{{Unreferenced, date=December 2009
Toki Soroaqali was a
Lauan chief and member of the noble dynasty of
Vuanirewa in
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 ...
, active in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
He was the second son of
Rasolo, the first ''
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 ...
'' through a lady of rank from the
Narewadamu. He was thus half brother to both, the second and third ''Tui Nayau’s'',
Malani and
Taliai Tupou and the brother of
Lalaciwa '' Adi'' Lalaciwa was a Fijian chiefess and member of the Vuanirewa dynasty on the Lau Islands of Fiji.
Lalaciwa was the only daughter of Rasolo, who was the third ''Roko Sau'', first '' Tu'i Nayau'' and the progenitor of the Matailakeba and V ...
.
As his mother belonged to the Narewadamu, the original noble houses of
Lakeba, he was considered ''
Vasu i Taukei'', having greater rights in Lakeba through his mother. Prior to Malani becoming
Roko Sau
Sau Mai Kedekede now more commonly referred to as Sau ni Vanua ko Lau is one of the preeminent titles held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji.
History
The title Sau Mai Kedekede originates from the Tongan word “Hau”, denoting t ...
, he and his younger brother Taliai Tupou, whose mothers were from outside Lakeba, offered him the right to become Roko Sau and Tui Nayau. He opted out stating that should he become High Chief, the Lakeba people would not listen to them as they had no kinsfolk amongst them but should Malani take the chieftainship and require anything, he would direct the Lakeba people to follow his brother’s orders as they were his kin. It was thus that Malani succeeded to Roko Sau and Tui Nayau without further dispute.
Further records show that Soroaqali was alive when the first
missionaries
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
arrived on Lakeba. He however despised the new religion and opposed
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
to the end. He died in 1844.
Fijian chiefs
People from Lakeba
Vuanirewa