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27-510: The Vuanirewa is the ruling tribe (yavusa) of the Lau Islands , a scattered group of more than a hundred islands (16 inhabited) and reefs along the eastern edge of Fiji . The members of this clan all hail from the village of Tubou on the island of Lakeba and from their original roots in Nayau. The Lakeba faction are the descendants of Kalouyalewa whom now form four noble households that make up

54-481: A son, Tevita Uluilakeba II, who was the father of Kamisese Mara. During the reign of Uluilakeba I of Naivi the son of Niumataiwalu, a power struggle occurred that resulted in the death of Uluilakeba 1 of Naivi by Codro and his followers. Codro , who had Bauan roots and who now lived in Levuka (a village not far from Tubou), continued to torment and subdue the people of Lakeba. Prior to this though, Rasolo of Matailakeba

81-574: A total land area of around 490 square kilometres (190 sq mi). At the most recent census in 2017, it had a population of 9,602, down from 10,683 in 2007 and 14,500 in 1976, making it the third-least populous province. As of 2007, about 57,500 people born in Lau Province lived elsewhere in Fiji. In 2021 Lau Province banned spearfishing at night in order to protect the marine ecosystem and biodiversity. Previously, communities from more than 30% of

108-582: Is one of fourteen provinces of Fiji . Its capital is at Tubou , at the southern end of the island of Lakeba . The province forms part of the country's Eastern Division (which also includes the provinces of Kadavu and Lomaiviti ), and of the Tovata Confederacy , a traditional hierarchy of chiefs from northern and eastern Fiji. Geographically it consists of the Lau Archipelago . The Lau group comprises 57 islands, 19 of which are inhabited, and has

135-509: The 1850s, united them to the Lau Province . The Moala Islands had closer affiliation with Bau Island and Lomaiviti than with Lau, but Ma'afu & Tui Nayau ’s conquest united them with the Lau Islands. They have remained administratively a part of the Lau Province ever since. Since they lie between Melanesian Fiji and Polynesian Tonga , the Lau Islands are a meeting point of

162-529: The Chief of Lakeba. The reply from Nayau was that "Lakeba is full of trickery, if they come they will get killed". So he went himself and asked them to come. "You must come and be our chief because your mother is not from there and I will make you Chief" So his elders came to Lakeba bringing the Tui Nayau title with them. As of today The clan Navutoka also known as Koroicumu, named after Matawalu's gallantry in battle, are

189-551: The Lau Islands) and the founding father of modern Fiji who was Prime Minister for most of the period between 1967 and 1992, and President from 1993 to 2000. Other noted Lauans include Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (1898-1958), who forged embryonic constitutional institutions for Fiji in the years that preceded independence. Other notable Lauans include: 17°50′S 178°40′E  /  17.833°S 178.667°E  / -17.833; 178.667 Lau Province Lau Province

216-602: The Lau Islands. Historically, they comprised three territories: the Northern Lau Islands, the Southern Lau Islands, and the Moala Islands . Around 1855, the renegade Tongan prince Enele Ma'afu with the help of Tui Nayau ’s army, conquered the region and established a unified administration. Tui Nayau then bestowed the title Tui Lau , or King of Lau, to Ma’afu, promulgated a constitution and encouraged

243-641: The Lau Provincial Council. Many Lauans have Tongan ancestors and some Tongans have Lauan ancestors; Tonga's Lands Minister is named after Enele Ma'afu , the Tongan Prince who originally claimed parts of Lau for Tonga. Historically, the Minerva Reefs have been part of the fishing grounds belonging to the people of Ono-i-Lau , an island in the Lau Group. Just off the island of Vanua Balavu at Lomaloma

270-450: The approval of his father Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II (the reigning Tui Nayau during that time), was also installed as Tui Nayau following the death of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II in 1966. The title Tui Lau was left vacant from his uncle, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna , in 1958 as referenced in Mara, The Pacific Way Paper. The Northern Lau Islands, which extended as far south as Tuvuca , were under

297-485: The brother of Uluilakeba 1 of Naivi, was banished to Nayau since Uluilakeba suspected him of having an affair with his wife and during this time Matawalu of Nayavutoka also brother to Uluilakeba 1 of Naivi, was in Bau but resided in Nayau with Rasolo of Matailakeba. So when Lakebans looked for a leader, they looked to Nayau where the two brothers of Uluilakeba 1 of Naivi were still residing with their uncle, Delailoa . Delailoa

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324-497: The centre of the game of Cricket in Fiji. Cricket is the most popular team sport in Lau, unlike the rest of the country where Rugby and Association Football are preferred. The national team is invariably dominated by Lauan players. The Lau Islands' most famous son is the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920-2004), the Tui Lau , Tui Nayau , Sau ni Vanua (hereditary Paramount Chief of

351-530: The elders asked him to be their chief in Lakeba (after defeating Codro), it was then decided by the priest at Nayau that the two brothers should jump off a cliff at Delaiwawa, the highest peak near Narocivo village, and that the one that survived would be installed as Sau kei Lakeba. Rasolo jumped and was cushioned by a Rewa tree (from whence the Vuanirewa name came from) and he then was also installed as Tui Nayau and given

378-465: The establishment of Christian missions. The first missionaries had arrived at Lakeba in 1830, but had been expelled. The Tui Nayau , who had been the nominal overlord of the Lau Islands, became subject to Ma'afu. The Tui Nayau and Tui Lau titles came into personal union in 1969. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara , who had already been bestowed the title of Tui Lau in 1963 by the Vuanirewa Clan on

