Gezicht op de John Wesley kaap op Kadavu before 1899

Maximilian Agassiz captured this view of John Wesley Cape on Kadavu, likely in the late 19th or early 20th century as part of a photographic series on Fiji. Agassiz, born into a family of natural scientists, extended his family's tradition of scientific observation through the relatively new medium of photography. This image of the Fijian landscape operates within a complex colonial context. On one hand, it appears to offer a straightforward depiction of a place. On the other, it presents a landscape that has been named after a key figure in the history of Methodism. What does it mean to name a place in Fiji after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism? How does this naming reflect the dynamics between indigenous Fijians, European missionaries, and colonial powers? Ultimately, this photograph invites us to reflect on the layers of history embedded in landscapes and how the act of naming can both commemorate and subtly assert control. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the personal and cultural impacts of exploration and colonization.