The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry and the office of Native Land Commission (NLC) are two different offices governed by separate laws, says the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs administrative assistant Kitione Vesikula.
Mr Vesikula said these entities operated independently despite their interconnected roles in documenting vital iTaukei information.
“Citizens obtain birth certificates from the registry as proof of birth, which is essential for various official purposes throughout their lives,” he said.
Mr Vesikula said the NLC administered the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB), a register that documents ancestral land ownership and lineage among Fiji’s indigenous people.
“The VKB holds significant cultural and legal importance as it records ancestral connections to land, which is integral to iTaukei identity and heritage.”
Mr Vesikula said while a person may possess a birth certificate issued by the registry, this does not automatically confer registration in the VKB.
“Some people think when they register their children under their birth certificate they are automatically registered in the VKB.”
Mr Vesikula said individuals seeking to register their ancestral connections and land rights in the VKB must follow the procedures outlined by the NLC.
He said this involved presenting birth certificate and undergoing verification to establish their rightful place in the VKB, which acts as a custodian of iTaukei heritage and land rights.
