Tui Nayau

Tui Nayau is the title held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji and is synonymous with the title holders over lordship of these islands. When translated Tui Nayau means Lord of Nayau, an island north of Lakeba, the latter accepted by many to be the chiefly island in the Lauan archipelago. Prior to being installed as Tui Nayau, the claimant must first be confirmed upon the decision of the noble households making up the Vuanirewa clan and then installed Roko Sau or High Chief of Lau. Not every Roko Sau has been installed Tui Nayau as several have not held office long enough to be installed to it.

Origins of the Title

Tui Nayau was originally an independent title referring specifically to the high chief and overlord of the island Nayau, then separate from the Lakeba State. Prior to merging with Lakeba under the Vuanirewa dynasty in the mid 1700’s Nayau was previously within the Moala sphere of influence. At the time the Moala Group was also an independent state and not yet subject Lakeba, having greater affiliations with Bau. This would later change in the 19th century, with the conquest of the Moala Group by Ma’afu and its merging with the Lau State, which it still remains with today.

The earliest oral records suggest that the progenitor of the leading family of Nayau stemmed from the Tui Naosara, son of Kubunavanua, celebrated chief and folk hero of Moala. Tui Nasoara is said to have settled on Nayau, claiming it as his own and thus can be assumed to be the first holder of the title, Tui Nayau. He eventually had two sons, Buavaroro and Kalouyalewa, who upon reaching adulthood removed themselves to Lakeba. Buavaroro in time returned to Nayau and succeeded to his father’s title. The younger brother Kalouyalewa, however, remained on Lakeba and married into the island’s principal chiefly families. From one wife, Sivoki, a member of Cekena, the dynasty then holding the title Roko Sau, he had a son Delaivugalei and from his second wife, Tagiamarama, he had another son, Qoma. Each of these sons would eventually play a crucial role in enabling the Vuanirewa dynasty to succeed to the titles Roko Sau and Tui Nayau in time.

Delaivugalei in his adult years sailed from Lakeba, married into the chiefly family in Vuna on Taveuni and returned with his wife, Adi Vulase to settle back in Nayau. Delaivugalei’s lineage and his marriage, as the original settlers on Lakeba came from Vuna was to strengthen their offspring Niumataiwalu’s later claim to Roko Sau and his descendants succession to Tui Nayau.

With the demise of Buavaroro, second Tui Nayau, his son Maseikula succeeded him, which in turn was succeeded to by his son Vukinavanua. It is at this point that history of the Tui Nayau title takes an interesting turn, as the eventual successor to Vukinavanua was Niumatawalu’s son, Rasolo and not his own. According to tradition at this time Niumatawalu had relocated to Lakeba and was recognised as a ranking chief of the Lakeba state. Oral history further records an interesting story where Niumataiwalu sent emissaries to escort his cousin Vukinavanua to Lakeba, indicating the younger branch deferring to the older. Vukinavanua, however is recorded to have felt too old and weak to undertake the venture and instead sent the Katonisau (basket containing the Nayau chiefly regalia) which remained with Niumataiwalu’s branch. This gesture is significant as it suggests a symbolic transference of Vukinavanua’s rights to Niumatawalu’s line.

The Rise of the Vuanirewa Dynasty

The period after the death of Niumataiwalu in Ono-i-Lau can be assumed to have followed with the conquest of Lakeba by the Levuka people from Bau and supplanting the supremacy of the Cekena dynasty in the Lakeba State with a dictatorship under the heavy hand of the Levuka peoples’ leader, Codro. Before this occurred, Niumatawalu’s surviving sons had fled and sought refuge with their relatives on Nayau due to their brothers, Uluilakeba I, jealousy.

