Rare 1850 Fijian Imprint from the Wesleyan Press at Viwa – in original cloth with dedication by Sir George Grey

Rare Fijian Imprint from the Wesleyan Press at Viwa – in original cloth with dedication by Sir George Grey A Vakatusa Ni Lotu: o Koya Oqo Nai Vakadinadina, Kei Nai Vakavuvuli, Kei Na Cakacaka Dodonu Ni Lotu; Kei Na Valval e So e Na Lisia Ko Jisu Me La Tiko e Na Nona Lotu. “The Constitution of the Church: containing the testimony, the doctrine, and the right practices of the Church; with certain rules laid down by Jesus for His Church” By the Rev. John Hunt. “Sa Tabaki Mai Viwa, Viwa, Fiji 1850” - Printed at the Wesleyan Press at Viwa in 1850 Complete: 8vo, pp. 184. Text in Fijian. Original green cloth binding, light rubbing but a well-preserved copy. Inscribed on the front endpaper: “Seymour Thorne George, from Sir Geo. Grey, Kawau N.Z. 23rd Nov 1872.” The press at Viwa was the second press established in Fiji. The first press had been established at Lakeba, in the Lau Island group, and was in use between 1838-1845. Surviving examples are rare and seldom appear on the open market, having long been absorbed into institutions. This early work was printed at the Wesleyan Mission Press at Viwa which was established in the late 1840s by Thomas Jaggar and John Hunt (1812–1848). It was the first press to produce substantial works in the Fijian language. A Vakatusa Ni Lotu (“A Declaration of the Church”) sets out the principles, doctrine, and discipline of the Wesleyan Church in Fiji — one of the earliest systematic statements of Christian belief in the language. This lovely copy retains its original binding and was once owned by Sir George Grey - a former governor and Prime Minister of New Zealand - and the most important early collector of Pacific imprints. His remaining collection is now stored in Auckland Libraries. Despite a deep appreciation for the Pacific, Grey is a controversial figure as he presided over a time of forceful colonisation and annexation of Māori land in New Zealand. Interestingly Grey was also governor of South Africa for a time, so Pacific imprints are well represented in the South African national library and some early Māori imprints were printed in South Africa. All early Fijian imprints are rare, and this work survives in just 8 other copies - with just 2 (South Africa and Yale) outside of New Zealand and Australia.