Kulawai Press

02/08/2026

It's finally here! Our cover for the Horror Anthology is out now. And it has a name - "Never Carry Light" (Hint - the name has something to do with a specific short story in the collection).

01/07/2026

22/06/2026

Bula vinaka to all who submitted to the Kulawai Press Pacific Women Writers Competition.

We are writing today to offer our sincere apologies for the delay in announcing the competition winners. The response we received was nothing short of overwhelming; in both volume and quality.

We received submissions from across the Pacific, in every genre: poetry, creative non-fiction, short stories, and even a screenplay. Our panel was deeply moved by the honesty, the artistry, and the vital perspectives shared by all the writers.

The selection process has been incredibly difficult. We realised very early on that to limit the recognition to just a few entries would be a disservice to the depth of talent we've seen.

New Announcement:

As a result, Kulawai Press is proud to announce that we will be publishing our first-ever Pacific Women Writers Poetry Anthology later this year. This volume will feature a selection of the exceptional poetry submissions we received, ensuring that more of these powerful voices are preserved and shared with the world.

We honour every writer who shared their work with us. You are the storytellers of our region, and your voices matter.

The competition winners will be announced in the coming weeks. Thank you once again for your understanding and your patience.

With gratitude,
The Kulawai Press Team

20/06/2026

📢 CALL FOR WRITERS – DEADLINE EXTENDED! 📢

The iTaukei Trust Fund Board is extending the deadline for the inaugural Talanoa BookLab Workshop – a language revitalisation initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education.

We're seeking passionate short story writers and authors to contribute to Fijian children's literature for Years 7–9 Vosa Vakaviti. Selected participants will take part in a 5-day immersive workshop to develop culturally relevant, curriculum-aligned stories that will be published and used by thousands of students across Fiji.

NEW DEADLINE: Friday 17th July 2026

✨ Particularly welcoming: Educators, retired teachers, curriculum advisors, iTaukei language specialists, storytellers, and emerging writers.

📧 Submit your EOI to: [email protected]

Help us revitalise our language and shape the next generation of Fijian readers! 🇫🇯📚

20/06/2026

Kulawai Press was incredibly proud to sponsor the Central College Lautoka Badminton team this season. Watching these talented athletes give it their all on the court was truly inspiring. We firmly believe that a healthy body fosters a healthy mind, and this team proved that in spades.

Congratulations on a fantastic campaign, team! You made us proud. 👏💪

06/06/2026

🏚️ TIED THIRD PLACE 🏚️

Kulawai Press is pleased to announce Shymal Sagar Kumar as a tied third place winner of our Horror Story Competition for his short story, The House on a Hill.

Set in the foggy hills of Ra, Fiji, The House on a Hill follows Sanjay, a new homeowner who discovers that the house's dark past, and its former residents, are not ready to rest.

"She looked exactly like the wife of the previous owner. Her face, once beautiful, had changed into a terrifying creature."

Congratulations, Shymal.

Author Bio:

Shymal Sagar Kumar is originally from Nausori and currently lives in Suva. He has previously self-published two short stories; Two Worlds (2022) and Mum's Basement (2023). Both of them written under his shortened name, Sagar Kumar.

Shymal hopes to write screenplays for medium and big budget movies in the future. His favourite genres are horror and comedy. At times, he blend these two. His favourite sub-genre of horror is paranormal or supernatural horror. It includes Catholic theology, spirits and demons. and his favourite sub-genre of comedy are dark humor and cringe comedy.

As a kid, Shymal was always curious about exploring places where he was told not to go. Dark humour is the place where he wants to go and explore. It’s a risk worth taking.

05/06/2026

🌓 TIED THIRD PLACE 🌓

Kulawai Press is pleased to announce Aisha Azeemah as a tied third place winner of our Horror Story Competition for her short story, Ghost Lights.

Set on the waters off Nukulau Island, Ghost Lights follows a young skeptic who ventures out at night to test her father's tales, only to find that some lights were never meant to be followed.

Congratulations, Aisha.

Author Bio:
Aisha Azeemah is a graduate student in Literary Studies at the University of the South Pacific. She is currently working on a Masters thesis about the gothic, uncanny, and haunting remnants of indenture in the literary works of famous Indo-Fijian writers. Aisha has always loved horror in every form of media, from books and films, to video games and RPGs. She is a passionate fan of writers like William Peter Blatty, Ambrose Bierce, and H P
Lovecraft, but as with many horror fans of her generation, the love began with the works of R L Stine. Aisha has one previously published work, The Pool Of Tears, in USP’s student magazine, Niu. Her love of water is evident in both of her written works, and Aisha still often wades into the sea by her Nasese home to find peace in the vastness of the ocean.

04/06/2026

Riley said Pacific children are more likely to engage with reading when they can see their languages, cultures and experiences reflected in books.

03/06/2026

🏆 FIRST PLACE WINNER 🏆

Kulawai Press is proud to announce Avitesh Kumar as the 1st place winner of our Horror Story Competition for his short story, Panchak: The Inauspicious Days.

Set in the village of Navula, Lautoka, Panchak weaves Fijian-Indian folk-lore and dread into a tale of arrogance and supernatural consequences.

"You have mocked the dead. Now you must pay. "

Thank you for bearing with us as we gradually announce the winners. And once again, congratulations, Avitesh!

Author Bio:

Avitesh Deepak Kumar is an emerging writer and poet from Ba. He takes keen interest in capturing the simple, mundane aspects of people's lives in his stories and poems. Avitesh is currently working on his first anthology of poems. He is also an active researcher and has published research papers, book chapters and reviews on language, and language education and assessment in various regional and international journals.

04/04/2026

Something is rising. 🥚👻

Not from the grave. From the submissions pile.

Winners have been contacted. Public reveal coming soon.

Happy Easter from Kulawai Press.