fj/stamps/honey/index.htmlStamp Artist George Bennett, Text by Joe Uluilakeba23 http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/peace.htm24 Pers. comm.. with John Caldeira, 14 June 2010

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Photo by John Caldeira, Dallas, Texas, USA

2008-2009In 2008 John Caldeira moved back to Fiji and spends time in his “semi-retirement,” among his other interests, training beekeepers. “Since the 1980's when I last lived here, beekeeping in the Western Division of Fiji has greatly expanded with help from both domestic and foreign assistance.   However, this country of less than one million people still imports approximately 20% of its honey (my estimate) and there are many failing beekeepers. … There are only a few skilled beekeepers here.  Some started with aid money and some with a bank loan, but most do not know basic beekeeping skills such as how to start new colonies or prevent wax moth damage.    Fiji's beekeepers in the Western Division do not have the benefit of traditional agricultural extension help, government or NGO-sponsored training, or access to beekeeping books in any  language.  Maybe some day I will write one in the Fijian or Hindi languages. …

John Caldeira in action

Fiji needs to improve its genetic honey bee stock. … Approximately one-quarter of the beekeepers here are women.  Both indigenous and Indo-Fijian women keep bees.” 25

25 http://www.outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/Fiji_2009.htm

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ConclusionIn researching this story I’ve been understandably hampered by copyright restrictions. There is obviously much more to tell but this can only be achieved by deeper research into late 19 th

century books that are held by libraries which, in some cases, are thousands of miles from my home. Of the tale to date I most enjoyed the details of Laurier Parham’s beekeeping in the 1920s.

Peter Barrett

Caloundra, Queensland

June 2010

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