The foundations of formal education in rural Fiji are deeply intertwined with faith, a legacy spearheaded by the various religious bodies that understood a simple truth, that in order to nourish the soul, one must first enlighten the mind.
This week, Discovering Fiji journeys to the tikina makawa (old district) of Bureiwai in Ra, to uncover the origins of a pioneering institution, the Bureiwai District School, and the rich, sacred history behind its original name, Gonesau.
The school, now standing proudly in the shadow of the sacred Mount Tova, began its life under the stewardship of the Methodist Church.
To delve into its past, we spoke with Meli Rareba, the Tuirara Levu (chief steward) of the Methodist circuit of the vanua o Bureiwai and a former manager of the school itself.
“Formal education was introduced in Bureiwai and the whole of Nakorotubu by the Methodist Church,” Mr Rareba said.
He explained that church stewards, missionaries, and ministers often served as the first educators.
The school’s first foundations were laid here at Matainananu Village, at a site called Matakuka, where the remnants can still be seen today beside the minister’s residence.
“It started off with just three teachers serving the entire school up to class six,” Mr Rareba recalled.
“It would be impossible now, but that occurred in those days.”
As the school’s reputation grew, so did its reach.
Known then as Gonesau District School, it became a hub for children along the vibrant Bureiwai and wider Nakorotubu coastline.
In an era of strong kinship ties, children from villages like Nayavutoka, Naocobau, and Nabukadra would live with relatives in Matainananu while attending school at Gonesau District School.
“The links of kinship between us and those from the other villages have weakened today,” Mr Rareba said.
“But in those days, the elders were well aware of the family links and blood ties that connected us all.”
The school’s significance is physically embodied in a massive hall built by old scholars.
“From the size of it,” Mr Rareba explained, “it’s clear that most if not all of the children along this coastline came through the doors of this school.”
Its reach extended even to children from far-flung villages like Silana and Nataleira which are part of Tailevu now.
With progress and development, new schools emerged in the district like Nakorotubu District School and later Navunisea District School in Silana was established.
It was then that Gonesau District School was renamed to its current title, Bureiwai District School.
Sacred name
But the name Gonesau was never just a label, it was a living tribute.
It refers to the paramount chief of Nakorotubu, The Gone Turaga Na Gonesau.
“By initially naming the school after the chiefly title,” Mr Rareba elaborated, “I guess it was in a way the elders paying homage and tribute to the vanua through the paramount chief.”
The connection was also deeply personal.
The late Ratu Meli Salabogi, the Gone Turaga Na Gonesau, was a vasu to Matainananu, meaning he had maternal links to the village.
His mother, Adi Litia, was a ‘kai Bure’ from this very village.
“So basically it was a form of veivakamenemenei (paying homage) towards the great chief,” Mr Rareba said.
This led to a fascinating insight into iTaukei society, where names are not given lightly.
Ratu Meli had a son named Ratu Mara Kapaiwai, names identical to those of the late Tui Nayau, Ratu Sir Kamisese.
“For an iTaukei, the names given to you is like a beacon,” Mr Rareba explained, echoing his father’s advice.’Kakua ni vakatoka yaca vakalialia’ (don’t give names anyhow).
“It signals who you are, where you are from, your clan, your tribe, and your totems.”
While the precise journey of a name from Ra to the Lauan chiefly household is a story for another day, it eloquently illustrates the deep and enduring connections between chiefly families across Fiji.
The story of Gonesau District School is therefore more than a history of education, it is a lesson about identity, honouring the past to build the future.
Bureiwai District School during their afternoon sports class. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
Tuirara Levu, Meli Rareba, a former manager of Bureiwai District School.
Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
Students and teachers of Bureiwai District School. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI
The beautiful Bureiwai coast, normally referred to also as ‘Nakorotubu i Wai’. Picture: ALIFERETI SAKIASI