Tossed about by malevolent waves that seemed to have set its mind at wrecking the ship we were travelling in to Ono-i-Lau set me thinking of the early settlers who travelled in wooden canoes to the island long ago.
With open decks that left its occupants to the mercy of the rain and the heavy swells, it was not a comfortable trip at all.
These people defied the oceans and her unruly ways to reach one of Fiji’s furthest outliers and establish their homes there.
Their ability to have travelled thus far and establish a home that has become the home of their progenies is evidence that they were able seamen who knew their directions using the stars without the use of reliable compasses.
Such knowledge is highlighted by European explorer Captain Bellingshausen who shares in his journal how in an instance he had asked Ono-i-Lau elders on separate occasions to point the direction to their home in the dark of night.
He describes how they all looked up to the stars and gave the estimated positions of their island home.
Unfortunately this knowledge has been lost to the current generation living on the island and also in other parts of Fiji.
There are five villages on Ono-i-Lau and they are Nukuni, Lovoni, Matokana, Doi and Vatoa of which the principal village is Nukuni where the Taukei kei Naduruvesi, Na Tui Ono lives. Lovoni is the home of the sau turaga (king maker) whose traditional title is Mataivugalei – Na Tui Lovoni.
Nukuni and Lovoni form the yavusa (tribe) of Ono Levu while the other three villages have their separate yavusa. Matokana is also referred to as Vuci, Dakunivanua or Korowaiwai as its chief is known as Tui Matokana while Doi under the Tui Doi is respectfully addressed as Lomanikoro.
The chief of Vatoa is Tui Vatoa and his tribe are formally addressed as the Yavusa ko Davetalevu and they are linked closely to the village of Nukuni, especially to the chiefly sub-clan of Nukunicake.
According to oral history passed from their ancestors, there were several waves of immigrations of icabecabe to Ono-i-Lau with the first to arrive being the Yavusa of Matokana under the leadership of Loaloaniceva and Motoniwesi both from the cradle of iTaukei civilisation, Nakaudvadra.
Legend has it that they made their camp in Delailoa and from there they saw six islands thus the name Ono (six) islands.
Loaloaniceva then shifted to Nakorowaiwai when Delailoa became overcrowded, leaving Motoniwesi and his tribe there.
Tongans then landed on Ono and one of them married Loaloaniceva’s daughter called Senimocelolo while the couple and all the other Tongans and Lovoni people then shifted to Yao, making their villages in Nautuutu and Daku.
Another group led by Mainauluvatu and Raisorovi came from Waciwaci and they settled at Dulo, later moving to Yao under the request of Tui Lovoni and they made their village at Ligau.
Other groups landed on Ono and all this while the people paid tribute to Tui Matokana and the Tui Ono.
Under Bakeiburotu’s (also known as Saunikalou or Camalevu) leadership as Tui Matokana, war broke out as those settling in Yao were dissatisfied with the way they were treated by the Matokana people.
The fierce war ended at the last battle in Raranidilio and the Matokana people were routed, displaced and some even escaped to Tonga.
After the war at Raranidilio, the villages of Vuci and Doi were placed under the leadership of Tui Lovoni while authority to be overlord of Ono went to Ligau to Raisorovi and Tubakibau because they rid Ono of Saunikalou who used to cause unrest among the people.
A few people from Naceva were then tasked to be the overseers at Vuci while the Nakaya sub-clan did the same in Doi, These two sub-clans were to be administered
by the two tribes of the Tui Lovoni who would see that the two tribes carried out the wishes of the Tui Ono.
The role of the Tui Lovoni is to install thetribal chiefs except the Tui Vatoa including the overlord of Ono or the Tui Ono, because the land and people belong to the Tui Lovoni while the overlord of the district is the Tui Ono.
The Tui Lovoni invests the authority and manna upon the chiefs of Ono during
their induction but when a chief passes on authority and manna reverts to the Tui Lovoni until a new chief ascends the position and is inducted.
Choosing a Tui Ono is the role of the chiefly tokatoka (sub-clan) ko Nukunicake (Tui Ono’s sub-clan) and the Tokatoka ko Sau (Tui Lovoni’s sub-clan).
The two groups will consider the age and wisdom of an incumbent before installation is conducted.
Meanwhile, the five villages of Ono are located on three small volcanic islands.
Nukuni, Lovoni nd Matokana are located on the main island of Ono Levu while Doi
and Vatoa are located on two separate islands which bear the villages’ names.
Included in the Ono-i-Lau cluster are small atolls, including; Mana, Yanuya, Udui,
Tuvana-i-Colo, Tuvana-i-Ra and a small volcanic island called Davura.
