Motusa is a group of close villages in the district of
Itu'tiu, on the island of
Rotuma, one of the islands of
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
. Rotuma is made up of two
volcanic landmasses connected by a sandy
isthmus, on which Motusa is located. For this reason it has one of the islands longest white sandy beach. Motusa also sits between the Islands two largest
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...
; Maka Bay to the North and Hapmafau Bay to the South.
Motusa consists of the following places:
*
Ạilala
*Agai Maftoa
*Atapisi
*Elsee
*Elsio
*Fagmạn
*Farsạu
*Fonmạn
*Hamatua
*Haroa
*Islepi
*Jumjumi
*Leitunoa
*Lum'ava
*Malniu
*Mofmanu
*Tạnmohini
*Tia
*Tuifiriga
*Salagvaka
*Samoa
*Uanheta
*Upu
Motusa also has a primary school known as Motusa District School, that consist of Year 1 to Year 8.
Motusa is about one kilometer southwest of
Ahau, the government station, which is also the location of the island's post office, and a small hospital. Ahau is now the administrative center of Rotuma, although for a long time Motusa, being the largest settlement, and one of the best
moorings, was the centre of most business transactions and industry.
Historical events
In 1871, a battle occurred here between Catholic and unconverted Motusan and the
Wesleyans. Christian missionaries backed by their respective nations (the Catholic French and Protestant Wesleyan British) exacerbated the pre-existing strained relationship between Motusan chiefs.
The British flag was raised in Motusa on May 13, 1881, seven years after Fiji was ceded to the British. It was attended by Fiji's colonial governor
William Des VÅ“ux
Sir George William Des Vœux (22 September 1834 – 15 December 1909) was a British colonial administrator who served as governor of Fiji (1880–1885), Newfoundland (1886–1887), and Hong Kong (1887–1891).
Early life
Des VÅ“ux was born as ...
and the high chiefs of the seven districts of Rotuma.
References
{{coord, 12, 31, S, 177, 02, E, region:FJ-R_type:city_source:kolossus-dewiki, display=title
Rotuma