Sau, (often mistranslated as “ King”), refers to the role of spiritual leader in pre-Christian Rotuman society. The title was neither primogenitary nor held for a lifetime, but rather was cycled through the chiefs of each of Rotuma's districts.

Overview

The position of sau was primarily tied into Rotuma's pre-Christian fertility cult and the worship of the supreme deity Tagroa Siria. This is reflected in the fact that each reign was generally for the six-month ritual cycle of the Rotuman calendar. At the beginning of each sau's reign, they would be installed by the

fakpure The Fakpure was the secular ruler of Rotuma in the pre-European contact times. It was one of three chiefly roles with direct influence across the island of Rotuma, the other two being the Mua and the Sau. Traditionally the most senior political ...

or secular ruler, and would subsequently be deified for six months, in the polity's hope that the appeasement of the sau, as a proxy for the God on earth, would result in prosperity and peace on the island. There were also instances where the sau was female, then called ''"sauhani"''. The other major political roles in Rotuman society were the

and the mua.

List of title holders

{, table width="70%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;" , td width="10%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;", Order, , td width="20%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;", Reigned, , td width="70%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;", Sau , - , 1., , unknown, , Sauhani , - , 2., , unknown, , Kaurifanua , - , 3., , unknown, , Riamkau , - , 4., , unknown, , Kaufose , - , 5., , unknown, , Taio , - , 6., , unknown, , Fonomanu , - , 7., , unknown, , Varomua , - , 8., , unknown, , Tiu I , - , 9., , unknown, , Marafu-Kauat , - , 10., , unknown, , Irava , - , 11., , unknown, , Tokoara , - , 12., , unknown, , Asesekava , - , 13., , unknown, , Mariseu , - , 14., , unknown, , Sakanane , - , 15., , unknown, , Tausia , - , 16., , unknown, , Sautupuak , - , 17., , unknown, ,

Paka Paka may refer to: Places Europe * Paka (river), a river in northern Slovenia * Paka, Mislinja, a settlement in the Municipality of Mislinja, Slovenia * Paka pri Predgradu, a settlement in the Municipality of Kočevje, Slovenia * Paka pri Velenj ...

, - , 18., , unknown, , Ravak , - , 19., , unknown, , Tokoniua , - , 20., , unknown, , Titofag , - , 21., , unknown, , Irava , - , 22., , unknown, , Ravak , - , 23., , unknown, , Tua-Oajo , - , 24., , 1820, , Gagafag , - , 25., , 1825, , Fatafesi , - , 26., , 1829, , Fatenefau , - , 27., , 1833, , Vuna , - , 28., , 1838, , Fatafesi , - , 29., , 1838, , Tamanava , - , 30., , 1839, , Solovalu , - , 31., , 1839, , Riamkau , - , 32., , 1839, , Tirasoko , - , 33., , 1840, , Otorovao , - , 34., , 1841, , Ragafua , - , 35., , 1843, , Vaurasi , - , 36., , 1843, , Vavaoti , - , 37., , 1845, , Ufat , - , 38., , 1845, , Patipat Vavahina , - , 39., , 1845, , Furisefaua , - , 40., , 1845, , Tirotorava , - , 41., , 1846, , Marafu , - , 42., , 1846, , Pogisemose , - , 43., , 1846, , Tarupea , - , 44., , 1846, , Sukamaso , - , 45., , 1847, , Mua , - , 46., , 1847, , Kausirafe , - , 47., , 1847, , Toporotu , - , 48., , 1848, , Tokaniua , - , 49., , 1849, , Garagasau , - , 50., , 1850, , Fakarufono , - , 51., , 1850, , Matagatage , - , 52., , 1851, , Manava , - , 53., , 1851, , Sokagatau , - , 54., , 1851, , Vavaoti , - , 55., , 1851, , Tavao , - , 56., , 1852, , Vaimanoko , - , 57., , 1852, , Katoagatau , - , 58., , 1854, , Kautane , - , 59., , 1855, , Fonogarotoi , - , 60., , 1856, , Tiporotu , - , 61., , 1857, , Fonmanu , - , 62., , 1858, , Tiu II , - , 63., , 1858, , Sarsartau , - , 64., , 1859, , Taipo , - , 65., , 1859, , Kauika , - , 66., , 1860, , Faoriro , - , 67., , 1860, , Farapapau , - , 68., , 1860, , Saurorota , - , 69., , 1860, , Ufamarata , - , 70., , 1862, , Sarasortau , - , 71., , 1862, , Teau , - , 72., , 1864, , Ufagatau , - , 73., , 1865, , Kavasakamua , - , 74., , 1865, , Saurativa , - , 75., , 1865, , Fotoafuru , - , 76., , 1865, , Fonomanu , - , 77., , 1866, ,

Jimi Jimi may refer to: * Jimi language (Cameroon) * Jimi language (Nigeria) * Jimi languages * Jimi system, the administration system of ancient China * Jimi River, in Papua New Guinea * Jimi Valley, in Papua New Guinea * Jimi District, in Papua New G ...

, - , 78., , 1866, , Varea , - , 79., , 1866, , Ravak , - , 80., , 1866, , Maraa , - , 81., , 1867, , Fonomanu , - , 82., , 1867, , Vasea , - , 83., , 1867, , Tavo , - , 84., , 1867, , Sokagaitu , - , 85., , 1868, , Ragafua , - , 86., , 1868, , Irava , - , 87., , 1868, , Hanifiro-Asoatemuri , - , 88., , 1868, , Tuipenau , - , 89., , 1869, , Tigarea , - , 90., , 1869, , Vasea , - , 91., , 1869, , Maraia , - , 92., , 1869–1870, , Suakamasa , -

Sources

Fijibure

Sau