Ratu Tevita Lutunauga Kapaiwai Uluilakeba Mara will become the fourth to be installed Tui Nayau by the kingmakers on Nayau Island on July 8, 2025.
He will succeed his late father Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara whose footprints of servitude to his people, to his country, to his region, and to the world is without compare in Fiji’s history.
The enormity of this legacy and the challenges to shape a brighter future excites the people of Lau, now well poised 24 years into the 21st Century. The occasion will be as momentous as it will be historic.
Ratu Tevita (fondly known to family as Roko Ului) emerges from the warp and woof of his ancestral bearing cognizant of the exigencies of modernity.
The grand installation ceremonies of Lau’s paramount chief will unfold on the islands of Nayau and Lakeba, marking a new era of leadership, unity, and refortified connections.
On July 8, 2025, the people of Nayau will gather for the solemn installation of Ratu Tevita as Tui Nayau.
This deeply significant event ends a 20-year interregnum following the passing of his revered father and predecessor.
The installation of the Tui Nayau on Nayau is a private affair with a smaller circle of paramountcy (Alofi) honouring the rituals of Nayau.
The Turaga Tui Devo, Noa Moce, liuliu ni Bose ni tikina and Bose Vanua Nayau, voiced the island’s anticipation.
“We are honoured to witness the installation of Ratu Tevita as our Tui Nayau. It’s a momentous occasion for us because it revives the legacy of our beloved late chief, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara,” said Mr Moce.
“The ascension of his son, Ratu Tevita, represents not only the continuity of a noble lineage but also the renewal of our hopes and dreams. This is a profound time for our vanua.”
Ratu Jale Uluilakeba of the Vuanirewa clan said Ratu Tevita’s agreement to installations as Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua, and Tui Lau showed his unwavering commitment to their people and traditions.
“This event will unify the Lau Province because the installation highlights our strength as a people,” Ratu Jale said.
