Fiji’s national holiday on 10 October, commemorating independence from Britain in 1970, is called Fiji Day.
Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. The independence ceremony took place in Suva, where Prince Charles formally transferred power to Fiji’s first prime minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Fiji joined the Commonwealth as a sovereign state.
Fiji Day is marked with official ceremonies, cultural performances, church services, sporting events, and community gatherings. The date also has earlier historical significance: Britain formally ceded Fiji to the Crown on 10 October 1874. Fiji later became a republic in 1987, so the holiday’s meaning has developed alongside changes in the country’s constitutional status.