A LOT has been written about the self-proclaimed Tui Viti Ratu Seru Cakobau. Given the position he was to occupy later in life, it is interesting to know that he should have died an early death — twice.
On the first occassion, had it not for the intervention of a priest, Ratu Seru would have been killed by his own father.
“His mother, Adi Savusavu has been so ill while carrying him that Ratu Tanoa said she should pierce the child because it would cause her death. A priest intervened, saying the child must live, and that he would be a chief who would rule Bau,” Kim Gravelle wrote in his book. (Fiji’s Times pg. 57)
The priest was not mistaken.
On the second occassion he was in his early teens, some wanted him dead but then thought of him as harmless and posed no threat, so he lived.
They were wrong.
On this second occassion, the conspirators did almost everything right except for two. One was agreeing to Ratu Namosimalua not to assassinate Ratu Tanoa on the night it was planned and second was not killing Ratu Seru.
That evening Ratu Namosimalua sent a messenger to Ratu Tanoa he had been marked for death. The following morning, Ratu Tanoa set sail for Koro before he was finally given refuge at Somosomo, Taveuni.
Tubuanakoro, Ratu Seru’s elder brother, was killed after the escape of their father.
Gravelle, in Fiji’s Times wrote: “Tubuanakoro arrived first and was killed. Seru was saved by the Roko Tui Bau who called him as he passed by saying, ‘Seru come here and prepare my yaqona … and kept him in the temple until he was safe’.”
Growing up, Ratu Seru spent time in Rewa with his mother’s elder sister who was the wife of the Roko Tui Dreketi. He also spent a few years on Gau.
His pleasant characteristics and charming personality endeared him to many. Thus he was not seen as a threat but a harmless and polite young boy.
As those who are bitten by a snake are supposed to suck out the venow to live, Ratu Seru who would later be the poison for many rebel chiefs, because he was thought harmless, was allowed to grow and prosper.
Again there needs to be an emphasis, that there are many accounts and many interpretations. What follows is a collection of a few researched articles.
As intriguing as it may seem, here are the reasons that may have led to the conspiracy to kill the Vunivalu, Ratu Tanoa Visawaqa.
Basil Thomson in his book “The Fijians A Study of the Decay of Custom” Ratu Banuve who succeeded Ratu Nailatikau ruled for 30 years as vunivalu from 1770.
“During his reign fishermen of Lasakau from the island of Mbenka (Beqa), and of Soso, from the island of Kandavu (Kadavu), were employed in reclaiming more land from the sea, and were allowed to settle on the island.” He wrote those of Lasakau were the core of the new Bauan navy.
Ronald Albert Derrick in his book “A History of Fiji” wrote Ratu Tanoa was installed as vunivalu following the death of his elder brother Ratu Naulivou Ramatenikutu. Ratu Naulivou was involved in a power struggle against the Turaga na Rasau and the Roko Tui Bau Ratu Rawailui, which led to his death.
While avenging his brother’s death, Ratu Tanoa killed Ratu Raiwalui in a battle near Mago Island, close to Vanuabalavu in Lau.
In 2005, Mago was reported to have been bought by Hollywood actor Mel Gibson for $15 million.
It was after the death of Ratu Raiwalui, which according to Derrick Scarr in his book “The Majesty of Colour: A Life of Sir John Bates Thurston” that Ratu Tanoa succeeded in his quest to have the vunivalu become the supreme or high chief of the kingdom of Bau.
The Yavusa Vusaratu which is made up of people who pay allegiance to the Roko Tui Namata, Roko Tui Viwa, Roko Tui Bau and others saw this as a threat and plotted against him.
“He had too many wives of high rank and too much wealth and property to avoid causing jealousy. The tribute he demanded from Bau and neighbouring dominions were tyrannical,” Gravelle wrote.
Scarr wrote: “Ratu Tanoa was forced into exile, firstly on Koro Island and then in Somosomo on Taveuni, where he remained until Ratu Seru led a coup in 1837, reinstalling his father as vunivalu until his death in 1852, whereupon Cakobau inherited the title.”
Those who had planned the coup-d’état included Ratu Navuaka, Ratu Caucau and Ratu Mara while Ratu Namosimalua, who was tasked with the hit, betrayed the trust of his co-conspirators informing Ratu Tanoa of the plan.
When Ratu Tanoa escaped, Ratu Namosimalua played along and called on the Bauan army to extradite the vunivalu.
According to Gravelle two large traditional canoes (drua), Roroi and Lemeki, were made ready to set sail for Cakaudrove. However, when they arrived at Somosomo, the chiefs refused to deliver Ratu Tanoa to the Bauans.
Scholar and retired teacher Alipate Tuidraki wrote the Komai Nabaubau of the Roko Tui Bau household, approached Ratu Yavala (Tui Cakau) to surrender Ratu Tanoa but was not accepted. As a result Komai Nabaubau together with the Bauan army retreated and according to Mr Tuidraki installed Ratu Ramudra as vunivalu.
According to internet research Ratu Ramudra is the half-brother of Ratu Tanoa. Ratu Ramudra’s mother is Adi Miriama Dabuli while Roko Lewasaki is the mother of Ratu Tanoa.
However according to Gravelle, Ratu Navuaka Komainaqaranikula, the Tui Veikoso, was the brother of Ratu Tanoa and was “invested Vunivalu, a puppet figure for the other chiefs.”
That was in 1832 and Ratu Cakobau was a mere 12-year-old.
