Qiolele finds hope through art

After 21 years in prison, former Korovou inmate Aisake Qiolele is preparing to rebuild his life with a paintbrush and a new sense of purpose. The 42-year-old man from Serua was pardoned last Friday, a decision he says he never expected.

Qiolele discovered his talent for painting while in prison. He is preparing for an upcoming art exhibition, his seventh year taking part in the competition and his first as a free man. He hopes to earn a living from his artwork after spending almost half his life behind bars.

For fellow inmate and artist Leiatu Folau, art helped revive a talent he first developed in primary school. Folau, who began a three-year sentence in May 2024, returned to drawing after picking up a pencil in prison. Some of his paintings have already sold overseas, an achievement he said he never imagined.

Folau urged young people with artistic talent to keep developing it and not lose hope. One of his works, titled “Ancestors’ Memory,” reflects his wish to preserve traditions and memories that are becoming harder to find in Fiji. “Keep on doing it. One day, you’re going to reach your goal.”

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Keep on doing it. One day, you’re going to reach your goal.