It was during this exile on Nayau that Rasolo, Niumataiwalu's son, setting up their family foundations near a Rewa (Cerbera manghas) tree, that the name Na Vuanirewa comes into existence. Meaning the “Fruit of the Rewa” this emblem came to signify the current ruling dynasty of Lau and descendants of Niumatawalu. With the passing of Vukinavanua, an ensuing dispute amongst the Nayau nobles over who should succeed him arose. Here according to oral history, the high priest on the island intervened by taking all claimants to the top towering cliffs called Delaiwawa and indicated that the only one to leap from the cliff and live would be worthy to succeed to the title. It is here that Rasolo enters into legend, as he is the only one who takes up the challenge, leaps and survives; his fall broken by vines and the branches of a tree below. This feat is still commemorated symbolically in the installation ceremony of the Tui Nayau, whereby the ceremony takes place in Maumi, an area of flat ground resting under the Delaiwawa cliffs.

It is from this point forward that the title Tui Nayau becomes synonymous with the Vuanirewa dynasty and Rasolo’s descendants. Installed as Tui Nayau, Rasolo was then approached by the Lakeba people to free them from Codro’s tyrannical rule. It is said Rasolo allowed himself to be approached three times before agreeing to their request. He and his brother Matawalu then lead an army with supporting Lakeba forces which routed and expelled Codro and the Levuka people. With this triumph Rasolo was brought over from Nayau and installed as Roko Sau, in which the whole of Lakeba took part. Oral record shows during the installation he was given dominion over all the lands and people of these lands making up the Lakeba State, he in turn straightaway gave the land back to the people so that they could do what was required for the Sau.

In order to mitigate further attempts of invasion by the Levuka people, he sought reconciliation with them and sent the Tui Tubou to organise their return from Oneata. Land was given to them and Codro’s son, Ramalo, was bestowed with the hereditary title Daulakeba or Chief Navigator to the Sau. This gesture was a sound strategy as it guaranteed peace through the remaining period of his reign. Rasolo upon his death was succeeded by his brother, Matawalu, who is stated to have hated his brother’s wife, Laufitu’s people, the Tongans. He removed himself to Bau for a long period, allowing for his nephew Dranivia, son of Uluilakeba I to seize power. Matawalu upon hearing this returned to Lakeba, reasserted his authority, whilst his nephew fled to Nayau. This point takes a dramatic and dark turn in the history of the Vuanirewa as Malani, Rasolo’s son concerned with the anti-Tongan attitude of his uncle and fear for his mothers people well being, took the opportunity of Dranivia’s expulsion to lead a coup that lead to kin slaying and the death of Matawalu. Matawalu’s death again heralded Dranivia’s return, but his attempt at taking Lakeba was thwarted, with the support of Malani’s Nayau relative Delailoa, on whom he bestowed the name Lagonilakeba in gratitude. These events have meant that from that point forward, the noble households, Naivi (which Dranivia led) and Koroicumu (which Matawalu led) of the Vuanirewa dynasty forfeited their rights and can no longer make assertions to the title, Tui Nayau.

From Malani’s reign, the title Tui Nayau has since rotated between his descendants making up the noble house Matailakeba and the descendants of his younger brother Taliai Tupou, making up the noble household, Vatuwaqa.

uccession Rules

In the olden days it appears the title could be claimed by the person considered the strongest, often leaving the door open to violent usurpation. The rules governing succession to the Tui Nayau title when analysed from a historical perspective can be confusing, however the Vuanirewa unwritten house rules on succession tend to follow the following three principles.

* The general custom of passing from elder to younger brother until that generation is extinct, then taking the next generation in the same order. Note the term brothers take the traditional Fijian connotation, inclusive of extended family members.

* The tendency to alternate between the two noble households, Matailakeba and Vatuwaqa, with the exclusion of Naivi and Koroicumu

* The tendency to recognise superior nobility of the senior branch. A mothers rank facilitates greater recognition of children within the Vuanirewa.

