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Bay Area’s Fijian Community Celebrates Island’s Independence in Richmond

On Thursday, Oct. 10, Fijian Americans and their neighbors throughout the Bay Area celebrated Fiji Independence Day, including in Richmond. Bula Auto Sales at 4201 Macdonald Ave., owned by Fijian American Aminesh Rohit, hosted a community gathering to commemorate the end of British colonial rule on Oct. 10, 1970.

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Community portrait at Bula Auto Sales celebration of Fiji’s independence. Photo by Mike Kinney.
Community portrait at Bula Auto Sales celebration of Fiji’s independence. Photo by Mike Kinney.

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

On Thursday, Oct. 10, Fijian Americans and their neighbors throughout the Bay Area celebrated Fiji Independence Day, including in Richmond.

Bula Auto Sales at 4201 Macdonald Ave., owned by Fijian American Aminesh Rohit, hosted a community gathering to commemorate the end of British colonial rule on Oct. 10, 1970.

“This marked the end of nearly a century of British control, dating back to the establishment of the Colony of Fiji in 1874,” said Pastor Mesake Joji of the Patterson Federated Church.

The Republic of Fiji is an island nation in the South Pacific about 1300 miles northeast of New Zealand, with just under 1 million inhabitants. Many Fijians have immigrated to the Bay Area for better economic opportunities and to flee political instability in their homeland.

Of the 70,000 to 80,000 Fijians living in the United States in 2010, some 30,000 have settled in the Bay Area, largely in South San Francisco and, increasingly, Hayward, Newark, Fremont, San Leandro, and surrounding cities, U.S. Census sources say.

“The Fijian diaspora in California maintains strong cultural ties to their homeland, preserving Fijian traditions while contributing to the multicultural fabric of the Bay Area,” Joji said.

Retired Fijian Army Major Mitieli Mocehe served as guest speaker at the event. Moce’s Fijian Army Unit was part of the United Nation’s International Peacekeeping Force when the U.S. Embassy and Marine Barracks were bombed by terrorists in Beirut, Lebanon, on Oct. 23, 1983.

“On that tragic day, 220 Marines lost their lives,” he recalled.

Moce says celebrating Fijian Independence Day helps to encourage a future of democratic self-rule.

“The importance of Fijian Independence Day was getting out of the bondage of British rule,” he said, “It shows that the Republic of Fiji can have a democratic government and our own national sovereignty.”

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Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland

Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

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Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland

By Magaly Muñoz

In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.

Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.

Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.

We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.

Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?

We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!

The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.

In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.

If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.

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