Part 1
The last person to be born in old Suva, near the site of what is now Thurston Gardens, was Saravina Drotini.
According to an article in The Fiji Times of April 21, 1959, some sixty years ago, Drotini was in her late 70s when this paper ran a story about her and her ancestors.
“Saravina is still hale and hearty,” The Fiji Times described her.
She had two sons and two daughters, 25 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Straight after she was born, Drotini and her people were relocated to Suvavou, across the bay from Suva.
According to The Fiji Times, Ratu Ravulo was the last in a long line of chiefs who lived and ruled in early Suva.
He is today buried in Suvavou at a place that looks out “across the water to the Botanical Gardens and Government House”.
Before it was destroyed by the Kingdom of Rewa, the town of Suva was a “prosperous place and its chiefs were high standing”. They were believed to be the descendants of dwarves or “veli”.
Then, Suva was an ally of Bau and an enemy of Rewa.
Many high ranking ladies from Bau married into the chiefly family of Suva, which also held a “dominating influence over the people of Kalabo, Tamavua and Waimanu, and other coastal towns on the western side of Suva Bay”.
At the time this story was first written in 1959, the Tui Suva title was vacant.
It had remained that way since 1918, when one Adi Salote died, spelling the extinction of the royal line.
However, she had a son from a former Roko Tui Nadroga, the late Ratu Orisi, who also left sons.
Adi Salote was the sister of Ratu Aporosa, the Tui Suva, who died at Rewa.
Ratu Aporosa’s wife Ro Kelerayani was a Rewan lady and his mother was a Bauan lady.
Ratu Aporosa’s son, Ratu Ravulo, succeeded him as Tui Suva and died at Suvavou in 1910. The first Suva chief, who could be traced by name, was called Ro Ratilekaleka.
He ruled Suva from his hillfort at Ulu Vatu and by his Bauan wife, he was ancestor of the race of chiefs that became extinct with the death of Adi Salote in 1918.
“Ulu Vatu, also Uluvatu, was a place very easily defenced with steep cliffs at the side and rear and a rugged approach strongly defended with war ditches,” The Fiji Times noted.
“There were fish in the bay and good food plantations which extended down to where the Marist Brothers School now stands in Suva St.”
But the people of Suva increased and the time came when the town was too small for the population.
It was moved to Vatuwaqa, near what is commonly known as Flagstaff, where a strongly fortified town was built.
From there the town was subsequently transferred to the present site of the Botanical Gardens (Thurston Gardens) and Government House, where later the Suva people suffered a great calamity when the warriors of Rewa sacked and burned the town, slaughtering many of its inhabitants.
- To be continued next Monday
