How Suva Tribe Got Their Revenge

Pre-European Events in Fiji, 100 Years Ago

By Thomas Horne Section II

rpHE following extract from the diary A of the Rev. John Hunt, who, at the time h& wrote it was on a voyage round Na Viti Levu, may be given, as it confirms ihy account of the burning of Suva, and subsequent events; “On April 7, 1843, we had a full view of poor Suva, where we once had a few Christians. Yesterday, the town was re duced to ashes and many of its inhab itants killed and eaten by the Rewa people. We saw several canoes which had gone in search of the miserable remnants.

The Christian Chief is still alive.”

Here, naturally, the question arises, who was the Christian Chief? So we must re trace our footsteps a little.

In 1840, the Exploring Expedition from the United States lay in Laucala Bay.

Amongst the work it accomplished was the survey of Suva harbour by Lieutenant Emmons, who complained of the heavy rains, as many others have done since.

While there, Commodore Wilkes remarked that the Rev. Cargill passed the ships in his boat on his way to preach at Suva; and he added that Suva was a Christian town and subject to Rewa.

The first statement is no doubt correct, but both deductions are wrong. Suva and Rewa were none too friendly, for racial differences were in the way; the people of the latter had a large intermixture of Polynesian blood, while Suva was purely Melanesian. As to the Suva people being Christians; though a native Wesleyan teacher had been stationed there in 1840, he was withdrawn in the following year, on the outbreak of hostilities. Both chief

and people were friendly to the mission, but it is hardly correct to call them Christians. In fact, they did not join the Lotu till 1856.

The Rev. Mr. Calvert, in his book, ‘"Fiji and the Fijians” writes as follows:—“To such a man as Cakobau, in such a posi tion as he then held in Fiji, the attack which Rewa had made upon Suva was an unpardonable insult, demanding in stant and deadly revenge. But there were certain considerations to be taken into account on the other side.

“Rewa was a very powerful state, and, withal, a close neighbour, whose friend ship it was important to secure.

“The mother of the old King of Bsu was a lady of the highest rank from Rewa, and related to most of the powerful chiefs of that state. What is more, Cakobau’s rival brother, Ranalita, was a high Vasa to Rewa, his mother being sister to the reigning king.

“Ail these important reasons counter balanced the angry indignation of Cakobau, who resolved to delay the punish ment of Rewa”

EARLY in 1845, Cakobau began to take steps for the rebuilding of Suva and the return of its people to their own homes.

Quara-ni-Valu (Ratu Kini) the chief of Naitaiseri, a close ally of Bau and to whom Cakobau had promised his daughter, Adi Kuila, in marriage, was in structed to bring them in safety to his place. They came down the Rewa to Naco kalka (a portion of that tribe had formerly

settled at Uluvatu) they left Nacokaika for Navuso and some months afterwards they were taken in canoes to Bau.

Then Verani, the chief of Viwa, was ordered by Cakobau to take the Suva people to their old town. They landed at Nukui, a fortified town on the coast close to Rewa, but held for Bau by Komai-Na- Mana (or “Mr. Phillips” as he called him self, as he had gone on a voyage to America in a whaler). They were joined there by Ratu Nailemba. who had been staying at Vutia; and the whole party, led by “Mr. Phillips” and his warriors, returned to Suva. They rebuilt the town, and restored its war-fences. Afterwards, the Suva people built a little town at Ba Walai, near Tamavua, as a check on the Lomai Vuna people.

The Suva people crossed the bay to Korobaba, and cut down two big Damanu trees, and built two large canoes, which they loaded with taro and breadfruit and turtle, and sent as a thanksgiving offer ing to Cakobau, receiving in return gifts of whales’ teeth and tappa.

After the fall of Rewa, in 1846, the people of Mou Vesari (which was a large town even in my early days in Fiji), Laim and Tamavua returned to their homes. . , After the burning of Rewa, in 1846, and the slaughter of its king and over 400 of its people, Qaraniqio—the prime mover in starting the war, and the bitter foe of Bau till his death—took refuge m the Lomai Vuna town of Vuniveilakau, on the Samabula RiVer, and retired to Colo-i-Suva and my old friend, Tamela, says he lived at my place, Vui Vui Ni Kawai, which was a fortified town—the remains of the ramparts are still there. % THE Lomai Vune people seem, for a time, to have been wary of making raids into Suva territory; but about 1850 the Suva people got their revenge.

