The Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

an honours system dates from the granting of dominion

Dominion of Fiji

The Dominion of Fiji, also known simply as Fiji, was a predecessor to modern-day Fiji and an independent state and that existed between October 1970 and 26 October 1987....

 status in 1970, when the Fijian Independence Medal was awarded to participants in the Fijian independence celebrations. Prior to two military coups

Fiji coups of 1987

The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic...

, which deposed Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...

 as Queen of Fiji, ending the Fijian Monarchy, Fiji also had use of the British Honours System

British honours system

The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...

.

The Fijian Honours System under the Republic

After Fiji was declared a republic, outside the Commonwealth of Nations

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 in October 1987, there was no honours system until 1995, when the Order of Fiji was established. One recipient was Sir Paul Reeves

Paul Reeves

Sir Paul Alfred Reeves, ONZ, GCMG, GCVO, CF, QSO was Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand from 1980 to 1985 and the 15th Governor-General of New Zealand from 22 November 1985 to 20 November 1990...

, a former Governor-General

Governor-General of New Zealand

The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, who was awarded this honour for his work in drafting the 1997 Constitution

Constitution of Fiji

The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....

 by the then President

President of Fiji

The President of the Republic of Fiji is the head of state of Fiji. The President was appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution. The Great Council of Chiefs is constitutionally required to consult the Prime Minister, but...

, Ratu

Ratu

Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...

 Sir

Sir

Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...

 Kamisese Mara

Kamisese Mara

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992...

. Also made a Companion in 1997 was Satya Nandan

Satya Nandan

Satya N. Nandan, CF, CBE, a diplomat and lawyer from Fiji specializing in ocean affairs, is Chairman of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, where he began a two-year term on 1 January 2009....

. Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare

Michael Somare

Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, KStJ, MP was Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2011; he had previously been Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of the Pangu Party, but he then...

was made a Companion during a state visit in 2006 http://www.fiji.gov.fj/gallery/view_photo.php?set_albumName=Somare&id=11_G

Fiji has since rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations, so the Order of Fiji is now classified as a Commonwealth honour.

Order of Fiji Division

The Order of Fiji is the most senior in the Fijian honours systerm. There are 3 grades plus a Medal, in General and Military division. Recipients of the Order are allowed Post-nominal letters. The seniority within the Order are as followed:

• Companion (CF)
• Officer (OF)
• Member (MF)
• Medal (MOF)

Other honours

The following are just a few of the other awards (and their post-nominals) in the Fijian honours system.

• President's Cross (PC)
• President's Medal (PM)
• Meritorious Service Decoration (MSD)