Marist Brothers High School is a

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all-boys' high school situated in Suva, the capital of Fiji. It is a school in the Marist tradition, founded in 1946 by the order of Marist Brothers, which has had a presence in Fiji since 1844. The counterpart school for girls is St Joseph's Secondary School, Fiji . The school motto is ''In Hoc Signo Vinces''.

History

Marist Brothers High School was founded and has been run by members of the

Marist Brothers The Marist Brothers of the Schools, commonly known as simply the Marist Brothers, is an international community of Catholic religious institute of brothers. In 1817, St. Marcellin Champagnat, a Marist priest from France, founded the Marist Brothe ...

order since it opened to students in 1949. Founded by Saint

Marcellin Champagnat Marcellin Joseph Benedict Champagnat (20 May 17896 June 1840), also known as Saint Marcellin Champagnat, was born in Le Rosey, village of Marlhes, near St. Etienne (Loire), France. He was the founder of the Marist Brothers, a religious congregati ...

, a Marist priest in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in 1816, the order went by the names of the ''Petits Frères de Marie'' (Little Brothers of Mary) and ''Fratres Maristae a Scolis'' (FMS or the Marist Brothers of the Schools, the post-nominal letters of the Marist Brothers). Marcellin's desire to have brothers to teach the rural children grew after his visit to the bedside of a sixteen-year-old, Jean Baptiste Montagne whom St. Marcellin discovered knew nothing of his faith.Pat Gallagher, ''The Marist Brothers in New Zealand Fiji & Samoa'', New Zealand Marist Brother's Trust Board, Tuakau, 1976, pp. 29–30, 77–81, 122–127. Marist Brothers schools began in Australia in 1872 and in New Zealand in 1876. On 27 August 1888, three Marist brothers, Harvey, Vincent and Alphonsus, arrived in Suva to begin a school for the children of Catholic Europeans. This was in response to Bishop Vidal’s request to Brother Theophane, the Brother Superior General in France. On 7 September 1888, they began their school in a house, just above the Lilac Theatre in Waimanu Road. In 1889 they moved to Suva Street. At first only European boys were admitted but by 1897 Brothers Columba and Claudius had begun a school for

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

boys and other races, known as the Indian School or the Cosmopolitan School, on the corner of Suva Street and Toorak Road. By 1936 this had developed into St Columba’s School. In 1912, Brothers Augustine, Alphonsus and Loyola began secondary classes in St Felix College, also on the Suva Street property. In 1936, after a considerable struggle with the civil authorities, who opposed secondary education for locally born children, the Brothers were allowed to reopen their secondary classes to all races. Thus the Marist Brothers High School had its beginnings in Suva Street. The High School was built at Bau Street during 1948, ready to begin the year there in 1949."Marist brothers high school celebrates 75 years", ''Cath News New Zealand'', 19 October 2012.
(Retrieved 12 February 2013)

Extra-curricular activities

Marist sports

For the past four decades Marist Brothers High School has dominated athletics in Fiji. Athletics is a unifying force for the Marist community who come together every year to assist athletes for the annual Coca-Cola Games and later on in international meets.

Notable alumni

Architecture

* Ronald Fong Sang

ONZM The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rend ...

(1938-2021)

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

Architect, art collector, art exhibitor and publisher of New Zealand Art books.Carroll du Chateau, "It is all about the pictures", ''NZ Herald'', 22 November 2008
(Retrieved 22 January 2014)

Law

* Devanesh Sharma – Lawyer, former President of the

Fiji Law Society The Fiji Law Society is the official body that registers and regulates the activity of all lawyers in Fiji. Historically, the President of the Fiji Law Society was a member ''ex officio'' of the Judicial Service Commission. The Fiji Law Society ...

(2006–2007) * Shannon Kumar - Lawyer, Kumar Goundar Lawyers

Literature & Music

* Daniel Rae Costello – Distinguished and accomplished Pacific musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, audio engineer, vocalist and producer. * Arthur Philitoga – Accomplished Pacific musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, audio engineer, vocalist, entrepreneur and businessman

Military and police

Jone Baledrokadroka Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka is a former career soldier who joined the Army in 1981 and was commissioned after attending an Officers commissioning course in Fiji. He was briefly the Acting Land Force Commander in January 2006. He was dismissed fr ...

– Former Fiji Military Acting Land Force Commander, * Esala Teleni – Commissioner Police, Naval officer, former Fiji Rugby Captain, * Pio Wong – SDL politician, served as Cabinet Minister in Qarase government (Head Boy 1960s), * Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara – Former 3FIR Commander. * Ratu Meli Saubulinayau - Lt.Colonel, former Acting Land Force Commander (Head Boy 1970s)

Politics

Frank Bainimarama Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama (Fijian: ʃoˈsɛia βoˈreŋɡe mbɛiniˈmarama born 27 April 1954) is a Fijian politician and former naval officer who served as the prime minister of Fiji from 2007 until 2022. A member of the FijiFirst ...

, Commander of the

Republic of Fiji Military Forces The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF, formerly the Royal Fiji Military Forces) is the military force of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of about 4,000 active soldiers and approximately 6,000 reservists, it is one ...

(1998–2014); interim coup leader (2007–2014), Prime Minister of Fiji (2007–2009; 2009–2014; 2014–present) * Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Fiji's first Prime Minister, 1970; late President of Fiji, Turaga Na Tui Nayau, Sau ni vanua o Lau, Tui Lau *

Hugh Ragg Sir Hugh Hall Ragg (26 January 1882 – 24 May 1963)Sir Hugh Rag ...

