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The Lau Islands aka little Tonga (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
are situated in the southern
Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, just east of the
Koro Sea The Koro Sea or Sea of Koro is a sea in the Pacific Ocean between Viti Levu island, Fiji to the west and the Lau Islands to the east, surrounded by the islands of the Fijian archipelago. It is named after Koro Island Koro (village in Fijian) ...
. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited. The Lau Group covers a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km), and had a population of 10,683 at the most recent
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
in 2007. While most of the northern Lau Group are
high island Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...
s of
volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...
origin, those of the south are mostly
carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...
low island Geologically, a low island is an island of coral origin. The term applies whether the island was formed as a result of sedimentation upon a coral reef or of the uplifting of such islands. The term is used to distinguish such islands from high ...
s. Administratively the islands belong to
Lau Province Lau Province 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 ...
.


History

The
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
explorer
James Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...
reached
Vatoa Vatoa (pronounced ) (known as Turtle Island after Cook's visit) is an outlier of Fiji's Lau Group. History Vatoa was the only island of present-day Fiji visited by James Cook. The island was sighted on 2 July 1774. The next day, a Sunday, th ...
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 the Lau Islands. Historically, they comprised three territories: the Northern Lau Islands, the Southern Lau Islands, and the
Moala Islands The Moala Islands are a subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. Its three islands ( Matuku, Moala, and Totoya) have a total land area of approximately 119 km2.
. Around 1855, the renegade
Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
n prince
Enele Ma'afu Enele is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Enele Maʻafu ( 1816–1881), Tongan chief * Enele Malele (born 1990), Fijian rugby union player * Enele Sopoaga (born 1956), Tuvaluan diplomat and politician * Enele Taufa (bor ...
conquered the region and established a unified administration. Calling himself the ''
Tui Lau Tui Lau is a Fijian chiefly title of recent history which was created during the time of Ma'afu and his conquests. A Brief History Ma'afu was disclaimed as a Tongan Prince by his cousin King George Tupou I. Since the Vuanirewa Clan of the Lau ...
'', or King of Lau, he promulgated a
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...
and encouraged the establishment of Christian missions. The first missionaries had arrived at
Lakeba Lakeba (pronounced ) is an island in Fiji’s Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers.Steadman (2006) It is fertile and wel ...
in 1830, but had been expelled. The ''
Tui Nayau ''Tu’i 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, ''Tu’i Nayau'' means "Lord of Nayau", an island north of Lakeba, the la ...
,'' who had been the nominal overlord of the Lau Islands, became subject to Ma'afu. The
Tui Nayau ''Tu’i 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, ''Tu’i Nayau'' means "Lord of Nayau", an island north of Lakeba, the la ...
and
Tui Lau Tui Lau is a Fijian chiefly title of recent history which was created during the time of Ma'afu and his conquests. A Brief History Ma'afu was disclaimed as a Tongan Prince by his cousin King George Tupou I. Since the Vuanirewa Clan of the Lau ...
titles came into
personal union A personal union is the combination of two or more states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, would involve the constituent states being to some extent interlink ...
in 1969, when Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who had already been installed as ''Tui Lau'' in 1963 by the Yavusa Tonga, was also installed as ''Tui Nayau'' following the death of his father Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III in 1966. The title Tui Lau was left vacant from his uncle,
Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Ratu Sir Josefa Lalabalavu Vanayaliyali Sukuna (22 April 1888 – 30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. He is regarded as the forerunner of the post-independence leadership of Fiji. He did more than anybody to lay ...
, in 1958 as referenced in Mara, The Pacific Way Paper. The Northern Lau Islands, which extended as far south as
Tuvuca Tuvuca (pronounced ) is a small island off Vanua Balavu in Fiji's Lau archipelago. It is a densely wooded and inhabited island and rises above sea level at the highest point. There is only one village on the island. Tuvuca has untapped deposits ...
, were under the overlordship of
Taveuni Taveuni (pronounced ) is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, with a total land area of . The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated to the east of ...
and paid
tribute A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of land which the state conqu ...
to the ''
Tui Cakau The Tui Cakau is the Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove Province in Fiji. In Modern Fiji this chiefly title is regarded as the most senior in the Tovata Confederacy, and the third most senior in the country. Recent history The current ''Tui Cakau'' ...
'' (Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove). In 1855, however, Ma'afu gained sovereignty over Northern Lau, establishing
Lomaloma Lomaloma (; officially ''Lomaloma Tikina'', ) is a village at the south of the island of Vanua Balavu in the Lau archipelago of Fiji. The settlement is part of the tribal district of Tikina, Lomaloma and consists of 9 villages, 13 Yavusa (tri ...
, on
Vanua Balavu Vanua Balavu (pronounced ) is the third largest island in Fiji's Lau archipelago, and the main island of the Northern Lau Group. Geography and infrastructure This coral and volcanic island has a land area of . Its maximum elevation is . The isl ...
, as his
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
. The Southern Lau Islands extended from
Ono-i-Lau Ono-i-Lau is a group of islands within a barrier reef system in the Fijian archipelago of Lau Islands (''ono'' means "six" in the Fijian language). There are four central volcanic islands: Onolevu, Doi (or Ndoi) Lovoni and Ndavura, the uppermos ...
, in the far south, to as far north as Cicia. They were the traditional chiefdom of the ''
Tui Nayau ''Tu’i 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, ''Tu’i Nayau'' means "Lord of Nayau", an island north of Lakeba, the la ...
,'' but with Ma'afu's conquest in the 1850s, he became subject to Tongan supremacy. The
Moala Islands The Moala Islands are a subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. Its three islands ( Matuku, Moala, and Totoya) have a total land area of approximately 119 km2.
had closer affiliation with
Bau Island Bau (pronounced ) is a small island in Fiji, off the east coast of the main island of Viti Levu. Bau rose to prominence in the mid-1800s and became Fiji's dominant power; until its cession to Britain, it has maintained its influence in politics and ...
and Lomaiviti than with Lau, but Ma'afu's conquest united them with the Lau Islands. They have remained administratively a part of the
Lau Province Lau Province 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 ...
ever since.