A party of seven of the Lomai Vuna,

who came down by Vuniveilakau and Kinoya on a hunt for shell-fish at the mouth of the Vatuwaga river, were sur prised just after dawn by a party of five “Bati Kadi” (scouts) of Suva. The scouts crept down on them through the bush till close enough, and one of their number, Koli, with a blow of his club, killed Sinekudre, and the rest of the Vuna men fled. The victim gave his name to the Southern point of the entrance of the river, which is still known as

Ucunisinekudre.

This Koli was a native of Kolobo. who probably for very good reasons shifted to Suva. He was not a chief by birth, but what is known as a Tamata gaga (strong man).

The word “Koli” is really a title not a name. When a Fijian had killed his first enemy in battle, he was raised to the rank of Kori, and from Kori to Koli.

It was this skirmish at the Vatuwaga creek that led to the second Vuna war,

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clan on the Waimanu, and what warriors Qaraniquio could spare him, and he raised levies from as far North as Solo-i-Ra; and, with these, he marched past what is now my place, Na Vui Vui Ki, Kawai and Colo-i-Suva and Tamavua, gather ing what recruits he could, including a few from Wai Vuso and Lami. The latter clan was, as usual, divided, more joining Suva than the enemy.

From there, avoiding Ba Walai, to gain the advantage of a surprise, he reached Vuniveilakau. Next day he crossed the mouth of Kindya and Vatuwaga creeks and, passing up the old track and through the ruined town of Vatuwaga, camped for the night at Matailaivo, the site of Sir Henry Scott’s residence.

Here, in the early morning, they started to paint their faces and arrange their finery, for at no time is a Fijian such a dandy as when going into a fight.

Had they only made their toilets quietly, all might have been well.

But a Fijian seldom does anything quietly, and the sound of their voices reached a woman, who was cutting cou (grass) for the sleeping places in her house, near where Cakobau Road cuts through the Nai Bua rise. She raised the warning cry of the Fijians, “Nai Valu,’’ and instantly the town was roused.

First, a party of scouts rushed out, and quickly reached what used to be called Mr. Borron’s paddock (next to Sir Henry Scott’s, then called Nai Drewa, which was in,those days partly a swamp), and at once got in touch with the enemy.

The first to fall was a Suvan named Wogadrau, who, not side-stepping quickly enough, was killed by a spear thrown by Bai Ko Rewa. Then a Lami man, Toalilili, fighting with the Kai Lomai Vuna, had a bullet put clean through both cheeks by Kure Kadua.

Then the scouts fell back on the town;

and, as they did so, the woman Aisega, who had been cutting grass, called out to them. “Give me the gun! I will fight them if you men are afraid!” For memories of the awful day at Na Ca still burned in the minds of the women of Suva.

But, even as she spoke, Tabukaucoro and his men came rushing out of the town.

The two forces met about what is now the junction of Dennison and Duncan Roads.

The Lomai Vuna leader. Ca Mai Sala, had a spear driven through him by Koroverela. It pierced him through the chest, the point coming out near the shoulder blade.

The wounding of their leader threw the enemv into confusion, and they soon Mattered and fled before the Suva warriors.

Yet their leader, though wounded, was not abandoned. A faithful few bore him away, but were closely pressed by Koh Nigasele, the Mata-Ko-Bau and Vita. Just up the little cutting in Street they came to close quarters in the then thick bush.

Ligasele was seized by the throat by a Vuna warrior, who was about to club him, when Vita rushed to the rescue and knocked his brains out.

After this, the retreat became a rout.

Next day the dead body of Ca Mai Sala was found in the scrub in Rewa Street, being easily identified by its necklace of sharks’ teeth, for gales’ teeth were then almost unknown in Colo. The Dqay, suspended from a pole in the authorised manner, was carried into the help to fill the food ovens, and tjie head, fixed on a post at low water mark in front of the place whe / e ta^Y e^ r m the House now is, served as a target tor tne

youngsters.

Only one man, Wogadrau, is said to have fallen on the Suva side. In the hot pursuit, the warriors of Suva got back, in part at least, payment of the debt owing to them for the slaughter of then wives and sweethearts and children on the Bluff of Na Ca; and that night their ovens were full of the dead bodies of their enemies.

On that night the second Vuna war ended in victory, while the warriors feasted, the women and children danced, and this is the song that they sang m honour of Koli who, by starting the war, had given them their longed-for revenge.

The allusions in it to red and black are but allusions to the paint all warriors used in going into battle; Na meke ni tu Ro Suva Makawa Ena Gauna Ellu Na Koli Damu, na Kuli damn Na Koli Lou, Na L Kuli Loa.

