I often tell myself that I would travel around the country first, go to places where I have never been to before I can decide on maybe taking a world tour. One of the places that’s on my list is the island of Gau, which is located in the Lomaiviti Group.
Today I can proudly say Gau, you have been crossed from my travel list. However, in saying that I plan another trip to the island to complete the collation of stories, as there are still some villages that are yet to be visited.
Gau is the fifth largest island in Fiji with 17 villages. The highest mountain Delaco rises to 738 metres.
After a week’s travel I must say Gau is indeed rich in untold and unwritten history. I hope and pray one day the history books in our schools will be filled only with legends, myths, religion, and politics about Fiji.
The interesting thing about oral history is there are always a lot of interpretations, some may differ from another.
This article does not intend to create dispute, confusion or animosity among villagers, nor does it intend to create hatred or sever relationships.
Over the next few weeks, this newspaper will bring you interesting accounts of history from around the island of Gau.
This week, we take you on a journey of how the island of Gau was first settled. This legend was relayed by Poasa Qalokivuya the village headman of Nukuloa Village.
Nukuloa Village is nestled under the Ului Kaba mountain range, the wai ni kenani river runs beside it, and sits next to Nukuloa Village School and Levuka Village.
It is home to 134 villagers who dwell in 25 houses.
Nukuloa is about a 20-minute boat ride from Lovu where the airstrip is located that is on the south western part of the island, and about an hour’s boat ride to Qarani the main centre which is on the northern part of Gau.
Travelling was equally important for The Fiji Times chief photographer Eliki Nukutabu, since the last time he set foot in his village was 40 years ago. So for him, it was a time to rekindle his family ties. There is one interpretation that the island of Gau was first settled by one man and his sister who are said to be the descendants of the Tui Wai from Nakauvadra.
The legend states that when the siblings reached Kaba on the coast of Tailevu, the young woman wanted to rest, so her brother allowed her to rest while he climbed a tree and looked out at sea for land.
When his sister woke up, she asked what was he looking for. He replied, “I see before me an island, half of the island is very cloudy, the other half the sun is shining brightly on it. The island looks very fertile.” After hearing this his sister agreed that they must make the journey to the island. As they arrived on a beach and because they were tired they fell asleep.
They were awoken by waves splashing on to their feet, thus the origins of one of the two yavusa in Nukuloa, Nasevaua, which is derived from the word sevuta na ua, meaning to be washed or splashed by the wave. Perhaps the more precise and accurate account was the one which was relayed by Mr Qalo. After the presentation of the isevusevu and traditional request of the account, the village headman started his story.
According to Mr Qalo, Rokomautu — one of the four sons of Lutunasobasoba — had departed his home in Verata, Tailevu in search for land. With him was, what Mr Qalo was told, Rabakanawa one of Rokomautu’s right hand men, a lady by the name Adi Ranadi, who is thought to be either Rokomautu’s grandaunt or aunty.
When they reached Kaba, Rabakanawa climbed a tree and look out to sea and such was his observation;
“Dua na yanuyanu au raica tiko qo e wai, ia na ucuna e cake e sigasiga, ucuna e ra rugurugua, ia na gau ga e drokadroka vinaka ka levu kina na wai.” (I see an island, the sun is shining directly on the northern part of the island, while the southern side is cloudy. But in the middle of the island I see fertile land and a lot of water source).
The name of the island Gau, according to Mr Qalo, was given by Rabakanawa when he was scouring for land from Kaba. He said the word “Gau” meant in the middle. Whenever there is a function on the island of Gau, a question is often asked “are the people of Gau here?” meaning are those from Nukuloa present at the function.
Rokomautu decided that they must go to that island.
“E tukuni na kena itukutuku na daveta oqo na nodra lako mai, a sega ni daveta levu sara. A qai cavu mai e dua na bati Adi Ranadi mai galegalena me dola kina vavinaka na daveta qo. Ko yaca tiko kina ni daveta oqo o Nagalegale.” (When they approached the harbour there was a small opening so Adi Ranadi pulled her molar and with it enlarged the opening to the harbour, thus the origin of the name of the harbour Nagalegale, which means the jaw, because the molar was pulled from jaw).
