HISTORY reveals that the word tabua does not necessarily mean whales tooth.
However it was adopted from an iTaukei word meaning a carved frangipani branch.
According to an abstract paper sourced from the National Archives writern by Pita Tatawaqa and translated and read before the Fijian Society by Mr. GAF Beauclere on August 11, 1913, the word tabua may have originated from the hills of Navosa.
“Our people who lived right away up in the middle of the land, such as Navosa, and the tribes near to them, used to cut down a certain tree to be their precious property. The name of that tree was bua (Frangipani); they pared it down well so as to be narrow pointed at both ends, and curved somewhat like a banana branch or leaf; after that, it was thoroughly rubbed until the surface was well polished and then it was then anointed with candle nuts to become reddish coloured and then they attached string to it. It was then taken care of as their most valuable property. It is very truly this the name of which originated tabua. The bua-ta or ta-bua (means to carve or cut a frangipani branch). The bua-ta or ta-bua was used by those living in the hill-country for everything, for which the tabua (whale’s tooth) is used; as the ‘tabua of war, the ‘tabua of feasts’ and for the ‘tabua for obtaining a girl’s hand in marriage’ etc.
As follows is the interpretation from the iTaukei Land Trust Fund Board on the history of Fiji’s most prized possession.
“An old Fijian tradition is the offering of the first harvest for the year to the chief or to the gods in the bure kalou (God house). It is often done during the time of the new moon as elders linked it to fertility and a good harvest. At one time when it was probably the main staple crop, plantain used to be offered up as i sevu during the new moon.
“Research has found that members of the Naga Clan from the vanua of Nadi were very good with clay and excellent potters. Their most precious tool was an important tool in pottery making they used was called the naga
“When the first Europeans came to Fiji, they brought with them, whales teeth that they would have caught from their journeys. Since its shape and colour was similar to that of the crescent moon and the ‘naga’, it was slowly adopted and used as kamunaga. Its rarity and solid shape were also good qualities but the name tabua was adopted. It was then also used by Europeans for trade with Fijians for the highly valued scented sandalwood.
“European sailors also brought with them elephant and walrus tasks for exchanges with locals. Whale bone was also carved to the shape of tabua and was also used as kamunaga.
“In some areas, seashells like the bulileka (egg cowrie), sauwaqa or cava and bulikula (golden cowrie) are used as kamunaga. They were sun dried to get a golden reddish colour and were considered as valuables then.
“At one time, the red tabua was highly valued in the kingdom of Tonga thus the often floated theory of kamunaga having its originas in Tonga. Yet when we look closer at the connections between vudi (plaintain) and the age old tradition of offering of the first harvest (sevu) during new moon asking the gods for a good year, it can be said that the tradition of kamunaga is indeed Fijian, be it whales tooth, seashells or pottery even.”
? Next week we look at historical
accounts behind the tabua displayed
at the Fiji Museum.
