Fijians Win Trailblazer Awards

Fiji-born trailblazer Sandhya Nand rubbed shoulders with other Pacific islanders to receive a recognition-based award for contribution to arts.

The former television-presenter-turned-publicist and professional photographer said the New South Wales Council of Pacific Communities Pacific awards were not competition-based.

“Many of the recipients are trailblazers,” she said from Australia.

“All nominees and award recipients excel at what they do; each an ambassador for collective Pacific excellence, in capacities as individual endeavors and fortitude.

“But our individual actions reflect on our communities.

“I believe that builds accountability.”

Trailblazing involved expansion of individual footholds into platforms of opportunity for common unity, Ms Nand said.

“People who blaze paths don’t always do so knowingly, but I did when I chose to pursue careers in the public eye, almost 35 years ago,” she said.

“Back then, Fiji wasn’t quite so conservative and parochial, so I was able to be as out there as I needed, to push and expand boundaries, to find people happy to support and expand their minds.”

Whitestream award

As an Indo-Fijian woman, the award meant more than a ‘whitestream’ award would, Ms Nand said.

“Sure, ‘whitestream’ recognition leads to commercial and financial success, maybe not always for a person of multi-culture, unless we tick the token diversity boxes, but this comes at a price, and with criteria,” she said.

“Many of us cannot shrink ourselves to fit the optics.

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Story by: frederica.elbourne@fijisun.com.fj