Villagers of Nasaqalau, Lakeba in the Lau Province performed the traditional ceremony of cara sala in Soa Village, Nakorotubu in Ra last Friday.
The cara sala or clearing the way or road is a traditional ceremony in the iTaukei culture to renew and strengthen ties between two families.
Turaga Na Vunivalu Ratu Jo Nacola said the relationship between the two villages dated back to the 1850s before Fiji was ceded to Great Britain.
He said it was an emotional occasion to finally reunite with the descendants of a woman from Nasaqalau Village who was married to the chiefly family in Soa.
He said their relationship began way back during the reigns of Ratu Seru Cakobau who sought the help from Soa Village to protect his daughter who was married to Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba in Lakeba during a time when Ma’afu and his army from Tonga were in the Lau Group.
Tui Nasaqalau Ratu Tomasi Tikomaimaleya said tracing their roots back to Soa Village was a plan they had been discussing for many years.
“We were overwhelmed with emotion by the way we were welcomed into the village,” he said.
“Today (Friday) was simply the reunion of a family.”
