''Sau Mai Kedekede'' now more commonly referred to as ''Sau ni Vanua ko Lau'' is one of the preeminent titles held by the Paramount Chief of the

Lau Islands The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited. T ...

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 ...

History

The title ''Sau Mai Kedekede'' originates from the

Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...

n word “''Hau''”, denoting the divine nature of the

Tu'i Tonga Tu'i, also spelled more simplistically Tui, is a Polynesian traditional title for tribal chiefs or princes. In translations, the highest such positions are often rendered as "king". For details, see the links below various polities. Traditionally, ...

suggesting the frequent intercourse amongst the chiefly houses of

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. ...

and Tonga in pre-Christian times. The title of ''Sau'' is considered much older and is independent of the title ''Tui Nayau'', now held in tandem by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, as its original holders were from the island of Lakeba (pre-

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 ...

dynasty). The first recorded holder of the title was Qilaiso of the Cei-e-kena clan. The Sau title eventually merged in time with the title Tui Nayau, and its dual usage commenced in the person of

Rasolo Rasolo was a Fijian High Chief. Family Father of Rasolo was Chief Niumataiwalu of Lakeba. Rasolo's mother was Lady Tarau of Totoya. Rasolo was a brother of Lady Sivoki and Uluilakeba I and half-brother of Matawalu. Rasolo's first wife was ...

. Both titles ''Sau Mai Kedekede'' and ''Tui Nayau'' are now inextricably linked, and heirs succeeding to the title Tui Nayau cannot do so unless recognised and installed as ''Sau Ni Vanua''.

The installation

The investment ceremony for the ''Sau Ni Vanua'' takes place in

Tubou Tubou is a village on the Fijian island of Lakeba, with a population of about 2,000. One of eight villages on Lakeba, it is considered the Capital (political), capital of the Lau Islands, being the seat of the Vuanirewa clan, a powerful chiefly f ...

on Lakeba. Once the elders of the Vuanirewa have endorsed the successor to the previous Tui Nayau, the ''Ramasi'' or chief makers and ''Vakavanua'' being chief herald are summoned to undertake the ceremony. The Ramasi consists of the Tui Tubou and the Tui Nasaqalau and the vanua represented by the Vakavanua of Ceiekena and Tui Soso (from Nukunuku village). During the ceremony the recipient will have a piece of bark cloth tied on his arms by each of the Ramasi and the coronation turban or salasiga placed upon his head by the Vakavanua. He also receives the coronation cup containing

kava Kava or kava kava (''Piper methysticum'': Latin 'pepper' and Latinized Ancient Greek, Greek 'intoxicating') is a plant in the Piperaceae, pepper family, native to the Pacific Islands. The name ''kava'' is from Tongan language, Tongan and Marqu ...

from the Vuanirewa Nobles, which he must drink to affirm his becoming Sau Ni Vanua O Lau. This is then followed by a general

ceremony where principal chiefs of rank in Lau drink in turn, ceremonial titles are conferred by the Sau and gifts are presented by his people. The Sau's installation concludes with the removal of the arm bands and ritual bath after four days.

Title holders

The historical holders of the title of ''Sau Mai Kedekede'': Of the Ceiekena Dynasty (16–17th century): * Qilaiso * Bativanua * Ginigini * Vuakilau or Fuakilau Levuka Occupancy of Lakeba (early to mid-18th century) * Codro The Vuanirewa Dynasty (mid-18th century to present) (title merges with Tui Nayau title in the person of

)

Footnotes

{{Reflist

References

*''The Fruit of the Rewa'' By A.C Reid, Journal of Pacific History-Vol 12:1-2 (1977) *''Lau Islands, Fiji'' By A.M Hocart, Published by the Bishop Museum, Hawaii (1929) *''Southern Lau, Fiji: An Ethnography'' By Laura Thompson, Published by the Bishop Museum, Hawaii (1940) *''Tovata I & II'' By AC Reid, Printed in Fiji by Oceania printers Fiji (1990)

Fijian nobility *

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 ...