WHAT do you say about a man who started to develop a liking for iTaukei songs in his early school days, developed from there to form and compose more than five iTaukei vocal groups including the famous Voqa Ni Delai Dokidoki; win so many musical awards culminating in receiving the Medal of Honour of Fiji award in 2017.
An achiever?
That’s well-known composer and singer Etonia Lote Sr for you. He is a soft-spoken and humble person.
Lote, as he is commonly called by close friends, said, “I’m always of the belief that it’s the people who will tell your story and about the things you’ve achieved in life.
“It’s not for you to brag about yourself, that’s why I just work quietly on my music,” he said.
When asked what made him love iTaukei songs so much, his reply was “Gucake’s Luvequ Litia, which is an inspiration.
“I was at Queen Victoria School (QVS) from 1969 to 1972 and there was an iTaukei song sung by the legendary voice, Timoci Gucake, known as Luvequ Litia,” he said.
“It was a hit song Fiji wide at that time and this was the song that inspired me in those early years. I started to take interest in listening to iTaukei songs and from then on my interest in music started to develop.”
Lote said most students at QVS fondly remembered him singing the song Luvequ Litia every time he was in the bathroom and now most old boys say, “No wonder you’ve achieved so much in musical compositions because you were always singing in school.
“Another inspiration for me in my musical journey was listening to the famous Caucau ni Waimanu group under the leadership of composer/singer Ro Cava Raicebe, in particular their recording of the famous Koula Vei Au.
Early years
“In my first posting as a teacher to Koro Island in Lomaiviti in 1975, I joined the famous Voqa Kei Nasau group as a junior singer. I was the number four singer then. I started following the group around on their concerts during the school holidays singing for the group whenever given the chance,” Lote said.
“And then in 1975 I founded and composed songs for a new group called the Kabu ni Delai Kade. This group went on to become very famous under the leadership of composer/singer Semi Keli of Nadivakarua, Kubulau, Bua then residing at Kade Village in Koro.”
He said in 1976 he attended a one-year course at the Nasinu Teachers College and under the leadership of famous Fijian composer Eremasi Tamanisau Sr, they formed a group called NTC 76 Group and did a recording known by that name.
“The group, which was made up of iTaukei trainee teachers, used to undertake concerts and sing at functions around Suva at that time.”
Lote said on his re-posting to Koro in 1980, he founded a group called Sinukakala Kei Nadakeke in Sinuvaca Village, which he told to the village elders would bring the youths back to church and away from drinking alcohol.
After his stint at Sinuvaca Village, he was posted to Nasau Fijian School and his uncle, whose son was mostly away on singing and grog-swiping sprees across the village, asked him to form a group to pull back his son from these practices.
“This led to the formation of the first Voqa Ni Delai Dokidoki group and my cousin Kitione Vunisasari sang with me in that group.”
First recognition
And in 1981 and 1982 came the first breakthrough in his musical career when he was awarded the Best Performer and the Best Composer awards respectively for his famous song Kecisemani.
The awards were presented by the then Fiji Composers and Performers Association in their first Vakalutu I Voce Awards Night and the song was sung by the group he had founded in 1981, the first Voqa Ni Delai Dokidoki group.
“There were only two awards then, Best Composer and Best Performer.
“I was so elated at receiving the award in 1981 and 1982 as this was the first time my musical works had been recognised,” he said.
Lote said on the recommendation of the then senior education officer eastern Suliasi Cavu he took up a teaching post at Wakaya Island where he founded the Dromu Ni Siga Kei Wakaya group.
In 1990 the group recorded one of the first local CD albums in Fiji called Sunset at Wakaya.
After Wakaya he was posted to Suva’s Dudley Intermediate School after buying a property at Davuilevu Housing.
Taking the nation by storm
“I gradually began to direct my musical talents towards members of my family,” he said.
“We had a plantation and when I used to take my boys to the farm we used to take our guitars and during breaks in the farm work I used to teach them songs. They already knew how to play the guitar so this routine went on for some time.”
“This was how my sons got more involved in music and this was what prompted me to revive the Voqa Ni Delai Dokidoki group but with my sons as singers.”
Lote said his sons who were members of the group included Temo Soko Lote, his namesake Etonia Lote Jr and the youngest Vilimone Lote.
The group’s recording took the nation by storm from 2001 with their volumes 1, 2 and 3 CD.
They became so popular that nightclubs, concert halls and grounds were packed when they performed.
And everywhere music was played, whether on TV, radio stations, taxis and buses across the country, one could hear the group on air and they are still popular today.
“One of my compositions which became a hit song from 2001 onwards recorded in Vol 1 of the group’s album was Au Biuti Viti and I was eventually recognised for this work when the now FPRA revived its awards the FPRA Music Awards in 2014 when I received the Most Outstanding Song award,” said Lote.
For some years the annual music awards was not held and what prompted FPRA was when recording company Procera Music held their own music awards in 2010.
Challenging times
“One of the challenging times I went through in my musical career was in 2001 and 2002,” said Lote.
“While South Pacific Recordings had recorded their highest sales on our albums in 2001, in 2002 audio CD piracy was becoming more prominent and this badly affected our sales but most of all, my morale as a composer.
“I believe this came about because at this time more computers were being used in offices and most illegal downloading of music occurred in the offices. In 2002 the sales of our albums was badly affected by piracy and this was an issue which affected me greatly.”
He said he formed two other groups in 2002 and 2003 — the Senileba Ni Delai Dokidoki and the Vodre Drokadroka Ni Delai Dokidoki with his sons and other family members.
“I bought two musical sets worth $37,000 each for each group. These two groups then were in strong and healthy competition with each other business-wise and we normally just meet after the shows each night to sort of de-brief. But we greatly support each other as a family.
“I knew age was catching up with me and I won’t be able to keep up with the Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday gigs for the two groups much longer.
“I was also affected morally by the increase in piracy and in one particular incident where the group members almost ended up breaking open a shop in Lautoka which sold a pirated version of one of our albums which we had just launched in Suva the day before.”
Time to retire
“I then called all my sons and both group members together at home in 2008 and told them from now on that whoever wants to form his own group please do so, he who wants to find employment go and work.
“I’ve decided that both groups are going to be retired today and disbanded while we’re still on top.
“A lot of friends up to now still ask me why have you retired when you are still on top. I replied that’s it, we’re on top and it’s a good time to retire. Now my sons are all composers and are members of FPRA and I still help them with the melody and tunes and the verses.
New author urges aspiring composers
After retiring from active music he started writing school textbooks, six of which are used by the Ministry of Education today.
He has advised aspiring musical composers and songwriters to come in and join FPRA and be recognised.