Culture and economy

Since they lie between
Melanesia Melanesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It extends from Indonesia's New Guinea in the west to Fiji in the east, and includes the Arafura Sea. The region includes the four independent countries of Fiji, Va ...
n
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
and
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
n
Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
, the Lau Islands are a meeting point of 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 the square-shaped ends characterizing most houses elsewhere in Fiji, Lauan houses tend to be rounded, following the
Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
n practice. In early July 2014, Tonga's Lands Minister, Lord Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi, revealed a proposal for Tonga to give the disputed
Minerva Reefs The Minerva Reefs ( to, Ongo Teleki) are a group of two submerged atolls located somewhere in the Pacific Ocean between Fiji, Niue and Tonga. The islands are the subject of a territorial dispute between Fiji and Tonga, and in addition were briefly ...
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 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 Enele is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Enele Maʻafu ( 1816–1881), Tongan chief * Enele Malele (born 1990), Fijian rugby union player * Enele Sopoaga (born 1956), Tuvaluan diplomat and politician * Enele Taufa (bor ...
, 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 Ono-i-Lau is a group of islands within a barrier reef system in the Fijian archipelago of Lau Islands (''ono'' means "six" in the Fijian language). There are four central volcanic islands: Onolevu, Doi (or Ndoi) Lovoni and Ndavura, the uppermos ...
, an island in the Lau Group."Tonga et Fidji se disputent le Récif de la Minerve"
ABC Radio Australia (in French), 9 February 2011
Archived
from the original on 7 July 2011.) Just off the island of
Vanua Balavu Vanua Balavu (pronounced ) is the third largest island in Fiji's Lau archipelago, and the main island of the Northern Lau Group. Geography and infrastructure This coral and volcanic island has a land area of . Its maximum elevation is . The isl ...
at Lomaloma was the Yanuyanu Island Resort, built to encourage
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
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 Lomaloma (; officially ''Lomaloma Tikina'', ) is a village at the south of the island of Vanua Balavu in the Lau archipelago of Fiji. The settlement is part of the tribal district of Tikina, Lomaloma and consists of 9 villages, 13 Yavusa (tri ...
. There are guest houses on Vanua Balavu and on
Lakeba Lakeba (pronounced ) is an island in Fiji’s Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers.Steadman (2006) It is fertile and wel ...
, the other principal island. The Lau Islands are the centre of the game of
Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
in Fiji. Cricket is the most popular team sport in Lau, unlike the rest of the country where
Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
and
Association Football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
are preferred. The national team is invariably dominated by Lauan players.


