IT was an auspicious day for Fiji’s chief, scholar, soldier and statesman Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna after he tied the knot with Adi Lady Maca Likutabua on the afternoon of Friday, September 3, 1957.
Ratu Sukuna was the speaker of the Legislative Council of Fiji and secretary for Fijian Affairs at the time. The Fiji Times carried out a front page story on the wedding.
It described the wedding “was performed in Fijian with impressive dignity by the Rev S.G.C Cowled — chairman of the Methodist Mission in Fiji and it took place at Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna’s Suva resident, Rairaiwaqa”.
At a reception after the ceremony, the toast of bride and bridegroom was proposed by G.K. Roth, secretary for Fijian Affairs.
“The bride wore a frock of white silk embroidered nylon cut on classical lines. Lady Liku was the daughter of Roko Lenaitasi Gucake, of the tokatoka Vatuwaqa, mataqali Vuanirewa, yavusa Lakeba of Tubou, Lakeba, Lau, and Mereani Naisua, of the Tokatoka Nadakeke, mataqali Vusaradave, yavusa Kubuna of Bau,” described The Fiji Times.
She was born in 1934 and was educated at Annesley Girls’ School and Ballantine Memorial School in Suva.
leaving school, she lived with her parents on Gau, where her father was a Fijian magistrate.
The Fiji Times reported that she was one of the students selected from a group to take a concentrated teacher training course at Lomaloma, conducted by H.F.
Hammond of the Education Department. She was teaching at Ratu Finau Memorial School on the site of the former Lau Provincial School at Lakeba when she married Ratu Sukuna.
Lady Liku’s parents were present at the wedding ceremony.
Other guests included Mr and Mrs Roth, Ratu Sir George Cakobau and Adi Leleya, Mrs S.G. Cowled, Mr Maurice Scott, Mr and Mrs Thomson, Mr and Mrs Leonard Usher, Ratu Tevita Naulivou and Adi Naulivou, Setareki Koto, Ulaiasi Vosabalavu, Isireli Korovulavula, George Mate, Josefa George and Wiliame Tuinaceva. Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna was married twice, first to Adi Maraia Vosawale (1903–1956) in 1928, and later to Maca Likutabua (1934–2000).
Ratu Sukuna was 69 years old when he married Adi Maca who was 21 at the time.
The marriage did not last a year as Ratu Sukuna died at sea en route to England on the ship Arcadia after a short illness.
Lady Liku lived on as a widow and never married again, nor did she have any children.
She died on March 24, 2000.
