Delailoa (born on

Lakeba Lakeba (pronounced ) is an island in Fiji’s Southern Lau Islands, Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the List of islands of Fiji, tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers. ...

) was a

Fiji Fiji, 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 of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

an High Chief. He had an instrumental role in maintaining the fortunes of the

Vuanirewa Origins 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 the trib ...

under the reign of his relative Malani.

Family

Delailoa was a son of the Chief Qoma and grandson of Chief Kalouyalewa and his wife Tagiamarama. Mother of Delailoa was a wife of Qoma. Delailoa's lineage relocated and remained on the island of Nayau. Delailoa's descendants still live on Nayau. His relative was Malani. Delailoa's spouse is not known, but he had two sons – Lokininayau and Uluinayau, and one daughter – Vakadewa. One son of Delailoa warned Malani of Chief

Dranivia Dranivia was an 18th-century Lau Province, Lauan chief and noble of the Vuanirewa dynasty. He was the third son of Uluilakeba I and last recorded member of the noble household, Naivi, to hold the title Roko Sau of the Lau Islands. He is referred ...

's impending plans.

Biography

Chief

Niumataiwalu Niumataiwalu was a Fijian language, Fijian high Tribal chief, chief. Etymology The name ''Niumataiwalu'', translated as "I came first to Walu beach", was in memory of Naosara. Family Niumataiwalu's father, Delaivugalei, was the brother of Q ...

killed his uncle Qoma and tried to kill Delailoa, who survived in this way – he was saved when his mother's people from Waciwaci in

, hid him from Niumataiwalu. Delailoa would later be welcomed back by Niumataiwalu after Niumataiwalu realised that upon his impending death by the Bauans after impregnating the Radini Levuka in Bau, that Delailoa would be his only surviving close relative. He would then welcome Delailoa back, and would ask Delailoa to return to Nayau and to protect his name. Delailoa would then conquer all of Nayau (see works by Hocart) and become its overall leader until Rasolo and his brother Matawalu would seek refuge there and later where Rasolo be installed as ''

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 l ...

''.''Tovata I & II'' by AC Reid, printed in

by Oceania printers Kalouyalewa

Delailoa could not claim this

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

since it had been transferred to Niumataiwalu's lineage in Lakeba that would be consolidated by the installation of Rasolo.

Family

Biography

Sources

See also