Lutunasobasoba

Last updated
Lutunasobasoba
Other namesKubunavanua
GenderMale
RegionFiji
Ethnic groupFiijan
Personal information
ParentsTura from Turkestan (father)
Ranadi of Thebes (mother)
Siblings Degei
ConsortsMiranalesakula
Radinisei (Nai of Cepi)
Children
  • Naosara
  • Daunisai
  • Sagavulunavuda
  • Rokomautu
  • Rokoratu
  • Buisavulu
  • Lutunarevurevu

Lutunasobasoba is considered to be one of the ancestors of the Fijian (iTaukei) people, along with Degei. [1]

Contents

According to one story, they originated near Lake Tanganyika [2] and sailed to sea in the Kaunitoni and several other canoes. The Kaunitoni became holed in the western reef of Viti Levu, just north of the village of Viseisei. One faction, with Lutunasobasoba as a chief, decided to make a home there. Degei, with the Kaunitoni, decided to sail east on the coast and landed at Rakiraki, settling in the Nakauvandra Mountains.

This particular story is believed to have been originated from a competition held in the late 1870s by missionaries who were looking to develop a more fanciful story than that which existed in Fijian circles at the time. The winning story tells that Degei and Lutunasobasoba were gods from Lake Tanganyika.

In modern times it is believed that Fiji's first inhabitants were Proto-Polynesians of the Lapita culture, whose ancestors were from South East Asia.

Variations

According to the most popular variation, three chiefs, Lutunasobasoba, Degei, and Waicalanavanua lived in a land to the far west. For some cause, long since forgotten, they resolved to leave that land with their wives and children. They had a great canoe, which they called the Kaunitoni, built by the craftsman Rokola. In her they set sail, and with them went a number of other canoes, all seeking a new land. They found many lands, and at each some of the people stayed to make it their adopted home; but none of them pleased Lutunasobasoba. The Kaunitoni was struck by a great storm when she was far from land and alone. All the goods on deck were swept overboard, including a basket or box containing tablets recording their ancestors and writing system. After several days running from the storm, they came to land. They beached their canoe there and called the place Vuda (Our Origin) on the northwest corner of Viti Levu. Lutunasobasoba was greatly distressed at losing the tablets (vola) and sent a canoe to look for it. The crew discovered the Yasawa Islands, but failed to find the tablets. [3]

They stayed at Vuda for a long time, until Lutunasobasoba became very old and infirm, and they decided to move him to higher ground. Degi had Rokola build them some new canoes, since there were now too many for the Kaunitoni. They went along the coast to the eastward, and landed in what is now the bay of Rakiraki. They carried the now dying Lutunasobasoba up the mountain which was later named Nakauvadra. They built him a hut from the materials of the pandanus tree (vadra), which grew thickly at that spot. Lutunasobasoba lived there for several years. His dying command was for them to separate and settle in different parts of the land he had discovered. [3]

Another version tells that Tura married Ranadi of Thebes and they had two children, Lutunasobasoba and Kubunavanua. Tura had a second wife, Naiovabasali and bore him Degei, Waicalanavanua, Nakumilevu, Rokola and Erovu. They then moved to Tanigaka. From there, three ships sailed out, the Kaunitoni (captained by Lutunasobasoba), Kaunitera (by Kumilevu), and Duiyabaki (by Kubunavanua); eventually reaching the Solomon Islands. While there, they quarrelled over a turtle the crew of the Kaunitera had eaten, but not shared with the other crews. As a result, Kumilevu and his crew were left there. The Duiyabaki sailed to Lomaloma and settled there. [4]

The residents of Moturiki say that island was settled by the crew of the Rogovoka, a ship used to transport rocks to the burial ground of the Tongan Kings, who first landed on a now submerged island called Vuniivilevu (large ivi tree), located where the Davetalevu passage (big reef pass) is now, between Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and Ovalau. [5] When the island sank, survivors swam to Moturiki. [4]

Another variation names the box of writings as "Katonimana, 'Box of Blessings'" (Kato = case and Mana = magic). [6] Others like Sitiveni Rabuka, 3rd Prime Minister of Fiji, equate this box with the Ark of the Covenant and say that it is buried on Mana Island, in the Yasawa Islands. They also say that Fiijians are one of the Ten Lost Tribes. [7]

