Life Behind Bars Helps Delaibatiki Find His Talent

Art has become an escape for me where I put my mind and heart together and let my hands express how I really feel deep inside.

These were the sentiments of Pauliasi Delaibatiki, an artistic inmate currently serving a life sentence.

Delaibatiki hails from Namuka I Lau and had 17 of his paintings displayed during the exhibition.

“Most of my paintings tell a story of my spiritual journey, the hardships, the expectations and how they were overcome,” he said.

“It speaks about what I have been through, what I hope the foreseeable future will be like and it was only through God’s grace I was able to find myself again.”

One of his inspirations was when his aunt designed the new rebranding Fiji Airways logo.

“I tell most of my customers that I do not regret coming to prison. It was in prison that I realised I had the talent of drawing, I never knew it when I was out in the free world.

He also thanked his art teacher, Jane Ricketts for seeing the potential he had when he didn’t think he had it in himself.

“I was so blessed to have crossed path with Ms Jane Ricketts. She nurtured those talents from pencil drawings to painting on a canvas,” he said.

“I look back to what I had been through, everything I learnt in prison, it has been an unexpected wonderful journey because we face challenges, and make changes to help us grow.”

Mr Delaibatiki urged youths to reevaluate their priorities for the sake of their future.

“I hope my story inspires someone out there. We have only two decisions to make in life, the good and the bad.

“My advice to those youths is to please seek advice from your elders because they have so much knowledge, because they have been through it all,” he said.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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