About Lelean

from w
I googled Lelean and found some history on the Old scholars website, plus a photo of the gentleman the school is named after.
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Topic: A Brief History of Lelean Memorial School
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Sakiasi
The Name Davuilevu and its Symbolical Importance

Davuilevu,the name of the site upon which Lelean and other Methodist institutions are built, literally means the Large Conch Shell; the largest Sea Shell found in Fiji. The use of the adjective 'large' in this context implies huge or giant although the literal definition of the Fijian 'levu' is directly translated as big. The conch shell is customarily used as a horn by native Fijians (as well as other South Pacific peoples) to herald important events or to call people together. The Methodist Church of Fiji uses the symbology of this traditional tool of gathering people for the conveyance of the Good News thus becoming the most important Davui or conch of all; the Conveyor of the GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST. The Giant Conch Shell (Charonia tritonis) is the logo adopted by Lelean Memorial School along that same vein of thought.

History
Towards the end of 1942, at the height of Pacific Campaign of the Second World War, the Colonial Authority was issued a command to close all urban schools and surrender their compounds to the Military, to be used as military camps for the war campaign against the Japanese threat. At that time, a notable Missionary Teacher by the name of Mr William Earnest Donnelly, was serving as principal of Toorak Boys' School. While other overseas teachers immediately left Fiji to await the end of the war, the determined missionary principal, Mr Donnelly sent a circular to all members of the senior classes of Classes Six, Seven and Eight of Toorak Boys School, inviting volunteers to come away with him, to continue their education. After consultation with the Heads of the Methodist Church, he was given permission to use the Principal's residence at the Davuilevu Technical School. As a result, he and 50 volunteers from Toorak Boys School in Suva met at the Principal's residence on the 3rd of March, 1943. Their first classrooms were the two Master Bedrooms in the house and the long verandah on the Eastern side as their library. There were only two classes and two teachers; the late Mssrs W.E Donnelly and Semesa Sikivou. This is the house that is presently occupied by Mr Serevi on one side and the School Matron on the other. In the 1943 Methodist Church Annual Conference, Mr Donnelly was given permission to expand his classes along the same ridge and as a result, the boys themselves, with his guidance, built three large bures, where the Teachers' residences presently stand. He was also directed to name the new school, Lelean Memorial School, in memory of the longest serving Missionary in Fiji, the Rev Charles Oswald Lelean, an Australian missionary who served in Fiji for 36 years. Twenty of those years were spent by Rev Lelean as Senior Superintendent of the Davuilevu Mission and Principal of the Methodist Theological College from 1914 to 1934. The school founder, William Earnest Donnelly was a New Zealander, who became a teacher and General Secretary of the Students' Christian Movement in the early 1930s. He volunteered to come as a missionary to Fiji and took over and built up Toorak Boy's School in the late 1930s and early 40s. He remained as Principal of Lelean from 1943 to 1945 when he returned to New Zealand. Mr Donnelly returned to Fiji to establish Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Memorial School in Suva where he served for three years. He then served at the Levuka Public School, on Ovalau, for a few years before returning to Lelean in 1971 after the Ms Furnival tragedy. He also formulated the Lelean Memorial School motto which is "Seek Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding"
February 2 at 4:31am

Davuilevu - two views

Green grass and jungle, Baker Hall, Lelean Memorial School, the Vuli Talatala, houses on hilltops. One view is from Shantiniwas, which was once a building below the Dilkusha Orphanage. The other is a view from Veitalacagi where, once upon a time, the single women teachers lived near the girls' dormitory.

Pictures from Davuilevu and Mokosoi

from w
Here are some more photos Peceli took the other day at the Davuilevu 100 years celebration and at Mokosoi, Pacific Harbour where he preached last Sunday. He can write the details when I can get him to sit at the computer for five minutes instead of going to meetings and talking with old friends! They have produced an excellent historical book detailing the training of Methodist ministers over the years and listing all of the talatalas from the early days of Tongans such as Joeli Bulu. It is sad to read so many names of people we have known over the years who are no longer with us.

Mokosoi is not a traditional village but a settlement of workers who once upoa time were working at the Art Village and nearby. These days many travel the 40 minutes each way to Suva to work. One photo is of the Talatala Qase of Cuvu.

Yesterday I went into Suva city to have lunch with Peceli, with Mereoni with the task of taking some photos for me, and also buy a reader to transfer photos to the computer. We went to Morris Hedstrom (rebuilt after the fire) and it is very smart indeed. We ate roti and curry up at the third floor going up by escalator. Then we found Dick Smith's shop in the Midcity Plaza, another very clean new shopping area. Way to go! Then we explored the Suva market to buy bila (fermented cassava sticks) vakalolo, fruit and kumala. Peceli had a long day with a meeting then yarning with friends at Furnival Park.

Then the rain really came down after three weeks of dry weather. Torrential rain really drenched the city and the catchment areas out of Suva surely will no be filling which is very good news as there was a threat of restrictions. It poured and poured and the little creek below our back yard is raging today. The kids of course still want me to take them somewhere for swimming etc. but four are a handful so I'll just take two to town to meet with Peceli. Maybe.

