The original move to Bau
IT is important to trace and understand how Bau was linked to and presided over much of maritime Fiji pre-1850. For this we need to go back to the occupation of Bau.
Oral tradition has it that Kubuna chiefs, notably Ratu Nailatikau, occupied Bau around 1760.
This, however, has been disputed by historians who trace the date further backwards because of shortcomings in the timelines offered by oral history (Sahlins, 1994).
There is also some dispute over whether it was actually Ratu Vuetiverata (the first Roko Tui Bau), who first settled his people in Bau (Sahlins, 2004). The original inhabitants of Bau were the Levuka people.
It is important to note that the rites and ceremonies linked to chieftainship in Fiji at the time were largely seen as imports of Tongan cultural forms (Clunie, 1986).
This is because the move to Bau mirrored Tonga’s first secular king, King Hau’s move to an island in the lagoon off Mua in Tongatapu.
The reason for this move was personal security as a small island can easily be fortified and defended better.
Bauan history has it that the move to Bau was triggered by the assassination of a Roko Tui Bau. Security, thus, was a key concern in the relocation to Bau.
This is enhanced by the fact that the 3 square kilometre island lends itself to the Fijian conventions of fortification called koro wai wai or water fort.
Furthermore, there were at least 26 jetties on the island making it a veritable naval base (Hornell, 1926).
Bau’s links
Hornell (1926) observed that the island was densely packed with houses and temples leaving little room for gardening to feed its 3000 inhabitants. This problem was even more acute given that the 3000 were mainly of chiefly lineage and disinclined to engage in menial work like gardening.
There was some fishing by a clan of kai wai (sea people) while some Bauans produced highly valued bridal skirts as i-yau (exchangeable wealth).
It was these skirts that adorned Bauan brides as they were strategically married off to chiefs/rulers from other chiefdoms. Readers will recall that the women of the Nabaubau were the most sought-after brides at the time (FT 9/08/2025).
Sahlins (2004, p.31) writes that “apart from some local Tongan craftsmen making ivory and pearl-shell valuables … the whole material existence of the island was imported from places near and far, largely through relations of domination”.
Furthermore, “Bau’s maritime power brought it wealth, and wealth in turn sustained its power” (ibid). Bau’s daily sustenance came from kai vale farmers on the mainland. Provisioning arrangements for Bau included islands in the Koro Sea (Lomaiviti, Lau, Moala, Gau, etc.), Macuata and, to a lesser extent, Cakaudrove.
Bau’s links were also held through the Butoni and Levuka people who, it needs to be noted, were the original “owners” of Bau.
They had been banished from Bau and settled in Lau, Cakaudrove, Batiki, Nairai and other places.
Thus, tributes to Bauan power flowed from as far as Macuata in the north, Lau in the east and Moala and Gau to the south.
All the islands in between fell under the sway of Bau and were tithed either systematically or as and when the need arose.
Bau’s links were also strengthened by marriages of their women (Nabaubau) to royalty plus Tanoa’s taking of nine wives from chiefly families. These reciprocal bonds all worked to ensure the preponderance of Bauan influence.
Tui Viti and its yoke
It is these bonds that had begun to weaken by 1858 as Cakobau’s control waned. He no longer had direct control over the beche-de-mer trade as other chiefs began to deal directly with local and foreign buyers just as local whites had begun to do. Cakobau thus, characteristically began to strategise around his waning fortunes.
He began to manoeuvre himself into the pinnacle of recognised power in Fiji.
The title of Tui Viti was already being bandied about in references to him.
White settlers from Australia and NZ had already begun to see him as King by 1868 as they began to buy land in and around Suva on Viti Levu in anticipation of some sort of political stability — be it colonial or under central command from Levuka through Cakobau. It was amid this that disaster struck.
Firstly, Cakobau already carried a debt burden as he was unable to pay for two frigates he had bought for his navy.
Then there were fires in Levuka and Nukulau that razed down white property.
The Americans began claiming compensation for damage both at Levuka and Nukulau where the American Consul, John William’s house had been razed under unclear circumstances.
Williams hated Cakobau and held the Vunivalu personally responsible.
He had earlier called on the “civilised nations” to destroy Cakobau in a Sydney newspaper.
Then the US frigate, USS John Adams, arrived in Fiji and demanded reparations of $44,000 for arson.
They even seized some islands as surety. This was more than just gunboat diplomacy; it was virtually blackmail.
Cakobau knew that he could not deal effectively with the Americans and upon the advice of the first British consul to Fiji, William Thomas Pritchard, he offered to cede Fiji to England on the condition that he should retain the rank and title of Tui Viti and that the British Government should satisfy the American claims in return for 900,000 acres of land.
It was clear that through this arrangement Cakobau expected to not only cement his position at the centre of power in Fiji, but he expected to remove any doubts about his legitimacy within that arrangement.
This was in 1858, but Britain refused as Cakobau controlled less than half the group and apparently had no acceptable contract authority.
It was partly in response to this that Cakobau astutely formed a Confederacy of Fijian Chiefs in 1865. This was meant to prove that he was in charge and had local support.
After that, several unsuccessful attempts were made to establish a government. Then in 1871, a constitutional monarchy was finally established with the help of Australian colonists who were now obviously looking at securing longer term interests here.
It needs to be noted that from 1860 to 1869, the European population had steadily increased in number. Cakobau was installed as King while the real power lay with his white backers.
The 1871 government, based in Levuka, did little except get into further debt and split the country into factions.
By 1872 the debt burden, with unconscionable interest accumulations, became overwhelming and Cakobau offered to cede again to Britain.
One year later, the political situation became intolerable and eventually the chiefs of Fiji had little choice, but to cede Fiji unconditionally to Queen Victoria. The Deed of Cession was signed in 1874 and Sir Arthur Gordon, became the first Governor of Fiji.
We will continue this next week.
DR SUBHASH APPANNA is a senior USP academic who has been writing regularly on issues of historical and national significance. The views expressed here are his alone and not necessarily shared by this newspaper or his employers subhash.appana@usp.ac.fj
