Kubuna is one of the three ''confederacies'' that make up Fiji's

House of Chiefs A House of Chiefs (or ''House of Traditional Leaders'') is a post-colonial assembly, either legislative or advisory, that is recognised by either a national or regional government as consisting of and providing a collective, public voice for an et ...

, to which all of Fiji's chiefs belong.

Details of Kubuna

It consists of the provinces of Tailevu,

Naitasiri :see also Naitasiri District Naitasiri is one of the 14 provinces of Fiji and one of eight located on Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. Geography and infrastructure Naitasiri covers an area of , and occupies the area mostly to the north of Suva, ...

, Lomaiviti, Ra and parts of the western province of Ba. Most of Kubuna is located in the northern part of Fiji's Central Division. The capital of the confederacy is the chiefly island of Bau in Tailevu. While Kubuna is foremost the ''i-cavuti'' of Bau, the name is also shared by certain provinces or ''vanua'' that were her allies or influenced by her in the past, which are now part of the confederacy.

Paramount Titles of Kubuna

The Paramount Chief of Kubuna, who is generally considered to be the highest-ranked chief in Fiji, is the 'Turaga Bale Na Tui Kaba',

Vunivalu of Bau Turaga na Vunivalu na Tui Kaba is the Paramount Chief of the Kubuna Confederacy, loosely translated the title means ''Warlord of Bau'' or Root of War. The succession to the title does not follow primogeniture, but the candidate must be a high- ...

. A position that has been vacant since the death of ''Ratu Sir'' George Cakobau, a former

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...

, in 1989. Succession is not necessarily from father to son, although there is a hereditary element. Currently, there are three eligible contenders, namely Ratu George Cakobau, Jr., his brother Ratu Epenisa Cakobau and their cousin Ratu George Kadavulevu Naulivou. It is thought that clan politics is part of the reason why none of these candidates has, of yet, been installed. It is said that the nomination of Ratu George Kadavulevu Naulivou has been disqualified based on the basis that his father was born out of wedlock. Also listed as a possible candidate is Fiji's former

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau; however he too is considered by some to be disqualified as he is only connected through maternal links being a descendant of Ratu Edward Tuivanuavou Tugi Cakobau, a product of an extra-marital liaison by Cakobau's granddaughter Adi Litia Cakobau with (the then married) King George Tupou II of Tonga. Another high chief from Kubuna is the

Roko Tui Bau In Fiji, Turaga na Roko Tui Bau is a vassal chief of the Vunivalu of Bau (the chief of the post- Cakobau enclaves of the Kubuna confederacy). From his seat at the residence of Naicobocobo, the Roko Tui Bau rules the Vusaratu chiefs (including t ...

, most recently ''Ratu'' Joni Madraiwiwi, the former Vice-President of Fiji who died in 2016. According to sources within the

Great Council of Chiefs The Great Council of Chiefs ''(Bose Levu Vakaturaga'' in Fijian) was a constitutional body in Fiji from 1876 to March 2012. In April 2007, the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interi ...

(a traditional body which, among other things, used to function as an electoral college to choose the

and Vice-President), he was chosen for the Vice-Presidency because it was thought that as President ''Ratu'' Josefa Iloilo was from the Burebasaga and his predecessor, ''Ratu Sir'' Kamisese Mara from

Tovata Tovata is one of three ''confederacies'' comprising the Fijian House of Chiefs, to which all of Fiji's chiefs belong. Details of Tovata It is located in the north east of the country, covering the provinces of Bua, Macuata and Cakaudrove on ...

, the new Vice-President should be from Kubuna. On 6 December 2006 he was ousted from office by coup leader Voreqe Bainimarama and the office of

Vice-President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

has been suspended ever since.

References

* Planets Around the Sun: dynamics and contradictions of the Fijian Matanitu - Page 13, By Nicholas P. G. Thomas - 1986, ''Reference to Kubuna and its origins''
Apologies To Thucydides:
Understanding History as Culture and Vice Versa - Page 64, by Marshall David Sahlins, ''reference to Kubuna and its origins'' * Yalo i Viti: Shades of Viti : a Fiji Museum Catalogue - Page 173 by Fergus Clunie, Fiji Museum, Julia Brooke-White - 1986; following is a snippet: Leha died trying to save Niumataiwalu, the father of the first Tui Nayau to rule Lakeba. Ironically, Niumataiwalu, who was assassinated at Ono in a plot... * Folk-Lore: A Quarterly Review of Myth, Tradition, Institution, and Custom, Page 119 by Sidgwick; By Folklore Society, (Great Britain), Parish Register Society, (Great Britain), Published 1977, Northern Micrographics for Brookhaven Press, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Jul 14, 2006. Following a snippet: In the island of Lakemba, Fiji, the nobility is all descended from Niumataiwalu.It is divided into four clans, which I will call A, B, C, and D...

External links

* Nakorotubu District Origin of the 1st Vunivalu of Bau - Nailatikau 1 Vunivalu Genealogy presented on page 31 by the late Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, Roko Tui Bau & 2005-2007 Vice President of Fiji in 'The Life and Times of Cakobau: The Bauan State to 1855'- A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Otago, New Zealand By Hurray P. Heasley, B.A. (Hons.), Otago. August, 2010. Genealogy presented on page 31 by the late Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, Roko Tui Bau & 2005-2007 Vice President of Fiji in 'The Life and Times of Cakobau: The Bauan State to 1855'- A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Otago, New Zealand By Hurray P. Heasley, B.A. (Hons.), Otago. August, 2010

/small> {{Fiji topics Confederacies of Fiji Fijian chiefs Ba Province Lomaiviti Province Naitasiri Province Ra Province Tailevu Province