Rakiraki () is a

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...

in Fiji's

Ra Province Ra is one of the fourteen provinces of Fiji. Occupying the northern area of Viti Levu, the largest island, it is one of eight Viti Levu-based Provinces. With a land area of 1341 square kilometers, it had a population of 30,432 at the 2017 census. ...

. It is located between Tavua and

Korovou Korovou (; literally "New Village") is a village in the Fijian Tailevu Province, 31 km from Nausori. It is considered the centre of Fiji's dairy industry, which was established at the end of the First World War by British settlers, on land do ...

when travelling along the Kings Road, on the northern coast of

Viti Levu Viti Levu (pronounced ) is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji. It is the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population. Geology Fiji lies in a tectonically complex area between the Australia ...

, Fiji's largest island. At the 1996 census, the Rakiraki district had a population of 29,137, with 15,325 in the smaller Rakiraki sub-district. Of these, 3361 lived in Vaileka, Rakiraki's principal urban centre. The

Fiji Times ''The Fiji Times'' is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869 by George Littleton Griffiths, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating. ''The Fiji Times'' is owned by Motibhai ...

reported on 4 October 2006 that Uraia Waqa, Chairman of the Rakiraki Local Government Authority, had called for Vaileka to be officially incorporated as a Town in order to attract government investment. Local Government and Urban Development Minister Chaitanya Lakshman was reported to be sympathetic to the proposal. The main township is Rakiraki town locally known as Vaileka.

Rakiraki is an area often said to portray Fijian patriotism. Many noted Fijian politicians have originated from this area, such as

Sidiq Koya Siddiq Moidin Koya (29 February 1924 – 25 April 1993) was a Fijian Indian politician, Statesman and Opposition leader. He succeeded to the leadership of the mostly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party (NFP) on the death of the party's fo ...

, who fought for Fijian workers' rights. Others include Tomasi Vuetilovoni, Meli Bolobolo, Joji Banuve, Subas Chand, Devi Prasad, Dhiren Prasad lawyer and George Shiu Raj. Traditional Fijian villages in the Rakiraki district are Namuaimada, Navolau Number 1, Navolau Number 2, Navutulevu, Navuavua, Malake & Nakorokula.

Landmarks

Prominent landmarks include Navatu Rock, in Vitawa village, believed to be one of Fiji's oldest human settlements. Pottery excavated at the base of the rock has been dated to around 1000BC. About 1.5 kilometers offshore lies the island of Nananu-i-Ra. Fijian mythology holds that this island is the disembodied spirits' point of departure from this world to the afterlife. A village once crowned the peak of this island. The tomb of Ratu Udre Udre, a famous 19th century

cannibal Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is well documented, b ...

chief who reportedly consumed more than 800 of his victims, is close to the township of Vaileka. The renowned Nakauvadra Range which is associated with Fijian mythology is visible from anywhere in the Rakiraki district. It is also the main contributing factor to the dry conditions that prevail throughout much of the year in the Rakiraki region.

Economic activities

Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

and

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...

are the mainstays of the Rakiraki economy. The

Fiji Sugar Corporation Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) is the government-owned sugar milling company in Fiji having monopoly on production of raw sugar in Fiji. It is also the largest public enterprise in the country employing nearly 3,000 people, while another 200,000 or ...

operates the Penang Sugar Mill on the Penang River, one kilometer north-east of Vaileka.

Sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stal ...

is grown in the valleys, while

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

are raised in the highlands. Root crops, including yaqona (kava) are also cultivated. Fiji water is bottled 20kilometres west of the main town of Rakiraki. Navatu Rock

References

Rakiraki District {{Fiji-geo-stub