Last year when I was on Koro, Avolosi Tikoimaleya shared an interesting story of how the mace in Parliament, which was thought to be owned by Ratu Seru Cakobau, was originally owned by Rokomoutu.
Rokomoutu had given the war club, known then as the Sigalavalava, to Vueti his grandson, thanking the young chieftain who helped end the war and gave victory to Degei when he waged war against the two brothers — Cirinakaumoli and Nakausabaria.
Rokomoutu was one of the sons of Lutunasoba. His elder sister, Buisavulu, had initially resided in Lovoni after leaving Verata. By the time Buisavulu was in Bureta, she had begat Ratu Vula. However, villagers did not like him, so his mother requested that he go to another island where he would be respected. According to legends, Vula travelled to Moturiki and that is the reason Moturiki and Bureta traditionally address each other as Ratu Vakarua (chief in two places).
It should be known that both Rokomoutu and Buisavulu were the nephew and niece of Degei. When the siblings journeyed to Verata while following the famous ancestral pathway of the Tualeita, Degei remained in Nakauvadra.
According to the legend shared by Avolosi, after a while Degei called for a meeting at Sobasoba in the Nakauvadra range. Vula, who was on Moturiki, was one of those that attended that meeting. It was said when he returned he eloped with Adi Buna Naitokalau, one of the three daughters of Rokomoutu. Between Vula and Adi Buna was born Ratu Vueti.
According to stories, Vueti’s handsomeness and physical stature suited his pleasant characteristics. Everyone adored him but he was not raised by his parents on Moturiki but by his grandfather, Rokomoutu, in Verata.
As earlier mentioned after being instrumental in the victory of the war in Nakauvadra, Vueti who was one of the favoured grandsons was given the Sigalavalava. Vueti then married the princess of Batiki, who at that time was residing at Nakalawaca in Namara, Tailevu. Vueti was to become the first Roko Tui Bau. That same war club, which was given by Rokomoutu to Vula, was taken by Ratu Seru Cakobau when he returned with a great army to avenge his brother’s death and return the chiefly title of the Vunivalu to his father Ratu Tanoa.
As follows is the reason Ratu Vueti was chosen to become the first Roko Tui Bau.
It is the story of how the members of the yavusa Vusaratu now reside in Navukailagi on Gau Island.
According to Lagi Naikava of the Vusaratu clan in Navukailagi, they are descendants of Ratu Vueti. The Vusaratu are the traditional saturaga (steward chief) to the Ratu (chief) of the vanua o Naiviqeleqele in Navukailagi.
On the otherhand in Bau, the Vusaratu includes the Roko Tui Viwa, Roko Tui Kiuva, Tui Nuku and has special relationships with the related titles of Roko Tui Dreketi, Ratu Mai Verata, Roko Tui Namata, Roko Tui Veikau and Tui Vuya.
Now according to Lagi, Ratu Vueti had also participated in the race which was organised by Rokomoutu (known locally as the veitaucici ni turaga). It was the race that was to determine who among his 17 grandsons was going to succeed him as the chief of Verata or Ratu mai Verata. That race was eventually won by Tuivanuakula, the youngest. His elder cousins were jealous, thus fearing for his life Tuivanuakula left Verata. Tuivanuakula was the great, great, great grandfather of Ratu Seru Cakobau.
After that race, Lagi said, Vueti was appointed as steward chief of the Vusaratu much to the dislike of the other young chieftains who participated in the race. He left Verata and resided at Nakalawaca.
By that time Bau was already occupied by the yavusa o Delai and the yavusa o Naulunivuaka. Lagi said an argument developed which resulted in the yavusa o Naulunivuaka leaving the island. Vueti was then called in to reside on Bau and later became the first traditionally installed Roko Tui Bau.
Yavusa Naulunivuaka
Lagi’s story corroborates with the story which was shared by Avolosi of the reason the yavusa of Naulunivuaka had left Bau. Avolosi said the yavusa of Naulunivuaka were not banished but were ask to leave after providing aid to the yavusa of Delai. The yavusa of Delai were traditional fishermen (gonedau) to the vunivalu. The year was 1760 when the yavusa of Delai hid the fish which was meant for Ratu Nailatikau (Vunivalu) in order to feed Asinate Lagi, the daughter of the Tui Kedekede from Lakeba.
Ratu Nailatikau, who was in Kaba, discovered what had been done and declared war on Bau. Fearing for their lives, the Delai people sought the help of priests of Nauluivuaka, this was how they were saved from the wrath of Ratu Nailatikau. After that incident, the people of Naulunivuaka were asked to leave Bau. As Avolosi puts it, they were never banished because if they were, their chief, the Tunidau, would not be traditionally installed on Bau by the vunivalu. The Tunidau, together with his people, now reside in Namacu, Koro.
Division of the Vusaratu and the move to Navukailagi
While more research is needed to confirm this information, there is reason to believe that after the departure of the Tunidau and his people, Ratu Nailatikau called on Ratu Vueti to occupy Bau and be traditionally installed as Roko Tui Bau.
