Ratu Sir Josefa Lalabalavu Vanayaliyali Sukuna (22 April 1888 – 30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. He is regarded as the forerunner of the
post-independence leadership of Fiji. He did more than anybody to lay the groundwork for self-government by fostering the development of modern institutions in Fiji, and although he died a dozen years before independence from the United Kingdom was achieved in 1970, his vision set the course that Fiji was to follow in the years to come.
Lineage
Sukuna was born into a chiefly family on
Bau, off the island of
Viti Levu, the largest island in the Fiji archipelago. His father,
Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi
Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, Lord Madraiwiwi Tangatatonga (10 November 1957 – 29 September 2016) was a prominent Fijian lawyer, legal scholar, jurist, and politician. He served as vice-president, and also acting president, of Fiji, and Chief Just ...
, was the son of the
Bauan noble and rebel leader
Ratu Mara Kapaiwai.
After joining the Audit Office as a clerk at an early age, Ratu Madraiwiwi had steadily worked his way up through the civil service, establishing connections along the way that were later to prove decisive in the life of his son. Ratu Sukuna's mother,
Adi Litiana Maopa, was the sister of the
Tui Nayau
''Tu’i 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, ''Tu’i Nayau'' means "Lord of Nayau", an island north of Lakeba, the la ...
,
Ratu Alifereti Finau Ulukalala (High Chief of Lau) and father of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III
he father of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
Ratu Mara Kapaiwai of Bau was born in 1815, son of Ratu
Vuibureta and Adi
Mere Veisaca. Ratu Vuibureta was the sixth son of Ratu
Banuve Baleivavalagi the 3rd Vunivalu of Bau from 1770 to 1803 and Adi Ufia from Lakeba.
Throughout his life, Ratu Sukuna was regarded as a credible contender for the title of
Tui Viti
Tui or TUI may refer to:
Places
* Tui, Pontevedra, Spain
* Tui, Iran, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
* Tui, North Khorasan, North Khorasan Province, Iran
* Tui Province, Burkina Faso
* Tuis District, Costa Rica
* Tui railway station, New Zea ...
.
Although he was not accorded a chiefly title from Bau his birthplace, he was installed as the second
Tui Lau in 1938 following the traditional process of consultation between the
Yavusa Vuanirewa and the endorsement of the
Tui Nayau
''Tu’i 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, ''Tu’i Nayau'' means "Lord of Nayau", an island north of Lakeba, the la ...
, Ratu
Tevita Uluilakeba III following the passing of Ratu
Alifereti Finau Ulukalala as referenced in the TRY Lakeba. He held the title of Tui Lau until his death in 1958.
Early life
Sukuna's exposure to diverse cultures came early. Although Sukuna was an
indigenous Fijian, his father enrolled him at the
Wairuku Indian School in
Ra, founded in 1898 by
Pandit
A Pandit ( sa, पण्डित, paṇḍit; hi, पंडित; also spelled Pundit, pronounced ; abbreviated Pt.) is a man with specialised knowledge or a teacher of any field of knowledge whether it is shashtra (Holy Books) or shastra (Wea ...
Badri Maharaj
Badri Maharaj was an Indo-Fijian farmer, politician, and philanthropist. He was the first Indian member of the Legislative Council serving for two periods between 1916 and 1923 and 1926 to 1929 as a nominated member, but he was not a popular ...
, who later served from 1917 to 1929 as the first
Indo-Fijian member of Fiji's
Legislative Council (the forerunner to the present
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
. One of the teachers at the school was the Rev.
Charles Andrew. Andrew was a colourful character, an
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
-educated
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
clergyman who had converted to
Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
and then back again, before sailing for the mission field in Fiji. Determined that Sukuna should receive the best education possible, his father arranged for him to receive private tuition from Andrew. He was a strict teacher, beating Sukuna on occasion.
Sukuna proved to be an exceptionally able student; author
Deryck Scarr
Derek is a masculine given name. It is the English language short form of ''Diederik'', the Low Franconian form of the name Theodoric. Theodoric is an old Germanic name with an original meaning of "people-ruler".
Common variants of the name are ...
later said of him that he spoke English with "the bell-like tones of standard
southern English, as though he had studied diction with the royal family" – a compliment rarely paid even to a native speaker, let alone one who knew English only as a
second language
A person's second language, or L2, is a language that is not the native language (first language or L1) of the speaker, but is learned later. A second language may be a neighbouring language, another language of the speaker's home country, or a fo ...