Mr Qalo said they when they reached shore, the beach had black sand thus the name of the village Nukuloa, which means black sand.
He added Rokomautu and others went around the island, where some were left to occupy Lamiti and Malawai Village on the other side of the island.
Before making his journey to Bua, Rokomautu said he would send someone who will become their chief.
Mr Qalo said when Rokomautu finally returned to Verata he sent Radikedike and the yavusa o Tuatua. Radikedike is said to have maternal links to Verata.
“Na vakatakilakila ni vanua me cabe kina me makataka mai na gauna e loma kei na dua na vu ni tavola. Na vu ni tavola qo se tikoga qo. Ra sa lako mai o Radikedike kei na nona lawalawa, ratou sa calata na vu ni tavola. Qai lai donumaka e dua na vu ni tavola e tiko mai Sawaieke, qai lai cabe cala ekea. Io na ka e tukuni tiko na vanua ena lai cabe kina ena koro turaga ena yanuyanu oya. Na ka eda rogoca tu, sa qai lai cabe ekea, sa qai takali kina i Gau (Nukuloa) na veiliutaki ka sa lai soli e Sawaieke, ka lai basika na itutu vakaturaga oya na Takalai-Gau.” (A tavola tree on the beach where Rabakanawa had landed when they first arrived was to be where the second arrival of Radikedike, the chief, was to land. However he missed it and landed in Sawaieke and that is why today Sawaieke is the chiefly village. Because Radikedike missed Nukuloa thus the village missed the opportunity of playing host to its chief. This is the origin of the title Takalai Gau. Takalai comes from the word takali which means gone, passed or missed).
During the tribal war days, Mr Qalo said Nukuloa was never defeated because they had fearsome warriors.
Tobu Ni Sisili Nei Tui Levuka
I was surprised when Etika Macedru of the yavusa Nasevaua told me that at Nukuloa is the pool known as the tobu ni sisili nei Tui Levuka, the pool where the Tui Levuka from Ovalau bathes after being traditionally installed.
According to Mr Macedru, legend has it when the great army of Lovoni was waging war around Ovalau, the Tui Levuka feared that his people were under threat and would be subject to the people of Lovoni, so they requested help in Verata. The Ratu of Verata informed him to go to Nukuloa in Gau and request the assistance of their warlord.
Mr Macedru said the tobu ni sisili nei Tui Levuka, had always been the pool the warlord used bathe from whenever he returned from war. Upon the request from the Tui Levuka, the army from Nukuloa travelled across the sea and protected the Levuka people. As their form of gratitutde, the warlord was installed as Tui Levuka.
Mr Macedru said after his installation he told his people he needed to return to his pool to have a bath.
It is rather unfortunate that the name of the warlord could not be remembered.
Mr Macedru said the late Tui Levuka Ratu Kolinio Rokotuinaceva, who passed away in 2008, was the last Tui Levuka to bathe at the pool in Nukuloa after being traditionally installed.
The process is once the traditionally installed chief is at Nukuloa, the yavusa o Vadela of which the Tui Vatu is the chief will present the tabua (whales tooth) for him go and bathe.
For four nights the warriors from Lamiti, Malawai and Nukuloa will guard the chief. During this time, noise and movement are restricted until the four nights are over followed by a solevu or merrymaking before the Tui Levuka is traditionally farewelled to return his people in Ovalau.
Wai ni Kenani
Earlier in the day we were just about to present our isevusevu when I asked for a glass of water, my reaction, “OMG, this water is sooooooo good.”
My tastebuds would never lie to me, I can say no bottle water comes close to the water in Nukuloa.
According Nukuloa villager Sakiusa Bulivorovoro, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was on his campaign train with the Alliance Party in the 1970s when he tasted the water and named it, wai ni Kenani (water from Canaan — referring to the Israelites in Christian spiritual contexts).
* Next week we travel to Nawaikama village, home to the hot spring and one of the greatest armies of Gau that rescued the Vunivalu of Bau when he was captured in the highlands of Viti Levu.