Degei is supposed to have later returned to search for it, against the command of Lutunasobasoba. He found either the box or a large diamond near the Mamanuca islands and was changed into a serpent with a diamond pattern on its head. This serpent is said to live in the Sawa-i-Lau caves, where it is trapped and causes earthquakes. [8]

Family

Parents
Wives
Siblings

Descendants

Sons
  • by Adi Miranalesakula.
  • by Radinisei
Daughter
Family Tree of Lutunasobasoba
TuraRanadi
MiranalesakulaLutunasobasobaRadinisei
Naosara DaunisaiSagavulunaRokomautuRokoratuBuisavulu

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Fiji</span>

Fiji is a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific, lying about 4,450 kilometres (2,765 mi) southwest of Honolulu and 1,770 km (1,100 mi) north of New Zealand. Of the 332 islands and 522 smaller islets making up the archipelago, about 106 are permanently inhabited. The total land size is 18,272 km2 (7,055 sq mi). It has the 26th largest Exclusive Economic Zone of 1,282,978 km2 (495,361 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of Fiji-related articles</span>

Articles about people, places, things, and concepts related to or originating from Fiji, include:

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viti Levu</span> Largest island in Fiji

Viti Levu 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.

Located in the central Pacific Ocean, Fiji's geography has made it both a destination and a crossroads for migrations for many centuries.

The first three-quarters of the 19th century were marked by tribal warfare, incursions from neighbouring Tonga, and the increasing encroachment of foreign powers. This period also saw the rise of a warlord by the name of Seru Epenisa Cakobau, who forged the first nation-state covering all of modern Fiji in 1871, before ceding it to the United Kingdom in 1874.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moala Island</span>

Moala is a volcanic island in the Moala subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. It has an area of 62.5 square kilometers (24.1 sq mi), making it the ninth largest island of Fiji. The highest point on the island of Moala, at a maximum elevation of 468 meters (1,535 ft), is called Delaimoala which has rich vegetation and consists of dark thick forest. The population of around 3000 live in eight villages. The chief village of Naroi, whose population is over 500, was formalised during the colonial era to entertain those that would not be entertained elsewhere. Economic activities include coconut farming, cocoa production, fishing and yaqona (kava) production.

Viseisei is a village at Vuda Point on the west coast of Viti Levu island, in Ba Province of Fiji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vuda Point</span>

Vuda Point is a headland on the west coast of Viti Levu island, in Ba Province of Fiji. It is located between the towns of Nadi and Lautoka.

Ba is a province of Fiji, occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is one of fourteen provinces in the nation of Fiji, and one of eight based in Viti Levu. It is Fiji's most populous province, with a population of 247,708 - more than a quarter of the nation's total - at the 2017 census. It covers a land area of 2,634 km2 (1,017 sq mi), the second largest of any province.

The Tu'i Pulotu is believed to be the head of an ancient group of people that settled in Pulotu (Fiji) during the Lapita period. It was said that the Tui Pulotu originally came from the Fiji Islands and led the Pacific Islands from the early BC era to the first 800 years AD. Many people tried to associate Pulotu with Burotukula because of the different pronunciations within Tonga, Samoa and Fiji. And many people knows that Burotu in Fiji was the Burotukula which used to be seen near Matuku in Lau,but has no evidence of civilization on its seafloor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drua</span> Double-hull sailing boat

Drua, also known as na drua, n'drua, ndrua or waqa tabu, is a double-hull sailing boat that originated in the south-western Pacific islands. Druas do not tack but rather shunt. Both ends of each hull are identical, but the hulls are of different sizes and the smaller one is always sailed to windward. The main differences, compared to proas, are that the hulls have a symmetric U-form profile, and a second hull is used instead of an outrigger. When a float (cama) is used in place of the smaller hull, the craft is called a camakau.

The Fijian double canoe was the largest and finest sea-going vessel ever designed and built by natives of Oceania before contact with Europeans.

Kaunitoni, according to Fijian ancestral story, was a canoe which sailed from an ancient homeland in the West, carrying the ancestor gods Lutunasobasoba and Degei, who are variously considered the ancestors of the Fijian people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in Fiji</span> Religion in the country

Religiously, Fiji is a mixed society with most people being Christian, with a sizable Hindu (27.9%) and Muslim (6.3%) minority, according to the 2007 census. Religion tends to split along ethnic lines with most Indigenous Fijians being Christian and most Indo-Fijians being either Hindu or Muslim.