Notable Lauans

The Lau Islands' most famous son is the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (1920-2004), the ''
Tui Lau Tui Lau is a Fijian chiefly title of recent history which was created during the time of Ma'afu and his conquests. A Brief History Ma'afu was disclaimed as a Tongan Prince by his cousin King George Tupou I. Since the Vuanirewa Clan of the Lau ...
'', ''
Tui Nayau ''Tu’i 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, ''Tu’i Nayau'' means "Lord of Nayau", an island north of Lakeba, the la ...
'', ''Sau ni Vanua'' (hereditary Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands) and the
founding father The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...
of modern Fiji who was
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
for most of the period between 1967 and 1992, and
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 ful ...
from 1993 to 2000. Other noted Lauans include
Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Ratu Sir Josefa Lalabalavu Vanayaliyali Sukuna (22 April 1888 – 30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. He is regarded as the forerunner of the post-independence leadership of Fiji. He did more than anybody to lay ...
(1898-1958), who forged embryonic constitutional institutions for Fiji in the years that preceded independence. Other notable Lauans include: * Politicians: Jonati Mavoa held many ministerial portfolios in the early part of Fiji's transition to self-government, Charles Walker who held several portfolios in the Alliance government before becoming a Diplomat, Nelson Delailomaloma who was Permanent Secretary of Education and Minister in the Interim Government, former Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase Laisenia Qarase (pronounced ; 4 February 1941 – 21 April 2020) was a Fijian politician. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase ...
, former Attorney-General Qoriniasi Bale, former Minister of Education
Filipe Bole Filipe Nagera Bole CBE, CF (23 August 1936 – 19 June 2019) was a Fijian politician who hailed from the village of Mualevu on the island of Vanua Balavu in the Lau Group. He had a reputation as one of Fiji's few politicians untainted by scan ...
, Ambassador to China
Esala Teleni Commodore Esala Teleni (born circa 1958 - died 28 February 2020) was a Fijian naval officer, who served the military-backed interim government as Commissioner of the Fiji Police Force from 1 July 2007 to mid-2010. He then served as Fiji's Amb ...
, and former
Cabinet Minister A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, ...
Lavenia Padarath. Current First Lady Adi Koila Nailatikau is also Lauan, being the daughter of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. *Bureaucrats: Include former permanent secretaries Marika Tukituku, Solomone Makasiale,
Joji Kotobalavu Jioji Kotobalavu was Fiji civil servant. He was the Chief Executive Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister (Fiji), Prime Minister's office, (CEO PMO) but was dismissed on 7 December 2006 by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, military jun ...
, Solomone Sila and current permanent secretary Jale Fotofili First Fijian Chief Justice (Sir Timoci Tuivaga), First Fijian President of Methodist church Setareki Tuilovoni, Kacimaiwai, Epeli - former High Commissioner to Australia, former Permanent Secretary for Education and first Fijian Principal appointed to Queen Victoria School. * Sports:
I. L. Bula Ilikena Lasarusa Talebulamainavaleniveivakabulaimainakulalakebalau (born 15 November 1921, date of death unknown) was a Fijian cricketer who played nine first-class matches for Fiji between 1947–48 and 1953–54. He was more commonly know ...
cricketer, former Heavy Weight
Boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
Champion Sunia Cama, Rugby: Joeli Veitayaki, Sunia Koto,
Osea Kolinisau Osea Kolinisau, OF (born 17 November 1985) is a Fijian rugby union player who plays for Old Glory DC of Major League Rugby (MLR). He captained the Fiji Sevens side to their first olympic gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Early life and edu ...
, Netani Talei,
Sisa Koyamaibole Sisaro Dautu Koyamaibole (born 6 March 1980) is a Fijian rugby union player. His usual position is at number eight. Koyamaibole also plays for Fiji, including playing in the 2003 Rugby World Cup, the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the 2011 Rugby Worl ...
, Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Metuisela Talebula, Eroni Mawi * Youth leaders: Roko Jonetani (Pita) Waqavonovono, Roko Liwaki Uluilakeba, Tupou Veiogo and Jackie Koroivulaono. Given its small population, the Lau Islands' contribution to the leadership of Fiji has been disproportionately large.


See also

*
Lau Basin The Lau Basin is a back-arc basin (also addressed as "interarc basin") at the Australian-Pacific plate boundary. It is formed by the Pacific plate subducting under the Australian plate. The Tonga-Kermadec Ridge, a frontal arc, and the Lau-Colville ...
*Lau Ridge


References


Further reading

* ''Lau Islands'', Fiji, By A.M Hocart, Bernice Bishop Museum Bulletin 62, 1929
''Islands, Islanders and the World: Colonial and Post-colonial Experience of Eastern Fiji''
By T.P.Bayliss- Smith, Published by Cambridge University Press.
''World Atlas of Coral Reefs''
- Page 344, by Corinna Ravilious, Mark D. Spalding, Edmund Peter Green, World Conservation Monitoring Centre – 2001, Published by University of California Press * ''Tovata I & II'', AC Reid. Fiji: Oceania printers Fiji (1990)
Cyclopedia of Lau
Illustrated, Publisher Pure Blue Fiji Ltd. * ''The Lau Islands (Fiji) and Their Fairy Tales and Folklore''. T
omas Omas may refer to: * Omaswati, Indonesian comedian * Places in Peru: ** Omas District ** Omas City {{dab ...
R ginaldSt. Johnston, Published 1918 by The Times book co., ltd. Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Dec 15, 2006.
Islands of History
- Page 75, by Marshall David Sahlins - 1987 - 200 pages * 20th Century Fiji, edited by Stewart Firth & Daryl Tarte - 2001 -
Fiji
- Page 237, by Korina Miller, Robyn Jones, Leonardo Pinheiro – 2003, Published by Lonely Planet


External links


Lau group (with map)
* Ethnography of th
Lau Islands

Vanua Balavu Information
* A Newspaper article with General information o
Lau
* Articles about tourism in Tong

{{coord, 17, 50, S, 178, 40, E, region:FJ-E_type:isle, display=title Lau Islands, Archipelagoes of Fiji Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean