Mr. Vilimoni Daunabuna stands in front of his winning portrait art work, during the Fiji Art National Fine
Art Exihibition 2009.


It has taken Viliame Daunabuna 23 years to realize that his artistic talent is an opportunity from God to change and lead a better life.

Receiving two awards for his paintings entered into the Fiji Arts Council National Fine Art Exhibition 2009 from the Fiji Prisons and Corrections Service (FPCS) Commissioner Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua, Daunabuna said that the award has inspired him to change.

“I have been in and out of prison since 1997 and only after receiving these two awards have I realized that God has given me the opportunity to make the right choice to live a new life.

“Opportunity is something we cannot buy, we all have a choice.

“I have a daughter who is three years old and I can’t wait to go out at the end of my prison sentence and be with my daughter and wife.

“They need me and I need them,” the 29 year old inmate said.

Daunabuna said that he also thanked God for the Commissioner, his mentor Mrs Jane Ricketts and the Yellow Ribbon Project.

Viliame entered two of his works for the art exhibition and was the winner of the Portraiture Award with his oil paint on canvass  portrait of a Samoa/Fijian princess tiltle Raluve (Fijian for princess).

He also was highly commended by coming second in the Emerging Artist Award.

Daunabuna said that he visualized Raluve after seeing a picture from the 1800s of a very beautiful woman who he thinks was of Samoa and Fijian heritage and his own imagination.

It took three months to complete the painting and it can be bought for $1500.

Daunabuna was one of four inmates that entered their work for this year’s exhibition; he won a total of $700 for his efforts.

Viliame and his fellow artistic inmates are all members of the FPCS Tagimoucia Arts Gallery at Suva Prison.
In recognition for his wonderful win, the FPCS Commissioner Brigadier General Naivalurua today (Tuesday, November 24) hosted a congratulatory afternoon tea party for Viliame and other members of the Tagimoucia Arts Gallery.




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