Lagi said Ratu Vueti had occupied the Vatanitawake, which according to Avolosi was initially owned by the yavusa of Naulunivuaka. The Vatanitawake is the traditional mound on the island of Bau.
Lagi added Ratu Vueti had two sons. While he could not remember their names, Lagi said the two princes’ would always prepare Ratu Vueti’s yaqona every afternoon. He added one particular afternoon Ratu Vueti saw the younger son crying.
“Sa qai va qo o Ratu Vueti, ‘Tukana a cava ko tagicaka, qai tukuna o koya gone ko Tuakaqu sa moku ena matasawa oqo’. Qai va qo o Ratu Vueti, ‘Kua ni ko tagi Tukana raica na mata ni siga oqo ena qai nomu ni mataka’ (Ratu Vueti asked his son what was the problem to which the young chief replied that his elder brother was killed by the beach. The Roko Tui Bau then told his son, that the day will come when he will be able to avenge his brother’s death).”
There are many accounts of who was to be the successor of the Roko Tui Bau when Ratu Vueti died. In all accounts, it is said this was one of the causes of the division of the Vusaratu. One such account was following his death, a division arose between Bucaira and Vunibuca over the installation of a successor to Ratu Vueti, eventually a new Roko Tui Bau, Ratu Serumataidrau was installed.
According to Lagi, before his death Ratu Vueti had requested the protection of his household should those who had murdered his eldest son conspire to eliminate his household. Lagi added this caused an air of uncertainty and division, thus led to a division. One group left Bau for Tovulailai in Nairai.
They were in Tovulailai when the message was sent from Navukailagi which was occupied by the yavusa of Nakoro and Nukubolo, of the need for the Vusaratu to be present at the installation of their chief.
Lagi said his ancestor had made the trip to Navukailagi to act as the steward chief (sauturaga) to the Ratu of the vanua of Naiviqeleqele (chief of Navukailagi). That journey from Tovulailai was led by Ratu Watisoni Cabeta. They first resided at Matavulevu then to Nukurea before the permanently residing to where the village.
Original Settlers of Navukailagi
According to Epeli Tokalauvere of the yavusa of Nukubolo, mataqali Savulailai and tokatoka Savulailai, their ancestors had journeyed from the Dama in Bua. Epeli said the reason they left Dama was in search for more land. Vada and Rokotaloko were said to have eloped and brought with them their people before they finally resided at Navukailagi.
He said upon arrival on Gau Island his ancestors first settled at Delaco, the highest mountain on the island. Epeli said they then journeyed down residing in four other places before finally settling in Navukailagi. He said during their journey from Delaco, the people of Nacurukau journeyed with them to Navukailagi while those of the Savulevu household moved to Sawaieke, to where they are today.
“Nodra qase na kai Nukubola oqo e tukuni ni yacana o Tui Delaigau e turaga qaqa daunivalu talega e basobasoga tu na ligana, nona manumanu o koya na Kacau (Our ancestor was a strong and fierce warrior whose name was Tui Delaigau. His pet is the Fiji petrel known locally as kacau and endemic to the island).”
Epeli was a great warlord with supernatural powers who, according to legends, was never defeated. He said Tui Delaigau had the ability to disintegrate his body parts which caused enemies to fear. After the enemies would flee, Tui Delaigau would reassemble his body.
Meanwhile, according to Navukailagi Village elders there once was a traditional dance (meke) of the kacau which used to be performed in the past. Unfortunately that identity is now lost and just a mere memory.
Abuse of relationship and strengthening of ties
Epeli added traditionally they were closely related to the people of Dama in Bua.
He said they were veitauvutaki. He said it was sad, however, that the relationship had been misinterpreted and abused nowadays.
Veitauvutaki means a relationship forged through friendship or they are of the same clan, household or even have the same god.
Epeli said it was sad to see that people had abused this traditional relationship by the use of vulgar language or taking of materialistic things.
Epeli said village elders had agreed from this year to look at strengthening all their ties.
Lagi added one of the weaknesses they found was that most of them knew their identity but not their traditional roles.
He said it was something they were looking at and that was to ensure that everyone knew their traditional roles and responsibilities.
Lagi said his aunt who was born in 1919 once told him that when she was 16 she witnessed the traditional installation of the Ratu.
Adding, in that year the Roko Tui Bau had travelled to Navukailagi to witness and traditionally install the new chief.
Lagi was told that on that occasion the chiefly yaqona of isevusevu was presented twice — one to the Ratu and the other to the Roko Tui Bau.
This traditional ceremony has not been done again. Lagi said last year they installed the Ratu after a very long time but it was without the presence of the Roko Tui Bau because he had passed away in September.
He said they installed their chief because it was part of their way forward initiative. Lagi added they needed a chief, a leader and that is why they went ahead with the installation, but probably in the future they will consider informing the household of the Roko Tui Bau.
Lagi added Navukailagi Village was once one of the most beautiful villages in Gau. Today the village is near empty. As part of their new initiative, they hope to have those in not working but living in all parts of the country to return and utilise the land. In order for their objective to be successful, they will need to fix all loose ends and the first was the installation of their chief.
Their great plan now is to bring back the lost glory and beauty of Navukailagi.
