Who Has Longest Fijian Name?

51 Letters is the Present Record

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva. Mav 8.

POLICE Inspector Levant Tamanikairu kurukuiovalau, who for obvious reasons is usually known as Inspector Levant, has taken seven months’ leave and, accompanied by his wife, has gone to New Zealand. He will study fingerprint and ballistics work with the police, and psychology at Victoria University College, Wellington.

The New Zealand press has been vastly impressed by the inspector’s name, and he has been labelled the “world’s longest named policeman.’’

Back in Fiji, the New Zealand reaction has produced a search for Fijian names of greater dimensions than the inspec tor’s 24-letter complication.

First came Isikeli Daucakacakawaso mamainavaleniveivesumainavavaoa. This is an authentic Fijian name which is translated as Isikeli Habitually-a- Prisoner-at-Navavaoa. With 46 letters it leaves Inspector Levant out of the run ning. Isikeli’s second name was quoted as the “longest Fijian name ever known” until Akuila S. Tawake, at present a patient at Tamavua Hospital, established a new record with his.

His name is Senikaunikatonimatekeira tusalesikinikinilaukinamoli. Barring lapses along the line, the preliminary count gives 51 letters, and Akuila, by way of the Press, has challenged all comers to beat it. His name means “Flowers on the coffin of Ratu Sales! Kinikinilau at Namoli,” and, like the name of Isikeli, it follows the Fijian custom of basing names on deeds or events connected with a well-known relative or ancestor.

Incidentally, most of the exceptionally long Fijian names come from the Lau Group.