PEOPLE of the three islands of Waya, Wayasewa and Viwa in the Yasawas and those around Fiji and abroad celebrate Passover on February 17 every year with a church service and a feast.
Although not consisting of the same elements of the Jewish Passover, it carries the same significance; the saving of lives from a kind of threat that claimed more than 45 million people worldwide and more than 9000 in Fiji.
The influenza pandemic, an epidemic that throughout the world from late September 1918 to February 1919 killed more people than the Great War, known today as World War I (WWI) at somewhere between 20 and 50 million people. It has been cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world history.
According to the leading national public health institute of the US, Central Disease Control (CDC), patients with the influenza disease of the epidemic were generally characterised by common complaints associated with the flu. They had body aches, muscle and joint pain, headache, a sore throat and an unproductive cough with occasionally harsh breathing.
After the disease was established, the mucous membranes became reddened with sneezing. In some cases there was a haemorrhage of the mucous membranes of the nose and bloody noses were commonly seen. Vomiting occurred on occasion, and also sometimes diarrhoea but more commonly there was constipation.
The close quarters and massive troop movements of World War I hastened the pandemic and probably both increased transmission and augmented mutation. The war may also have increased the lethality of the virus.
A large factor in the worldwide occurrence of this flu was increased travel. Modern transportation systems made it easier for soldiers, sailors, and civilian travellers to spread the disease.
This pandemic has been described as “the greatest medical holocaust in history” and may have killed more people than the Black Death. It is said this flu killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS has killed in 24 years, more in a year than the Black Death killed in a century.
The disease killed in every corner of the globe. As many as 17 million died in India alone, about 5 per cent of the population. The death toll in India’s British-ruled districts alone was 13.88 million.
There were reports that health-care workers could not tend the sick nor the gravediggers bury the dead because they too were ill. Mass graves were dug by steam shovels and bodies buried without coffins in many places.
Several Pacific Islands were particularly hard-hit. The pandemic reached them from New Zealand, which was slow to implement measures to prevent ships carrying the flu from leaving its ports. From New Zealand, the flu reached Tonga (killing 8 per cent of the population), Nauru (16 per cent) and Fiji (5 per cent, 9000 people)
Worst affected was Western Samoa, a territory then under New Zealand military administration. A crippling 90 per cent of the population was infected; 30 per cent of adult men, 22 per cent of adult women and 10 per cent of children died.
Saved by a miracle!
After attending the Ba Divisional meeting in February 1919, a group of church elders led by resident minister, Samuela Jeke of Wayasewa (Namara) left Nawaka in Nadi as they headed towards Wailoaloa Beach on their way back to Yasawa.
At the time, the Ba Division comprised of the Ba, Vuda, Nadi and Yasawa divisions. It was around three in the morning when they reached Wailoaloa, as they planned to board the boat and await daybreak to travel.
Samuela was wading behind the others when he saw a bright light in the water before him, there was a peculiar writing on the sand. Wailoaloa is known for its muddy water however the writing on the sand was lighted and clear.
The words clearly stated that if Waya is to survive the coming pandemic, its people, had to fast and pray for divine intervention. On arrival, Samuela immediately notified the Buli of Waya and he issued a directive to all people of Waya to fast and pray.
They followed the advice, kneeling in prayer continuously and at most times, prostrate while in prayer. The people of Waya, Waya Sewa and Viwa fasted and prayed for two weeks.
This coincided with a letter received by Tui Waya, Ratu Jone Naivalulevu from his younger brother Ratu Iliesa Naivalulailai who was at the time a student at Davuilevu under Ronald Albert Derrick. Ratu Iliesa informed his elder brother the only way his people could survive was through prayer and fasting.
He personally witnessed the devastating effect of the pandemic when he and few other survivors were digging mass graves for many of their friends at Davuilevu. There were many graves being dug, 15 to 20 people were buried in each grave.
The program of prayer and fasting in Waya was also extended to the island of Viwa, as a student from that island joined Ratu Iliesa in prayer and fasting at Davuilevu when the influenza was at its peak around Suva and Nausori.
After it hit the Central and Eastern divisions, the influenza moved across the Western Division killing thousands.
Witnesses who related the event to their children and grandchildren, described how the measles wreaked havoc in our nation and the familiar solemn sound of the beating lali continuously echoed throughout the land as mass graves were dug in every village. Yet the people of Waya were unharmed, even the ladies who were married in different parts of Fiji remained unscathed.
They vividly recalled how the measles moved through the air like a swarm of locusts or bees with a thunderous buzzing. From afar it sounded like an aeroplane. It went over the land like a dark overcast or massive cloud killing people as it moved along.
Then it turned towards Yasawa.
Standing on a peak, a witness saw a massive dark cloud moving towards Yasawa. The thunderous buzzing sound could be heard as it neared Vomo Island.
As soon as it reached the traditional fishing grounds belonging to Waya, it lifted into the air, sailed over the highest mountain peak of Tunayau, over the other part of the Bligh Waters then dropped lower closer to the waters again towards Naviti, eight villages in Waya, Wayasewa and Viwa were untouched.
I have travelled extensively throughout Fiji in his 10 years as a newspaper reporter and 29 years as a Methodist minister and has seen the 1918-19 epidemic graves in all the hundreds of villages and towns that he had visited. There is no such grave on either Waya, Wayasewa or Viwa.
The people of Waya have since celebrated the Passover wherever they are. People on the island converge at a selected venue each year while those around Fiji and abroad celebrate together or by their own families.
All people who are linked by blood to Waya, Wayasewa or Viwa and live in towns and work in hotels throughout the Western Division celebrate Passover every year with their hosts.
The service includes a retelling of the stories to the children and the younger generation by one of the elders. The message centres on God’s grace and mighty power, that they are a unique people just like that of the Israelites because God Almighty favoured them during those dark days, and to make sure they always remember the significance of the event and to change their lives for the better.
I understand there are accounts of one village on Gau, as well as Kadavu, Savusavu and Fulaga survived the 1918-19 pandemic, but Waya was entirely different because people of eight villages on the islands of Waya, Wayasewa and Viwa and all those who lived outside of Waya during the time of prayer and fasting survived the world pandemic.
That was in itself a miracle, God’s miracle!
The people of Waya on the island and those around Fiji are planning a major event of worship and celebration in 2018 where they will celebrate the 100th year of our Passover.
* Reverend Iliesa Naivalu is an ordianed minister of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma. He is from the village of Yalobi.