405-622: The household name Matailakeba. The traditional installation of the title of Tui Nayau is still being performed to this date by the Yavusa Maumi in the village of Narocivo on Nayau island, confirming the origin of the title. Under the subjection and torment of Codro the people of Lakeba continued to live in fear. Codro treated nothing as sacred and claimed anything his eyes would fall upon as his own he would stand and say 'Sikava na waitui' and anyone apposing his claim would be immediately killed and eaten. Tagi valu ko lakeba kina Yavusa Vuanirewa

432-526: The only clan that prepares the Yaqona Vakaturaga for the Tui Nayau.they all went to sleep after that and something amazing happen. Lau Islands Administratively the islands belong to Lau Province . The British explorer James Cook reached Vatoa in 1774. By the time of the discovery of the Ono Group in 1820, the Lau archipelago was the most mapped area of Fiji. Political unity came late to

459-576: The overlordship of Taveuni and paid tribute to the Tui Cakau (Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove ). In 1855, however, Ma'afu & Tui Nayau gained sovereignty over Northern Lau, establishing Lomaloma , on Vanua Balavu , as Ma”afu’s capital . The Southern Lau Islands extended from Ono-i-Lau , in the far south, to as far north as Cicia . They were the traditional chiefdom of the Tui Nayau , but with proper consultation between Ma'afu & Tui Nayau in

486-451: The sea in their canoes and waited there for Matawalu's army to come and get them. As a sealord Codro shouted "Come and get me, I'm in my territory and if you think you're strong enough come and get me". Matawalu's army waited and waited for days, Codro with no food started to eat his own people. So when a particular person knows that his day is coming closer he will jump out and start swimming ashore where Matawalu's army were waiting. Codro

513-449: The square-shaped ends characterizing most houses elsewhere in Fiji, Lauan houses tend to be rounded, following the Tongan practice. In early July 2014, Tonga's Lands Minister, Lord Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi , revealed a proposal for Tonga to give the disputed Minerva Reefs to Fiji in exchange for the Lau Group. At the time that news of the proposal first broke, it had not yet been discussed with

540-741: The title can only be asserted from members of the latter two noble households. The Tui Nayau, or Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, has traditionally come from the noble house of Matailakeba. The most recent holder of this title was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920-2004), who was installed in 1969. He belonged to the Matailakeba household and was a direct descendant of Roko Rasolo. Roko Rasolo's lineage continued through his son, Roko Josateki Malani I of Matailakeba followed by his son Roko Wiliame Vuetasau, whose sons were Roko Josateki Malani II of Matailakeba, Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba I, and Roko Wilisoni Tuiketei. Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba I's son, Alifereti Ulukalala Finau, had

567-427: The tribe. These four noble households are Matailakeba , Vatuwaqa , Koroicumu and Naivi and all claim descent from the first High Chief of the dynasty, Niumataiwalu , a grandson of Kalouyalewa. Naivi is traditionally the eldest of the households; however due to historic power struggles, Naivi and Koroicumu were subdued in battle by the younger households of Vatuwaqa and Matailakeba . Therefore, all claims to

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594-524: The two cultural spheres. Lauan villages remain very traditional, and the islands' inhabitants are renowned for their wood carving and masi paintings. Lakeba especially was a traditional meeting place between Tongans and Fijians. The south-east trade winds allowed sailors to travel from Tonga to Fiji, but much harder to return. The Lau Island culture became more Fijian rather than Polynesian beginning around 500 BC. However, Tongan influence can still be found in names, language, food, and architecture. Unlike

621-424: The water has changed" thinking that it could be raining up in the mountains or people coming back from their farms as they didn't realise that Matawalu and his army had arrived. The very first man to die in this battle was standing behind a banana tree. It is said that when Matawalu swung his 'Wau' (War Club) to kill him it cut through the banana tree and decapitated the guard. The people of Levuka with Codro fled to

648-640: Was eventually killed and some of his remaining people fled to Aiwa, an island close by and later some went on to Oneata. They were later brought back to Lakeba and are now in Levuka. The club which Matawalu used during this battle is still to this day with his descendent's the Tokatoka Navutoka in Lakeba. After the slaying of Codro, Matawalu became the Roko Sau in Lakeba. He sent the Katubalevu clan and Nasaqalau people to go to Nayau and bring his elder brother to be

675-474: Was the Yanuyanu Island Resort, built to encourage tourism in what has been a less accessible area of Fiji, but the small resort failed almost immediately and has been abandoned since the year 2000. An airstrip is located off Malaka village and a port is also located on Vanua Balavu, at Lomaloma . There are guest houses on Vanua Balavu and on Lakeba , the other principal island. The Lau Islands are

702-528: Was the cry of the Lakeban People eventually News of this were heard in Bau where Matawalu was staying (this is where the name Matawalu Tikoibau came from). Matawalu came to Lakeba with his Bauan relatives via Nayau and Nasaqalau. He built up his army from there before moving to Levuka where Codro was residing. They came down following the stream causing the women to say " sa vuvu mai na wai" meaning "the colour of

729-609: Was the remaining son of Qoma (elder brother to Delaivugalei who was Niumataiwalu's father) that survived Niumataiwalu slaying all his brothers and father before he himself was slain in Ono. Niumataiwalu, realizing that there was only one close relative alive, Delailoa (since all his brothers and his father were slain by Qoma's children that Niumataiwalu had exacted revenge for), and prior to his slaying in Ono, called Delailoa and sent him to Nayau to retain his name and their position of Tui Nayau. When Matawalu of Nayavutoka returned to Lakeba after

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