Leone Lutumailagi and his group Caucau ni Waimanu composed a song about Adi Cakobau School in the ‘70s.
Apart from the obvious popularity of the tune among scholars past and present, the song proved to be a hit with students of all-boys schools such as Queen Victoria School, Ratu Kadavulevu School and Marist Brothers High School.
In fact, they liked it so much that it was one of the most requested songs on radio at the time.
Lutumailagi said the song came out at a time when flirtatious words such as uro or urolevu were yet to be coined.
“There was a very pretty girl from Lau who came to ACS in the ‘70s and her name was Fane,” he explained.
“One day she came to the (Sawani) village store and we called out to her ‘barewa’, ‘au la’o’ and ‘aulili’.
“These were the terms of endearment in those days.
“Fane replied in her Lauan dialect, something that sounded like ‘uweee’.
“When Ro Cavanisiga heard Fane’s response, he composed the song Uwe, uwe , uwe, uwe, oqo, au diva lo tu na domomu.
“And it is still a huge hit today.”
Lutumailagi said even Fane, during conversations they had later, didn’t know the song was inspired by her — and directed at her.
He said Caucau ni Waimanu always composed songs that told stories of real events. He said a good example was the two songs composed by Niumaia Rakaleba, a member of the group, when he was on peacekeeping duties in Lebanon.
Rakaleba later gave the songs to Ro Cavanasiga to put it together for them.
“Every song became a hit and they took us all over Fiji.
“We went right up to the interior of Viti Levu as far as Bukuya and Nanoko villages.
“All our expenses were paid by the host party — our transportation, accommodation and meals — everything.
“We were even picked from and dropped back at Sawani Village.
“People wanted to hear and watch us perform live the songs that had made us famous on the radio.”
He said one day, they went to Votua Village in the district of Lekutu in Bua to perform at the opening of their new school.
Lutumailagi said while they were in Votua Village, the vilavilairevo (fire walking) group from Rukua Village, Beqa, was also there for the opening.
“Their group leader told us if he pointed any of us to walk on the stones while they were hot, we would have to do it.
“He also told us not to panic or be double-minded.
“But none of us had the guts to follow through.
“We were very afraid because the stones were white-hot.”
Lutumailagi said the villagers danced throughout the night until the early hours of the morning.
The success of the event prompted Caucau ni Waimanu to travel with the vilavilairevo group to Labasa where they performed to a jam-packed crowd at Subrail Park.
“During our years together, we went to a lot of places that we individually had never been before, like the places I am talking about here.
“One year, we even went to Nasinu Village at Boto ni Toba, in Saqani district, Vanua Levu, and we spent Christmas and New Year there.
“All the villagers surrounding Nasinu came there and they enjoyed that time with us because there were no popular sigidrigi groups in that area at that time.
“It’s a different story today, nearly all the villages in Saqani district are now known around Fiji for their beautiful sigidrigi groups — these include Senibuasala Serenaders, Waikatakata Vure, Delai Navatanawa, Nautusolo group and so many others.”
He said people still spoke about Caucau ni Waimanu across the country because of the kind of music they played and their onstage antics.
Lutumailagi said one day, while they were singing in Nasinu Village, Ro Cavanasiga was strumming the guitar and he told another member of the group to tune a string while they were singing.
“The funny thing was that the one who tuned the string was grog doped and he tuned the wrong string.
“Ro Cavanasiga was so angry that he just lifted the guitar and smacked the guy on his head.”
Lutumailagi said the band had to take an unscheduled break.
He said after a few more taki, when everything cooled down, they began serenading again.
Lutumailagi said apart from their performances and experiences across the country, Caucau ni Waimanu grew as a band of brothers and encouraged each other during some of their most trying times.