Taukei ni Waluvu is a Fijian phrase for "Native of the Flood." It is the traditional chiefly title of the warrior hill clan Siko-Natabutale of Nairukuruku village. The history of the clan from the mid- nineteenth century, represent the social structures of the chiefly system, religion and western culture that supported colonialism in Fiji. Tradition, Christianity and British indirect rule were combined to legitimize what was accepted as the right way to govern. Condemned by some modern day critics as exploitative, the Fijian chiefly system was the medium of native social interdependence and a traditional contract shared by the indigenous clans of pre-colonial Fiji, that was utilized for colonial rule. Since Independence the chiefly system has had to adapt to the demands of modernity. Anthropologist Arthur Capell in his study of early tribal migration within Fiji made the point that, "the history of Fiji is the history of chiefly families." The phrase in fact emphasized the hierarchical nature of Fijian traditional society where chiefly power was held sacred. The relationship between Chiefs and Westerners in especially Missionaries thus became a focal point for gathering insight into Fijian culture and tradition in the nineteenth century. James Turner a latter anthropologist found, "The chiefly families of Nairukuruku were the first in the eastern highlands of Viti Levu to declare their allegiance to the central government and as a result of this support their influence expanded throughout the area".

Lauwaki is the second largest village in the Vuda district, Ba Province in the Western side of Viti Levu, Fiji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verata (district)</span>

Verata is a Tikina in Fiji's Tailevu Province. It is made up of several sub-districts or Tikina makawa, namely: Verata, Namalata, Tai, Vugalei, and Taivugalei.

In Fiji, Turaga na Roko Tui Bau is a vassal chief of the Vunivalu of Bau. From his seat at the residence of Naicobocobo, the Roko Tui Bau rules the Vusaratu chiefs and has relationships with the Roko Tui Dreketi, Ratu Mai Verata, Roko Tui Namata, Roko Tui Veikau, Tui Vuya and other members of Fiji's House of Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Navatu - Cakaudrove</span>

Navatu is a sub district in Cakaudrove; one of 3 provinces situated in Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. The sub-district, or "tikina" as it is known in the iTaukei language, comprises nine villages mainly occupying the eastern peninsular of the Natewa Bay. While Copra has been the main source of income for villages in the Navatu tikina, kava or yaqona is also becoming a fast growing commodity for villages within the Navatu sub-district.

The Ndakunimba Stones are the remains of a 50-foot-tall monolith carved with petroglyphs, located in Dakuniba, a remote village in Cakaudrove Province on Vanua Levu, Fiji. They comprise about 14 stone fragments of various sizes, with deeply carved angular figures.

References

  1. ↑ Aubrey Parke (2014). Matthew Spriggs; Deryck Scarr (eds.). Degei's Descendants: Spirits, Place and People in Pre-Cession Fiji. Vol. 41. ANU Press. p. 132. ISBN   9781925021813. JSTOR   j.ctt13www1w.
  2. ↑ Eräsaari, Matti (15 December 2015). "The iTaukei Chief: Value and Alterity in Verata". Journal de la Société des Océanistes (141): 239–254. doi: 10.4000/jso.7407 .
  3. 1 2 Thomson, Basil Home (September 1895). Ancestor Worship Among the Fijians  . Popular Science Monthly – via Wikisource.
  4. 1 2 "Moturiki - The early migrants". Fiji Times. 14 July 2019.
  5. ↑ Nunn, Patrick; Paul Geraghty; Elia Nakoro; Alifereti Nasila; Samuela Tukidia (January 2005). "Vuniivilevu and Burotu: the geography, ethnography, and hazard implications of vanished islands in Fiji". People and Culture in Oceania (21): 87–117.
  6. ↑ "Fiji: Katonimana - Imago Mundi". Google Arts & Culture.
  7. ↑ Newland, Lynda (2015). "The Lost Tribes of Israel – and the Genesis of Christianity in Fiji: Missionary Notions of Fijian Origin from 1835 to Cession and Beyond". Oceania. 85 (3): 256–270. doi:10.1002/ocea.5106. ISSN   0029-8077. JSTOR   44161347.
  8. ↑ "The Islands of Fiji Have Stories to Tell". Turtle Airways Fiji Seaplane Transfer Service. 28 August 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.