Installation Ceremony

The installation ceremony of the Tui Nayau, takes place in Maumi,on top of the mountain called Delaiwawa on the island of Nayau.This mountain is the highest towering mountain in the whole of Lau.It has great stories that most of the children in the village love listerning to of how the two brothers went up and one of them jumped and survived landing on a vunirewa tree.This is why the chiefly Tuinayau is the Vuanirewa and the elders in Nayau are called the Vunirewa,because they came from one tree or the same family.The ceremony is performed by the Vaka (Master of Ceremonies)and the masi ni vanua of Lau which consists of the leaders from the three villages in the island of Nayau,Narocivo is the chiefly village on the island headed by the village chief Tuinaro and the two leaders from the other village.The Tui Nayau has a special area which is like a bath in the village of Narocivo that has natural white marble like stone that is so beautifull near the water that is a natural pool,and as the present Tuinaro who is Ratu Marika Ginigini who is also one of the elders of the island of Nayau has said, that even in the harshest dry conditions of Nayau,that bath never runs dry,it is always full of water and is where the Tui Nayau bathes in after the installation.This was also where the late Tui Nayau 'Ratu Kamisese Mara's' father was installed as the Tui Nayau during his time.Thus,we can see that this installation is very sacred to all Lauan people.It is blessed by god and chiefs of Nayau who are the only annointed leaders allowed to install the next Tui Nayau will again paticipate in yet another history in the making of installing the next Tui Nayau once again just like it was done decades ago.This is a great ceremony and is very respected as the villages of Nayau follow tradition handed down to them by their four fathers and as the whole of Lau,this ceremony that must and is followed so to keep its tradition and bleesings that follows it celebrating our new appointed leader,the Turaga Na Tui Nayau Sau Ni Vanua O Lau.

Recent History

The most recent Tui Nayau was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who was installed in 1969 and died in 2004. He belonged to the noble household Matailakeba and his son, Ratu Ratu Finau Mara is the current heir to this title. Although there was initial speculation that the title might be taken up by a member of the noble household Vatuwaqa, this has since been refuted with the Vuanirewa elders having confirmed Ratu Finau’s candidacy in 2005. No installation date has been confirmed as of 2007. It should be noted that Ratu Mara was the first Tui Nayau to also hold the title Tui Lau

Tui Nayau Consort

When the Tui Nayau is traditionally installed, his wife or in the past his senior wife was likewise installed with him and bore the title Radini Nayau or Lady of Nayau. The most recent "Radini Nayau" was the Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Lady Lala Mara, wife of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Tui Nayau (Nasoara Dynasty)

The listing below shows the pre-Vuanirewa holders of the title Tui Nayau (1500's to early 1700s).

1. Tui Nasoara

2. Buavaroro

3. Maseikula

4. Vukinavanua

The title merges with the title Roko Sau from Lakeba in the person of Rasolo thereafter

Tui Nayau/Sau Ni Vanua Ko Lau (Vuanirewa Dynasty)

"The table below lists the individuals who have held the title of Roko Sau. If the Roko Sau was subsequently installed as Tui Nayau, his order as holder of that title is indicated in parenthesis in the order column, and the background is highlighted."

References

*The View from Vatuwaqa- "The role of Lakeba's leading lineage in the introduction and establishment of Christianity By A.C Reid"

*The Fruit of the Rewa "By A.C Reid, Journal of Pacific History-Vol 12:1-2 (1977)"

*Lau Islands, Fiji "By A.M Hocart, Published by the Bishop Museum, Hawaii (1929)"

*Southern Lau, Fiji: An Ethnography "By Laura Thompson, Published by the Bishop Museum, Hawaii (1940)"
*Tovata I & II "By AC Reid, Printed in Fiji by Oceania printers Fiji (1990)"

*The Three Legged Stool Selected Writings of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, "Edited by Deryck Scarr, Published by Macmillan Education"

*The Pacific Way A Memoir, "By Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Published by the University of Hawaii Press (1990)"

*Matanitu The Stuggle for Power in Early Fiji, "By David Routledge, Published by University of the South Pacific (1985)"