ABOUT 150 years after it was sold during the colonial government, the Mataqali Nailagobokola of the Yavusa Vunivivi in Nausori has witnessed the return of 17.67 hectares of ancestral land.
The freehold land, formerly occupied by the Nausori Golf Course was officially handed back this week.
Speaking after the handover ceremony, Taukei Vunivivi Ratu Jese Balenaivalu said efforts to reclaim the land had spanned generations.
“This request for the land began back when I was in Year 7 when my forefathers started this initiative to get our land back,” he said.
“It was started by Ratu Filimoni Tagicakibau and Tevita Sikicolo are some of the names I can remember.”
He said they were happy to witness the hard work of their forefathers being rewarded as those forefathers had never stopped trying to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.
Ratu Jese said now that the land was freehold, the landowners were discussing keeping the head lease with the mataqali while investors interested in doing business there could obtain sub-leases.
“This land is prohibited to be sold ever again.”
“This means that our land will be within our control and will be going around our yavusa and will be never sold outside.”
He said the initiative would create lasting benefits for the children of the vanua and those who follow.
Minister for Lands Filimoni Vosarogo described the handover as a historic milestone, saying it marked the return of land that the villagers’ forefathers had sacrificed more than 150 years ago for the development of the nation.