. Largely as a result of Andrew's influence, the young Ratu Sukuna was sent to the prestigious
Wanganui Collegiate School
Whanganui Collegiate School (formerly Wanganui Collegiate School; see here) is a state-integrated, coeducational, day and boarding, secondary school in Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui region, New Zealand. The school is affiliated to the Anglican c ...
in
Wanganui
Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whangan ...
, New Zealand. He proved to be a bright pupil. He was a strong debater, played rugby and cricket, and became the Wanganui Collegiate boxing champion.
Sukuna hoped to remain in New Zealand to pursue a university degree, but his source of funds dried up and he was forced to return to Fiji, where, in 1907, he joined the civil service as a fifth class clerk. His superb command of English, however, ensured his rapid promotion and it was not long before he became the chief translator for the government. In 1909 he was invited by his uncle,
Ratu Alfred Finau Ulukalala, to return to the Lau Islands to become the assistant master of the
Lau Provincial School
Lau or LAU may refer to:
People
* Lau (surname)
* Liu (劉/刘), a common Chinese family name transliterated Lau in Cantonese and Hokkien
* Lau clan, one of the Saraswat Brahmin clans of Punjab
* LAU (musician): Laura Fares
Places
* Lebane ...
at Lakeba. He also became visiting examiner at
Queen Victoria School and
Levuka Public School, at the age of 21. At Lakeba, Sukuna formed what was to be another key relationship in his life, with the young English headmaster,
Arthur Maurice Hocart
Arthur Maurice Hocart (26 April 1883, in Etterbeek, Belgium – 9 March 1939, in Cairo, Egypt) was an anthropologist best known for his eccentric and often far-seeing works on Polynesia, Melanesia, and Sri Lanka.
Early life
Hocart's family had ...
.
War hero and Scholar
It was at this point in his life that the connections cultivated by Sukuna's father throughout his career proved decisive. No Fijians to date had graduated from a university, and the British colonial administration was unwilling to encourage higher learning for the natives. However, Ratu Madraiwiwi was personally acquainted with the
colonial Governor,
Sir Francis Henry May, and in 1911 asked him to try to arrange for his son to study at a British university on the grounds that he had passed the matriculation exams at Wanganui Collegiate School. May's influence persuaded the British Colonial Secretary, reluctantly, to grant Sukuna a one-year leave of absence from his responsibilities in Fiji to study history at
Wadham College,
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, in 1913. Financial constraints had prevented him from realising his dream of pursuing a four-year law degree at
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
.
Ratu Sukuna had little time to settle down to his studies.
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
broke out and Sukuna applied for enlistment in the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. The British government, however, had a policy of refusing enlistment to
Fijians
Fijians ( fj, iTaukei, lit=Owners (of the land)) are a nation and ethnic group native to Fiji, who speak Fijian and share a common history and culture.
Fijians, or ''iTaukei'', are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in ...
, a policy rationalised by a wish to avoid exploiting the native people. Believing that Fijians would never gain the respect of their British rulers, without proving their worth on the battlefield, Sukuna enlisted in the
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...
instead. He fought bravely and was wounded towards the end of 1915 and forced to return to Fiji. He returned to France the following year, however, with the
Native Transport Detachment, a newly formed contingent assisting the British Army. Apparently, the British colonial authorities had had a change of heart about native participation in the war. For his wartime service, Ratu Sukuna was awarded the
Croix de Guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
.
Now a war hero, Ratu Sukuna had no difficulty raising funds for his return to Oxford. Towards the end of 1918, he graduated from the history course that was shortened for returned servicemen. He proceeded to the
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...
in London, and by 1921 had graduated with both a BA and an
LL.B
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
degree. He thus became the first-ever Fijian to receive a university degree.
The Statesman
Meanwhile, Sukuna's father had died in 1920, and he had to return to Fiji to take his place as head of the
mataqali A mataqali (pronounced ) is a Fijian clan or landowning unit.
See also
*Culture of Fiji
The culture of Fiji is a tapestry of native Fijian, Indian, European, Chinese, and other nationalities. Culture polity traditions, language, food costume, ...
, or clan. He brought with him a tailored isulu, a skirt worn by men, which became Fiji's national dress. He became a chief assistant in the
Native Lands Commission in 1922, and a decade later he was stationed in
Lomaloma
Lomaloma (; officially ''Lomaloma Tikina'', ) is a village at the south of the island of Vanua Balavu in the Lau archipelago of Fiji. The settlement is part of the tribal district of Tikina, Lomaloma and consists of 9 villages, 13 Yavusa (tribe ...
