Ratu ''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 ...

Tevita Vakalalabure (1927 – 6 May 2005) was a

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 ...

an chief and politician. Ratu Vakalalabure held the chiefly title of Vunivalu of Natewa, one of the three senior titles in

Cakaudrove Province 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 i ...

. He served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

in the 1990s, becoming

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 Senate before winning the Cakaudrove West Fijian Communal Constituency in the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

in a byelection in 1996. He was also a member of the

Great Council of Chiefs The Great Council of Chiefs ''(Bose Levu Vakaturaga'' in Fijian) was a constitutional body in Fiji from 1876 to March 2012. In April 2007, the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interi ...

. Vakalalabure was the father of eight children, including Ratu

Rakuita Vakalalabure Ratu Rakuita Saurara Vakalalabure (born 1962) is a Fijian lawyer and former politician. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1999 and following the elections after the 2000 political upheavals was a candidate of the Conservat ...

, who became Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2001, and subsequently served a prison sentence for his involvement in the

2000 Fijian coup d'état The Fiji coup d'état of 2000 was a civilian coup d'état by hardline i-Taukei (ethnic Fijian) nationalists against the elected government of an Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry on 19 May 2000. This was followed by an attempt on ...

. Ratu Rakuita was released from prison to attend his father's funeral.

References

1927 births 2005 deaths Fijian chiefs I-Taukei Fijian members of the House of Representatives (Fiji) I-Taukei Fijian members of the Senate (Fiji) Presidents of the Senate (Fiji) Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei politicians Politicians from Natewa {{fiji-politician-stub