, Member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council * Feleti Sevele, former Prime Minister of Tonga * Harish Sharma, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji. * Vijay R. Singh, Former Speaker of Parliament in Fiji. *

William Yee Hon Wing William Yee (born 18 July 1928) was a Fijian engineer and politician. He was the first Chinese Fijian to be elected to the Legislative Council. Biography Yee was born in Zhongshan in China, before moving to Fiji as a child. He attende ...

, first Fijian-Chinese Member of Parliament *

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum (born 24 September 1965) is an Indo-Fijian politician and a cabinet minister. He is the Fijian attorney general and the Minister for Economy, Civil Service and Communications, and also serves the minister responsible for ...

, Distinguished lawyer and current Fijian Attorney General (2007–2014; 2014–present) and also the Minister for Economy, Civil Service and Communications, and also serves the Minister responsible for climate change 2018. Kenneth Zinck - Minister for Labour 2001- 2006

Sports

Ilivasi Tabua Ilivasi Sevia Tabua Tamanivalu (born 30 September 1964 in Naivicula) is a Fijian former rugby union footballer who played at international level for both Fiji and Australia as a flanker. He was nicknamed The Human Skewer. He also coached Fiji ...

– Former

Wallabies A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and so ...

player and former

Flying Fijians The Fiji national rugby union team represents Fiji in men's international rugby union competes every four years at the Rugby World Cup, and their best performances were the 1987 and 2007 tournaments when they defeated Argentina and Wales res ...

coach *

Marika Vunibaka Marika "Dawainavesi" Vunibaka (born 3 November 1974) is a Fijian former rugby union player. He represented the Fiji national team on numerous occasions, including at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales and the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. ...

– Former Flying Fijian and

Canterbury Crusaders The Crusaders (formerly Canterbury Crusaders and BNZ Crusaders due to sponsorship by the Bank of New Zealand) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch, who compete in the Super Rugby competition. They are the mos ...

winger * Netani Talei – Current Flying Fijians backrower *

Gabiriele Lovobalavu Gabiriele Voduadua Lovobalavu (born 20 June 1985 in Savusavu) is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a centre. Lovobalavu is from Kanakana, Tunuloa in Cakaudrove Province. Prior to completing his Diploma in Teaching at Corpus Christi Coll ...

– Flying Fijians center * Sunia Koto – Flying Fijians hooker *

Dominiko Waqaniburotu Dominiko Maiwiriwiri Waqaniburotu (born 20 April 1986 in Fiji) is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a loose forward and lock for Section Paloise in France's Top 14, the highest division of domestic rugby union. He previously played ...

– Flying Fijians utility forward, * Leslie Copeland – Javelin record holder in Fiji *

Lote Tuqiri Lote Daulako Tuqiri (born 23 September 1979) is a former professional dual-code rugby footballer who primarily played as a winger across both codes. He represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union, and Fiji in rugby league. Tuqi ...

– Former Rugby Union winger for the Waratahs and Wallabies & former Rugby League wing/center for the Fiji Bati and

South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are a professional Australian rugby league club based in Redfern, a suburb of inner-southern Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership and are one of nine existing tea ...

* Lote Tuqiri (Junior) – Winger for Japan Seven's *

Banuve Tabakaucoro Ratu Banuve Lalabalavu Tabakaucoro (born 4 September 1992 in Suva) is a Fijian sprinter who specializes in the 100 and 200 metres. He is the national record holder in the men's 100 m and 200 m for Fiji. Biography Tabakaucoro attended Marist B ...

– Pacific Sprint-King and 200m sprint

Pacific Games The Pacific Games (French: Jeux du Pacifique), is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Oceania. The inaugural Games took place in 1963 in Suva, Fiji, and most recently in 2019 in Apia, Samoa. The Games wer ...

record holder *

Viliame Kikau Viliame Hekmatzadah "Bill" Kikau (born 5 April 1995) is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NRL, and Fiji at international level. He previously played for the Pe ...

– Front row for the Fiji Bati and second row for Penrith Panthers NRL * Asaeli Tikoirotuma – Former Flying Fijian and

Waikato Chiefs The Chiefs (formerly known as the Waikato Chiefs and officially called the Gallagher Chiefs for sponsorship reasons) are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Hamilton, Waikato. The team competes in the Super Rugby competition ...

winger *

Benito Masilevu Benito Eremasilevu (born October 7, 1989) in Savusavu, Cakaudrove is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays wing for Fiji and French Top 14 side, Brive. Career Masilevu was born in Savusavu, he attended St Bedes Primary school. He later ...

– Former Fiji Seven's playmaker, currently the Flying Fijians winger * Naulia Dawai – Flying Fijians loose forward * Manasa Mataele – Predominantly plays as a winger for the Canterbury Crusaders. He is also the nephew of Crusaders center Seta Tamanivalu * Jale Vatubua – Flying Fijians inside centre and plays for Pou in France * Eneriko Buliruarua – Flying Fijians outside centre and plays for Brive in France * Christohpher Minimbi – Flying Fijians and FIjian Drua lock * Kaliopasi Uluilakepa – Fijian Drua Prop/former NZ under 20 prop * Samuela Tawake – Flying Fijians and Fijian Drua prop

References

{{coord, -18.1466, 178.4352, display=title Buildings and structures in Suva Educational institutions established in 1949 1949 establishments in Fiji Catholic schools in Fiji Fiji Schools in Fiji