Davuilevu

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Davuilevu, the name of the site of three Methodist Church of Fiji institutions: Davuilevu Theological College, the Bible School for Catechist training, and Lelean Memorial School. It can be translated as "the large conch shell."

Lelean Memorial School is one of the largest co-ed schools in Fiji. It was established in 1943 and is run by the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma. It is co-located at the Davuilevu Methodist Compound with the Davuilevu Theological College and the Young People's Department, which runs training for Methodist catechists.

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The use of the adjective "large" in this context is used by the church to convey the significance of the duty bestowed upon church members who attend the Davuilevu institutions, which surpasses even its physical size. It is the premier institution of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma. Indigenous Fijians use the giant conch shell (Charonia tritonis) as a horn to herald important events such as the birth and death of a high ranking chief.

Fijians are a nation and ethnic group native to Fiji, who speak Fijian and share a common history and culture.

<i>Charonia tritonis</i> species of mollusc

Charonia tritonis, common name the Triton's trumpet or the giant triton, is a species of very large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Charoniidae, the tritons. Reaching up to two feet in shell length this is one of the biggest mollusks in the coral reef.

Davuilevu is located at Nausori, Fiji.

It was the home station of Reverend Thomas Baker who was martyred and killed in 1867 by cannibals at Nubutautau in the upper reaches of the Navosa Hills. His famous words still ring true to those who enter Davuilevu. When warned of a possible plot against his missionary party, he replied in Fijian that "Sa yawa vei au ko Davuilevu, ka sa voleka vei au ko lomalagi," meaning, "Davuilevu is yet far, heaven for me is closer."

Thomas Baker was a Methodist missionary in Fiji, known as being the only missionary in that country to be killed and eaten, along with seven of his Fijian followers. The incident occurred in the Navosa Highlands of western Viti Levu in July 1867, and the rock used to kill Baker is still displayed in the village of Nabutatau. The soles of his leather sandals, which were also cooked by the cannibal tribe, are in Fiji Museum in Suva. Records show that Baker was killed and eaten as a result of him touching a chief's head, which in Fijian culture, is considered to be very disrespectful.

The Methodist Church moved its Theological College for Ministers and Bible School for Catechists from Navuloa to Davuilevu in 1907. Fiji's first technical and engineering school was also established here. Later the colonial government asked the assistance of the Methodist Church to help set up the government technical school. This was named the Derrick Technical Institute, after the founder and Principal of the Davuilevu Technical School, R.A. Derrick, and who was asked to set up the government technical school at Samabula, Suva. The Derrick Technical Institute was later renamed the Fiji Institute of Technology.

Suva Place in Viti Levu, Fiji

Suva is the capital and largest metropolitan city in Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Rewa Province, Central Division.

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References

    Alan Tippett was a Methodist missionary, missiologist, and anthropologist.

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