We were visiting villages on the island of Koro, collecting stories on how they are living eight months after severe tropical cyclone Winston devastated the island.
Koro the seventh largest island in Fiji, has 14 villages.
On the first day of our assignment we went to the other side of the island facing Vanua Levu and Taveuni, visiting Nabuna, Tavua, Navaga and Kade villages.
On the second day of our trip we visited villages that are part of the district of Mudu – Nakodu, Sinuvaca, Tuatua and Namacu.
It was a fine Wednesday and Namacu Village was to be our final stop before we rounded up our work and headed back to Nasau Village.
Namacu is relatively a big village. Before Winston, it was home to more than 300 people, now only a little over 100 people remain. Part of the village is still littered with corrugated roofing iron, and concrete blocks from damaged houses.
The remains lie idle in an almost deserted village, telling the story of destruction by Winston.
On one side of the village, a few of the men were having a good laugh while helping rebuild a home.
Then something caught my attention. Among the ruins, a memorial stone stood tall, unscathed by the strong winds and storm surges that had destroyed the village.
I was then told that the memorial stone signified the arrival of Christianity in the village in 1860.
I was intrigued to get the story, and after presenting my isevusevu to the turaga na Tunidau, I was told to go and speak to Avolosi Tikoimaleya.
Mr Tikoimaleya is the matasau — the chief’s adviser. His name is synonymous in the island of Koro because of his gift of storytelling. He is also the priest of the yavusa o Naulunivuaka.
He asked me whether I wanted to hear the story of the arrival of Christianity, or would we go back to how their ancestors journeyed from Bau before settling on Koro. I knew straight away I had hit a rich vein of gold.
Mr Tikoimaleya becomes only the fourth person I have met who can relate or give an account of every detail, just as if you were reading a book.
The people of Namacu make up the yavusa o Naulunivuaka whose chief is the turaga na Tunidau. Originally they are from Bau.
According to Mr Tikoimaleya, before they arrived on Koro they were one of the first settlers of the island of Bau. When yavusa of Naulunivuaka journeyed from Nakauvadra and arrived on the island, Korolevu (Bau) was already occupied by the two yavusa; Gonedau ni Qoli (fishermen) and the Gonedau ni Soko (sailors), they were known as the people of Delai or Delaikorolevu.
They, according to Mr Tikoimaleya, were known to have first set foot on the island.
In 1760, Ratu Nailatikau I was Roko Tui Bau and settled at Kubuna, Tailevu. On one occasion he asked for some fish, and the people of Delai, because it was their traditional duty, prepared to go out to sea.
When they reached the reef, a beautiful young woman was seated there by the name of Asinate Lagi, she was the daughter of the Tui Kedekede from Lakeba.
After a big catch, the fishermen returned to the village and decided to look after and keep the young princess and in addition not to give the fish to the Roko Tui Bau.
A woman was then sent to the mainland for pots, she took a small piece of fish for her grandchild.
According to Mr Tikoimaleya, when Ratu Nailatikau saw the child eating fish he enquired where was the fish from, to which the woman responded it was caught by men of Delai.
“Sa vaka e waqa mai na buka na matai Roko Tui Bau, lai tukuna vei iratou na nomudou me ratou na vagalala mai na yanuyanu, me ratou lako ena dua na yanuyanu au sega ni kilai kina.
“Qo na cudruvi qo, yaco vei ratou na kai Delai e Korolevu. Ni lako mai na marama qo mai tai, sa vakarau na waqa ni valu mai tai me sa na kabati na yanuyanu. Sa ratou tiko leqaleqa na kai Delai ratou sa qai siro mai vei Tunidau ka ratou tawani na loma ni koro o Bau, kena yavu toka oya o Naulunivuaka, keimami na kai Butoni.
“(In his anger, the Roko Tui Bau’s face seemed as if it was on fire and he told the woman, ‘go and tell your men to vacate the island and go to a place where my name is not known’. By the time she reached Delai, Ratu Nailatikau had already prepared his war canoes to wage war on the island. Fearing their lives the people of Delai then approached the Tunidau)
He said the Tunidau then advised the Delai people not to worry, he told his priest who then went up to the burekalou (temple) to seek guidance and protection from their god. He said according to stories passed down by their ancestors, on that day, their god Komaiqaraqara appeared in person.
Just as the people of Delai were about to leave, the Tunidau took a rock known as the Vatu ni Loka and threw it in between Bau and the coast of mainland Tailevu.
“Sa qai cabeta kina na loka kei na cagi na wasawasa kedrau tadrua o Bau kei Tailevu. Sasaga mai na waqa ni valu nei Roko Tui Bau, e tukuni na kena itukutuku ni tatasokisoki ga na waqa lelevu qo, ka ra taqa e veidogo. Sega saraga ni takoso rawa.
“(There were strong winds and huge waves and according to stories shared that every time the war canoes tried to cross over they were shredded and thrown back to the mangroves, not one canoe managed to reach the island.)
He said the people of Delai then took Asinate Lagi with her and returned her to Levuka in Lakeba.
He added that soon after they all left the island and took with them the Vatu ni Loka.
When they reached Wakaya, a strong wind separated the group. That place is now called Naveiluvatu.
During this separation some managed to then settle on Cicia, another group at Gau, some on Matuku and Koro.
The Vatu ni Loka is now on the shores of Koro. It is said that whenever somebody tries to spill the water that is collected in the bowl like rock, heavy rain and strong winds will be experienced on the island.
Mr Tikoimaleya then said rumours that they were banished from Bau because they had assisted in the escape of the people of Delai were all false.
“Tukuni na kena itukutuku ni ra a vakasavi na kai Naulunivuaka, dua na turaga o Waterhouse sa qai va qo na nona rai.
“E rawa vakacava me dua e vatalai tani mai ena yanuyanu oqo, ia qai mai buli tikoga eke na nona turaga. Na neitou turaga koya ni buli e lai buli tale e Bau. Na gauna e vagunuvi kina o Tunidau, e veivagunuvi na Vunvalu e caka mai Bau.
“Ya na ivakadinadina ni keimami a sega ni vakatalai mai. O ira na neimami qase e ra tamata qaqa. E tuberi na kamunaga vei ira na neimami qase mera vagalala mai yanuyanu, keimami sega ni vagalalataki.
“(One of the early writers, Waterhouse once wrote, how is it possible if someone is chased away from this island, yet his chief will always be traditionally installed on Bau. That is evidence enough that we were never banished, a tabua was presented to ask that we leave the island.
“When the Tunidau is traditionally installed, he is installed in Bau by the Vunivalu clan.)
* Next week we look into the traditional installation of the Tunidau.