Davuilevu one hundred years on

from w
Next Monday there will be a celebration at Davuilevu, near Nausori for the hundred years of the Methodist Theological College. Davuilevu is a place where there has been a long history of education - a secondary school, Baker Hall, theological studies, a Bible school, a Lay Training institute. I lived there one time when teaching at Lelean Memorial School and living at Veitalacagi with Lillian (Nabulivou), Marj Bollen, both from Australia and Vivienne Gash from New Zealand. Peceli spent several years there training. The Davuilevu website is up and running at last: and here's a bit from the Centenial Celebrations and next week's programs which co-incide with the Methodist Conference meetings. Not a whisper of politics in all of this eh! Peceli and I hope to be there too. The website won't allow me to look at pictures for the moment.
five talatala who trained at Davuilevu.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
NEXT MONDAY AT DAVUILEVU – 100 YEARS ON
Celebrations will begin at the College at 10am on the 18th of August, usually the first day of the Ministerial Session of the annual “Bose ko Viti” or annual Methodist Church Conference.

At the Celebrations, which is expected to be attended by Methodist Ministers from around Fiji, as wells as descendants of former Principals; the Chief Guest, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, Rev. Laisiasa Ratabacaca will officially open the latest development at the College, its Multipurpose Hall which will house the Community Hall, Women’s Programme, College Canteen and College Bookshop.

The celebration includes the release of a special publication looking at the history of the College, documenting the establishment of the theological training institute at Davuilevu and the century that followed.

An unveiling of the Centennial Monument and cutting of the Centennial Cake will complete the official ceremonies.

From Tuesday 19th to Saturday 23rd August, the celebration will continue at Furnival Park in Toorak, Suva as part of the Annual Methodist Choir Festival and Solevu event. Between 1pm and 2pm daily, special worship services will be held to commemorate 100 years of training ministers at Davuilevu Theological College.

Davuilevu 100 years on

from w
I noticed a small item in a Fiji paper about Davuilevu one hundred years on from moving from Navuloa in Rewa. It's the focal point of Methodist institutions in Fiji with a high school, lay training institute, bible school and theological college. I lived there one time when I was teaching at Lelean, and Peceli spent several years training there. A place where we have made many friends. Baker Hall on the hill, Lelean, sports fields, all near Dilkusha and nowadays opposite the new Rewa Bridge.

The picture at top is of Baker Hall. The one below is of five graduates from Davuilevu Theological College - but many years on!


from a Fiji paper
Davuilevu celebrates 100 years
5-Oct-2007 11:07 AM

THE Methodist Church in Fiji will next week hold a centennial celebration for its Davuilevu property, which is the home of Methodist Education.

College Librarian James Bhagwan said the first Teacher-Training and Technical Institutes in Fiji were established at Davuilevu just outside Nausori. He said this was also home to Lelean Memorial School, The Methodist Young People’s Department lay training centre and Davuilevu Theological College.

Bhagwan added the October 7-10 celebrations are to commemorate the shifting of all the major Methodist educational institutes from Buretu in Navuloa to Davuilevu in 1907.

“The celebrations committee made up of representative from the institutions currently based at Davuilevu released its programme yesterday”, he added.

Bhagwan said the highlights of the week would include a special thanksgiving at the original site.

There will also be a march from Nausori to Davuilevu led by the youth band, a special Meke Ni Davui to commemorate the occasion, church services, the dedication of the Centennial Monument and the viewing of the Davuilevu Archives at Baker Hall.

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(later: I found a few pics - one of Baker Hall at the celebration, one of Lelean Memorial School and one of the new bridge which now is at the entrance to Davuilevu instead of beyond Dilkusha.)

Davuilevu has a website but what is it?

pictures above are of the Theological Students Chapel and Baker Hall Church at Davuilevu.
from w
Church website boosts training
Saturday, March 31, 2007 (from Fiji Times)

THE Methodist Church Theological College at Davuilevu is set to boost its training of ministers with the opening of the library extension and launch of the college website yesterday. College Principal, the Reverend Epineri Vakadewavosa said the occasion marked a new chapter in the history of the college. "The new extension will provide more space to the existing library, a computer lab for students, as well as two dedicated classrooms for the bachelor of Divinity students. The idea behind the extension was a natural progression of our academic journey," Mr Vakadewavosa said.

Visiting other colleges we saw the need to lift our standards of facilities and with the Bachelor of Divinity program applying for accreditation from the South Pacific Association of Schools, the time was ripe for us to enhance our provision of and access to quality research," he said. "There was an unmistakable need for more and relevant books in our libraries and access to the internet for the students," he He said the project was part of a concerted effort to raise the level of theological education offered at the school.

"As more of the laity becoming well educated and with the impact of the media, our ministers are being left behind. "The clergy needs to have a level of theological education to be able to read the signs of times and be aware of the reality of the issues that are affecting those under their care," he said. "While this is a humble beginning for us, we look to the future when we will be able to purchase more computers to accommodate the growing needs of students." He said the project was the result of the hard work of both the faculty and the students.
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And may I add, the generous donations of many people overseas including a project of Dr Meo in Melbourne, and also Tepola Raicebe's church group in Melbourne.
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I do hope the students are already accessing some of the church stuff on the web - which of course goes from the excellent to the ridiculous! Some gems are there to assist leaders and seekers. One blog I found to be super is by a Uniting church woman in Gippsland. It's simply called seedstuff. and I have posted two pics from her website.