THE late Na Turaga Taukei Naisogolaca, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, remains the living testament of a bond between Rewa and Bau that transcends time and politics.
The enduring kinship between the chiefly households of Rewa and Naisogolaca was celebrated this week as Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa, shared the history of her predecessor and the traits of the Naisogolaca household.
Speaking on the powerful ties binding the two provinces, Ro Teimumu reflected on the life of the late Ratu George Cokanauto Tuisawau, who spent his formative years on the chiefly island of Bau.
“The late Roko Tui Dreketi was born and raised here in Bau,” Ro Teimumu said.
She highlighted that the care and protection offered by the Naisogolaca household during those three decades created a debt of gratitude that Rewa still carries today.
This foundation of hospitality has forged a relationship that remains unbreakable, rooted in decades of love and the traditional upbringing of a paramount chief in the island’s heart.
“It was the best of kinship, love and care that the people of Naisogolaca showed to our late Roko Tui Dreketi, is why we come and we will always come especially for the late Ratu Epeli,”
For the people of Rewa, the journey to Bau was described as more than a visit, it was a homecoming to honour a legacy of shared history and deep respect for the late Ratu Epeli, whose life personified the values of the Naisogolaca household.
