Radini Nayau
Encyclopedia
Radini Nayau is the courtesy title given to the wife or chief wife of the Tui Nayau
, Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands
in Fiji
. The bearer of this title is installed at the same time as the Tui Nayau. In the past when polygamy was the norm and the Tui Nayau had many wives, the chief or senior wife bore this title.
The first holder of the title is likely to have been Laufitu
, the senior wife of Rasolo
, the first installed Tui Nayau. The last holder of this title was Ro Lady Lala Mara
, who as the Roko Tui Dreketi
was a Paramount Chief in her own right.
The following table lists consorts of Tui Nayaus who have held the title.
Tui Nayau
Tui 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 Tui Nayau means Lord of Nayau, an island north of Lakeba, the latter accepted by many to be the chiefly island in the Lauan...
, Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. The bearer of this title is installed at the same time as the Tui Nayau. In the past when polygamy was the norm and the Tui Nayau had many wives, the chief or senior wife bore this title.
The first holder of the title is likely to have been Laufitu
Laufitu
Laufitu was a Tongan-Fijian chieftainess. She was the first wife of Rasolo, who was the third Roko Sau of the Lau Islands and first installed holder of the title Tui Nayau. She was by him the mother of Malani, the seventh Roko Sau and the second to hold the Tui Nayau title of the Vuanirewa dynasty...
, the senior wife of Rasolo
Rasolo
Rasolo was the second son of Niumataiwalu, founder of the Vuanirewa dynasty or noble clan of the Lau Islands in Fiji.-Vuanirewa:Rasolo became the third Roko Sau of the Lau Islands and first installed holder of the title Tui Nayau. According to oral history, when Rasolo and the rest of his family...
, the first installed Tui Nayau. The last holder of this title was Ro Lady Lala Mara
Lala Mara
Ro Lala, Lady Mara, maiden name Litia Cakobau Lalabalavu Katoafutoga Tuisawau was a Fijian chief, who was better known as the widow of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, modern Fiji's founding father who served for many years as Prime Minister and President of his country...
, who as the Roko Tui Dreketi
Roko Tui Dreketi
The Roko Tui Dreketi is the Paramount Chief of Fiji's Rewa Province and of the Burebasaga Confederacy, to which Rewa belongs.-Details on the title:...
was a Paramount Chief in her own right.
The following table lists consorts of Tui Nayaus who have held the title.
Order | ' | Consort of | Lived | Notes |
1. | Laufitu Laufitu Laufitu was a Tongan-Fijian chieftainess. She was the first wife of Rasolo, who was the third Roko Sau of the Lau Islands and first installed holder of the title Tui Nayau. She was by him the mother of Malani, the seventh Roko Sau and the second to hold the Tui Nayau title of the Vuanirewa dynasty... |
Rasolo Rasolo Rasolo was the second son of Niumataiwalu, founder of the Vuanirewa dynasty or noble clan of the Lau Islands in Fiji.-Vuanirewa:Rasolo became the third Roko Sau of the Lau Islands and first installed holder of the title Tui Nayau. According to oral history, when Rasolo and the rest of his family... |
17??-17?? | Daughter of the Tui Tovu, High Chief of Totoya Totoya Totoya is a volcanic island in the Moala subgroup of Fiji's Lau archipelago. It occupies an area of 28 square kilometers, making it the smallest of the Moalas. Its maximum altitude is 366 meters. The main economic activity is coconut farming.... Island. |
2. | Ciri of Taqalevu | Malani Malani Roko Malani was the eldest son of Rasolo, the first Tui Nayau , and of Laufitu a high-ranking lady of Totoya and Tongan descent. He succeeded to the title Roko Sau, after engineering a successful coup d'état and slaying his uncle, Matawalu, the fourth Roko Sau, in battle... |
17??-18?? | Lady of Tubou Tubou Tubou is a village on the Fijian island of Lakeba. One of eight villages on Lakeba, it is considered the capital of the Lau Islands, being the seat of the Vuanirewa clan, a powerful chiefly family from which Fiji's longtime Prime Minister and President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and one of Fiji's... Village, Lakeba Lakeba Lakeba is an island in Fiji's Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers. It is fertile and well watered, and encircled by a 29-kilometer road. Its closest neighbors are Aiwa... - mother of Vuetasau Vuetasau Viliame Vuetasau was the son of Roko Malani, the seventh Roko Sau of Lau and second Tui Nayau and Ciri of Taqalevu. During the reign of his Uncle Taliai Tupou, third Tui Nayau, he was considered heir to the title... . |
3. | Gaviti | Taliai Tupou Taliai Tupou Roko Taliai Tupou was the son of Rasolo the first Tui Nayau and Radravu of Totoya. He is the younger brother of Roko Malani. He was the 3rd person to be installed to the Tui Nayau title. He is considered the progenitor of the noble household, Vatuwaqa in the chiefly Vuanirewa clan and as such, was... |
18??-18?? | Daughter of Ratu Tui'ila'ila Lalabalavu Baleinamatau Tui Cakau Tui Cakau The Tui Cakau is the Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove Province in Fiji. In Modern Fiji this chiefly title is regarded as the most senior in the Tovata Confederacy, and the third most senior in the country.-Recent history :... , Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove Cakaudrove Cakaudrove is one of fourteen provinces of Fiji, and one of three based principally on the northern island of Vanua Levu, occupying the south-eastern third of the island and including the nearby islands of Taveuni, Rabi, Kioa, and numerous other islands in the Vanua Levu Group... . |
4. | Tiu of Taqalevu | Eroni Loganimoce Eroni Loganimoce Eroni Loganimoce is a former Fijian cricketer. Loganimoce was a right-arm medium pace bowler.Loganimoce made his first-class debut for Fiji in 1954 against Canterbury during Fiji's 1953/54 tour of New Zealand... |
18??-18?? | Lady of Tubou Village . |
5. | Ateca Mocewai | Alifereti Finau Ulugalala Alifereti Finau Ulugalala Ratu Alifereti Finau was the eleventh Roko Sau of Lau and the fifth Tui Nayau. He was the son of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II and Adi Asenaca Kakua Vuikaba, daughter of the Vunivalu of Bau and self styled King of Fiji, Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau... |
18??-19?? | Granddaughter of Ratu Seru Cakobau, Vunivalu of Bau Vunivalu of Bau Turaga na Vunivalu ni Bau is the Paramount Chief of the Kubuna Confederacy, loosely translated the title means Warlord of Bau or Root of War. The succession to the title does not follow primogeniture, but the candidate must be a high ranking member of the Tui Kaba clan.-A brief history:The... . |
6. | Roko Senivaivai | Tevita Uluilakeba III Tevita Uluilakeba III Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III was the 12th Tui Nayau and Sau Ni Vanua of the Lau Islands. He was also the father of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, founding father of the modern nation of Fiji.... |
18??-19?? | Lady of Mataqali Naivi, Tubou Village and mother to Adi Eci Atelaite, Mrs Kelesi Malani, Ratu Etuate Wainiu etc. |
7. | Ro Lala Mara | Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara Kamisese Mara Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992... |
1931-2004 | Daughter of the Roko Tui Dreketi Roko Tui Dreketi The Roko Tui Dreketi is the Paramount Chief of Fiji's Rewa Province and of the Burebasaga Confederacy, to which Rewa belongs.-Details on the title:... , succeeded to her fathers title, in 1974 . |