Asese a meke I wau (Repeated three times).

A bo vata a meke I waw A tale ai valu Colo A tale ki lomanikoro A Butu aria Atu-u.

Some of those words are now almost obsolete. I will now give you the inter pretations. It is a song of the chiefs of Suva in the olden times; The Red Chief, the Red Chief, The Black Chief, the Black Chief, Stamp round to the chant of the song of the club (Repeated four times).

Come back from the fight with the mountaineers Come back to the middle of the town Stamp truce and then stand Shout together.

After the battle there was a lot of in termittent fighting along the borders. At one time the Vuna people attacked Kolobo, at other times the Suva warriors,

aided by those of Nataiseri, raided the enemy’s lands.

DURING this period the prettily situ ated town of Kaukalou, on the Tamavua River, was abandoned and destroyed. The site was a little below the present bridge, carrying the water mains, and is still marked by a few coconut trees and the large artificial mound on which the temple once stood.

Vakalailaibula, the brother of Tam bukaucoro, had taken refuge here, after boasting he was the true Chief of Suva; but his brother, not seeing the necessity of two kings, had him killed by some of his “Bati Kadi” (scouts). It had also given refuge to the party from Lami. who had joined Ca Mai Sala in the late fight ing. and so was doomed and wiped out.

The last time the war drum was beaten in Suva, summoning the warriors to the fray, was towards the close of the Vugali war, about 1865, when, aided by an in road to the Nataiseri clan on the people of Waimanu, they took and burned the towns of Lami and Tamavua. and brought their inhabitants prisoners to Suva, where they were detained for a while. But as, bv this time, the Kai-Suva had become Christians, their ovens were heated only for feasts of turtle and dalo.

Tabu-Kau-Coro married Adi Mili, the daughter of Kau-Mai-Ni-Ua. and by her he had three children. Rusieta was bom in 1852. but he did not live long. When, with his mother, he was returning to Suva, and crossing the Rewa Bar, a heavy sea swept the canoe; and when the con fusion it caused was over, all that could be found of the little chief was the mat on which he had been lying.

At his birth, his father had sent to Vesari for two men, and he ordered them to club two Suva men. whom he named, and one body was sent to Rewa and the other to Sawani, as a hint to his enemies that a son was born to carry on the old feud if necessary.

His other children were Tui Buia, better known to old residents of Suva as Ratu Ambrose, and a daughter, Di Salote.

Ratu Ambrose had bv his wife, Adi Kelera of Rewa, three children. They died and left no offspring and with them ended the race of the old chiefs of Suva.

Tabu-Kau-Coro (he who evaded the snare of the club of the mountaineers) died in Bau about 1857. and was buried in the old Vata-Ni-Tawaki.

It is uncertain if he became a Christian, but as he is sometimes termed Ratu Joshua it is likelv that he did. In the missionary records he is always called by his second name, Ravulo.

After his death. Cakobau brought the widow and her children to Bau, where they were brought up; but the lady soon afterwards became the wife of Ratu Golea, of Taveuni, and the mother of the Chiefs of Somo Somo.

NOW, about the history of the clans on the western side of the Bay. The people of Mou Kaloko Levu, Wai Vuso and Lami are said to be of one race, coming originally from the region a few miles west of Suva, known as Vlu Mou, or Na Sakalo.

The people of Vesari, now settled on the western point of Suva harbour, at Wai ga-ake, came down from the mountains at a somewhat later period, under a chief called Roko-ba-lena, from the district now known as Solo-i-ra, and settled at Nai Duva, a little further up the creek from the site of the town as I knew it in 1884.

About 1855, the Vesari people, helped by their friends from Solo-i-ra. burned the town of Na Qele Dina, on the Wai Vuso river. Not long after this, a more serious affair happened, for Liga-ca, or Na-Solia, Chief of the Wai Vuso clan, made a raid from his town of Na Toa

upon the island of Namuka, then occupied by two Americans.

One American was wounded and cap tured, but the other, a Mr. Colittle, escaped, and with the help of a party of

mountaineers sent by Koroduadua, the chief of Namosi, and led by the late Ezra Work (known to us boys as Moses Work—he was on the Mississippi with Mark Twain and settled on the Sigatoka) the wounded man was rescued, and the town of Na Moli, on the Wai Vuso creek was burned.

This led to an American warship burn ing most of the towns along the coast, including Nai Duva.

So ends my history of Suva, prior to the coming in of the Polynesian Company and the European.