, and also on the island of
Lakeba in the
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands aka little Tonga (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty a ...
, as a district and provincial commissioner. The same year, he was appointed to the Legislative Council to represent the Fijian people. (At that time, non-European members were appointed, rather than elected). In this capacity, Sukuna attended the
coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
The coronation of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and as Emperor and Empress of India took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on Wednesday 12 May 1937. ...
in London in 1937.
In 1938, Sukuna was installed as the ''
Tui Lau (Protector of the Tongans of Sawana in Vanuabalavu),'' a senior chiefly title in the Lau Islands that had been vacant for many years. In many respects, this formalised what had long been the reality that he was the most influential chief in Fiji, notwithstanding the seniority enjoyed by other chiefs. Sukuna's education complemented his lineage: he was a descendant of Fijian and Lauan royalty, and no other chief held a university degree. It was by hard work, however, that he earned the respect of his people. Travelling from village to village, Sukuna listened to the common people and took their concerns back to the colonial authorities. In 1940, he returned to Suva as the Native Lands Reserves Commissioner. That year he was awarded the
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
. In 1942 he set about recruiting Fijian men for the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
effort. The British government had completely reversed its former position of not permitting natives to enlist, and the
Fijian Battalion, commanded by
Ratu Edward Cakobau
''Ratu'' () is an Austronesian title used by male Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, ''adi'' (pronounced ), is used by females of chiefly rank. In the Malay language, the title ''ratu'' is also the traditional honorific title to re ...
(a relative of Sukuna's) fought with distinction. At long last, Fijians had begun to earn the respect of the British authorities, and after the war, they began steps towards fostering self-government in Fiji.
One of Ratu Sukuna's greatest achievements was his role in the establishment of the
Native Land Trust Board
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
. Most of the land of Fiji was owned by the ''mataqali,'' or clans, but worked by
Indo-Fijian farmers. Prior to 1940, each clan individually negotiated the terms of leasing the land to those who farmed it, resulting in a wide variation of lease terms. As most landholdings were small, few ''mataqali'' were able to develop their plots to any large degree. The then colonial governor,
Sir Arthur Gordon, proposed establishing a central body to hold the land in trust and lease it to willing farmers on terms that would be uniform throughout Fiji. The pressing need of the time was to provide land for a growing population of Indo-Fijian farmers, without expropriating it from its Fijian owners, and to do so in a way that was consistent. As early as 1933, Ratu Sukuna had recognised this problem, and had told the
Great Council of Chiefs, "''We regard the Indian desire for more permanent tenancy as a natural and legitimate consequence an agricultural community settling in any country. But how was this desire to be reconciled with the need to protect the interests of present and future Fijian landowners?''" The Native Land Trust Board scheme emerged as a solution.
Persuading the various ''mataqali'' to accept the scheme, however, was far from easy. The landowners were being asked to surrender, forever, the control of their land, and entrust its administration to a central authority that would act in the national interest, as well as that of the owners. Almost single-handedly, Ratu Sukuna set about explaining the proposal to every ''mataqali'' in Fiji. Rather than rely on radio broadcasts or printed flyers, he determined to take the proposal in person to every village in the country. After explaining it to the people, he would leave to allow the idea to percolate and would return later to answer more questions. If necessary, he would return again and again, gradually building a consensus in favour of the plan. Finally, after a long and vigorous debate, the
Great Council of Chiefs approved the scheme in what
Sir Philip Mitchell, the then Governor, described as "one of the greatest acts of faith and trust in colonial history." Ratu Sukuna himself was assigned the task of examining each landholding and deciding what portion should be reserved for the present and future needs of the ''mataqali,'' and what portion should be made available for leasing.
Meanwhile, Sukuna had become Secretary for Fijian Affairs. In 1944, he reestablished the Native Regulations Board, later renamed the
Fijian Affairs Board
Fijian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Fiji
* The Fijians, persons from Fiji, or of Fijian descent. For more information about the Fijian people, see:
** Demographics of Fiji
** Culture of Fiji
* The Fijian language ...
. Then in 1950, he was appointed as an advisor to the British delegation to the Fourth Committee at
Lake Success Lake Success can refer to:
*Lake Success (California), lake in California
*Lake Success, New York, village in New York
*''Lake Success'', a novel by American author Gary Shteyngart
Gary Shteyngart (; born July 5, 1972) is a Soviet-born American ...
