About 500 people gathered at Sawani Village for a solemn ceremony marking the installation of Ratu Tevita Davetanivalu Raicebe as the Vunivalu Tui Vuna.
According to an article published by The Fiji Times on December 6, 1992, the position of Vunivalu Tui Vuna, the traditional head of three villages — Sawani, Navatuvula and Colo-i-Suva, had been vacant for over a year.
Ratu Tevita, 55, the eldest son of the previous Tui Vuna, Ratu Iferemi Camaisala Raicebe, was given his formal blessings from the mataqali Naduruvatu and the yavusa Solia.
The traditional clans had bestowed the title of Tui Vunivalu on him following his father’s death in April that year.
Decked in grass skirts, a group of about 24 men performed the installation ceremony that transferred the approval and blessings of the mataqali Solia to Ratu Tevita.
The men then performed a solemn yaqona ceremony in front of an audience that included the villages from the traditional vanua that Ratu Tevita was head of.
Also present was a group of students from Adi Cakobau School along with other guests.
Ratu Tevita, sitting on the top dais, surrounded by close relatives and decked with flowing masi, then accepted the first bilo (cup) of yaqona as Tui Vuna.
In his inaugural address as Tui Vuna, Ratu Tevita thanked the mataqali Solia for installing him.
“I will never forget this moment and I pledge that I will do my best to serve my people and the vanua,” Ratu Tevita said.
Ratu Tevita’s mother, Ro Maria Mataitini of Rewa was the sister of Vunivalu of Rewa Ro Jone Mataitini. |