While in Somosomo, the chiefs of Bau began the redistribution of Ratu Tanoa’s wives and properties. There is another account that six of his nine wives were strangled in 1852 for reasons not known.
In the following years Gravelle wrote Ratu Seru was secretly “buying allegiance from neighbouring states with gifts and promises”.
Avolosi Tikoimaleya, the traditional adviser (masau) of the Turaga na Tunidau of the Yavusa Naulunivuaka said the traditional gifts, which mainly were whales tooth (tabua), were being provided by his step-mother Adi Litia Vereivalu.
“Adi Vereivalu hesitated in helping him, telling him that she had already lost her son Tubuanakoro and her husband and she could not risk losing Ratu Seru. But the young Ratu Seru told his stepmother he was going to avenge his brother’s death and was going to return the vunivalu title to his father,” said Mr Tikoimaleya, in an interview last year at Namacu Village, Koro.
“Once, he was nearly caught. The Bauan chiefs heard that Seru had given a tabua to Tudrau, the chief of Dravo, and they demanded a reason. Tudrau covered well, saying they were foolish to think there was a plot and that he had simply begged the whale’s tooth from the boy,” Gravelle wrote.
“Ratu Seru earned himself a few names, one was cikinovu (centipede), meaning just like the centipede crawling about with indifference until it is sure of its prey, and then bites severely.”
After spending three years at Somosomo, Ratu Tanoa because of his maternal links, moved to Rewa where he was sure to be protected, and as Gavelle added “during his journey he was guarded by a fleet of canoes from Cakaudrove and by Lakeba’s Tongan chiefs Tubou and Lajiki whom he had formed a strong alliance with”.
In addition, Ratu Seru began providing food and made promises to Lasakau warriors to prepare to wage war against the Bauan rebels. The Lasakau warriors were great sea warriors whose chief was the late Ratu Loaloadravu Tubuanakoro, (Ratu Seru’s slain brother)
Five years after careful planning and preparation, Ratu Seru, then 17, saw the time was ripe to wage war.
According to Gravelle on one August evening in 1837, the Lasakau warriors erected a war fence between their village and the rest of the island.
“As dawn broke, a deadly barrage of musket, balls, spears and flaming arrows was unleashed. Bau began to burn. As the Bauans fled their burning town and started swimming to the mainland, the Lasakau people began to launch their canoes to kill them at sea, Ratu Seru prevented it saying “sa ca ko Bau (Bau is bad, it has been destroyed) — thus the origins of his name Cakobau (destroyer of Bau),” Gravelle wrote.
The young chief had regained Bau, with the rebel chiefs now scattered and hiding. Soon after, the teenage chief travelled to Somosomo to report that Bau had been conquered.
“The Cakaudrove people, in a fleet of 50 canoes, followed him back to the island to make a feast which would herald the triumphant return of Ratu Tanoa from Rewa.”
Mr Tuidraki said one of the rebellious chiefs, Ratu Mara, had sort refuge in Namata. Ratu Cakobau through the assistance of the Verata army to capture Ratu Mara but was unsuccessful. It was not until when Ratu Cakobau gained the support and belief of the Roko Tui Namata that an assassination was agreed to.
Mr Tuidraki stated that Naborisi of Soso killed Ratu Mara and as a result all the rebel chiefs asked for peace and forgiveness from Ratu Tanoa.
A month after settling in Bau, Gravelle wrote, Ratu Tanoa called for a meeting which was attended by Ratu Navuaka, the Roko Tui Dreketi the Roko Tui Veikau and Roko Tui Viwa (Ratu Namosimalua).
According to Gravelle, Methodist missionary Reverend William Cross described the events that followed.
The Roko Tui Bau, Ratu Ravulo, presented three whales’ tooth as a peace offering, the Roko Tui Dreketi presented 39 canoes, while his brother Ratu Navuaka uttered the words: “Your enemies brought your title to me, but I did not seek it, nor did I take any part against you, be gracious and let me live.
“If Bau be at peace, we shall be at peace, and all will be well, if Bau be at war, we shall be at war and all will be ill.”
According to Gravelle in Cross’ account, Ratu Tanoa accepted their apology saying the enemies had been punished (referring to Ratu Mara).
It was reported that during the occasion, Ratu Namosimalua crept silently away without anyone noticing.
After accepting their apology, Gravelle wrote Ratu Tanoa then asked the chiefs who had instigated the plot but no one answered.
The following day, Ratu Namosimalua who had been summoned, made no effort to hide his guilt and agreed he had agreed to kil the vunivalu for six whales tooth and a woman
“According to Reverend Cross, Ratu Tanoa said: “That is good, I like you for speaking the truth. You will live.
“The chiefs of Bau were amazed, but only Ratu Tanoa and Ratu Namosimalua knew the real reason — that the vunivalu had survived because of Ratu Namosimalua’s warning at Nairai.”
Ratu Tanoa was reinstated as the Vunivalu of Bau and his son Ratu Cakobau was sure to be his successor.
“Another rebel leader captured alive, is recorded as having been taken into the presence of young Ratu Seru, who commanded his guards to cut out the tongue of the offender, which he devoured raw, talking and joking at the same time with the mutilated chief, who begged in vain for a speedy death,” Gravelle wrote.
Methodist minister Reverend David Cargill in his memoir wrote: “His son Seru is not by any means prepossessing in his appearance and manners. He will probably be his father’s successor in the government of Bau.”