. He said that while self-government was indeed the goal in the South Pacific, it would have to be of a kind that the local people could understand and work with.
Sukuna was created a
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1939 and awarded a knighthood in 1946, in recognition of his services to Fiji. After receiving a second knighthood
KCMG in 1953, Ratu Sukuna was appointed the first native-born
Speaker (politics)
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
of the
Legislative Council in 1954. Although it was only partially elected and had few of the powers of the modern
Parliament of Fiji
The Parliament of the Republic of Fiji is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Fiji. It consists of 55 members elected every 4 years using open list proportional representation in one multi-member nationwide constituency.
History
...
, the Legislative Council provided a venue for Fiji's future leaders to gain experience in the workings of government. In 1956, Ratu Sukuna encouraged the formation of Fiji's first political party, the
Fijian Association under the leadership of
Ratu Edward Cakobau
''Ratu'' () is an Austronesian title used by male Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, ''adi'' (pronounced ), is used by females of chiefly rank. In the Malay language, the title ''ratu'' is also the traditional honorific title to re ...
.
Ratu Sukuna's Legacy
Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna was married twice, first to
Adi Maraia Vosawale (1903–1956) in 1928, and later to
Maca Likutabua (1934–2000) in September 1957, eight months before his death. Neither marriage produced any children, and his successor as the
Tui Lau was his nephew,
[Fijian culture understands Sukuna to be Mara's uncle (he was a relative, in his father's generation). British culture understands them to be second cousins, once removed (Mara's father shared grandparents with Sukuna).] Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The late Adi Alani Sovanatabua (later Dimuri, when she married Ratu Kinivilame Pai Dimuri, of Naseakula, Macuata) was the only child and daughter of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna as a result of a defacto relationship with Roko Melaia Lutukivuya, daughter of Roko Jone Liwaki, the brother of Ratu Alifereti Finau Ulukalala. Ratu Sukuna had acknowledged Adi Sovanatabua as his daughter. Roko Melaia Lutukivuya was the first cousin of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III and Aunt of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.
Ratu Sukuna died en route to England on the ship , on 30 May 1958. He was buried at the
Vatanitawake, the
Sau Tabu in
Tubou,
Lakeba alongside great leaders of Lau.
Although he did not live to see Fiji gain its independence (in 1970), the role he played in the pre-independence years was crucial; without him, there might not have been a Fijian state or its creation would almost certainly have been delayed. Not only was his personal role decisive, he also mentored several of the men who were to play pivotal roles in the post-independence years. His nephew,
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, became a world figure as Fiji's first
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
and later served as
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
;
Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau served for many years as a
Cabinet minister
A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, ...
and his cousin,
Ratu Sir George Cakobau became the country's ''de facto''
Head of State
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
as its first native-born
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
; and
Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau
Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu Ganilau (28 July 1918 – 15 December 1993) was the first President of Fiji, serving from 8 December 1987 until his death in 1993. He had previously served as Governor-General of Fiji, representing Elizabeth II, Que ...
became the first
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
of the Republic of Fiji. All four had been personally selected by Ratu Sukuna for leadership, mentored by him, and educated abroad at his expense. Upon his passing Ratu Sukuna had nothing more to his name but 50 cents which was concluded that in a sense, he gave everything he had to his nation and investing in the education of his successors. Long after his death, they continued to regard him as their mentor and saw the implementation of his vision as their sacred responsibility. Even today, now that the torch has been passed to a younger generation, most Fijian politicians, even from the
Indo-Fijian community, regard themselves as heirs of his legacy.
Fiji's third constitutional
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
,
Ratu Josefa Iloilo, described Ratu Sukuna as "a great and noble man ... whose foresight and vision still impacts on our future."
Regnal Title
Footnotes
References
* Ratu Sukuna Soldier, Statesman, Man of two worlds – a book by Deryck Scarr
* 20th Century Fiji, edited by Stewart Firth & Daryl Tarte – 2001 –
* The Three Legged Stool – a book by Deryck Scarr, ''a journal type entry written by Ratu Sukuna and edited into a book by Deryk Scarr''
External links
Native Lands Trust Boardinformation on Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sukuna, Ratu Sir Lala
1888 births
1958 deaths
Fijian chiefs
Fijian soldiers
Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Tui Lau
People educated at Whanganui Collegiate School
Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion
I-Taukei Fijian members of the Legislative Council of Fiji
Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford
Speakers of the Legislative Council of Fiji
Politicians from Lakeba
Politicians from Bau (island)
Members of the Middle Temple
20th-century Fijian lawyers