Ratu Tiale Wimbledon Thomas Vuiyasawa (died March 1981) 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, civil servant and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Council and

Senate 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 ...

Biography

Vuiyasawa was born into a chiefly family, the second son of

Joni Madraiwiwi I Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi (1859 – December 1920) was a Fijian Ratu and early colonial administrator in what was then the British Crown Colony of Fiji. Heritage Born in Bau,Stewart Firth & Daryl Tarte (2001) ''20th Century Fiji: People who shaped th ...

and Litiana Maopa after

Lala Sukuna 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 Modern Fiji, post-independence leadership of Fiji. He did more than an ...

, and the uncle of future Prime Minister

Kamisese Mara Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, (6 May 1920 – 18 April 2004) was a Fijian politician, who served as Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the fi ...

.Ratu Tiale Wimbledon Thomas Vuiyasawa
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', May 1981, p81 He attended school in

Levuka Levuka () is a Local government in Fiji, town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau (Fiji), Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division, Fiji, Eastern Division of Fiji. Prior to 1877, it was the capital of Fiji. At the c ...

before completing his education at Wesley College in Melbourne. In 1916 he enlisted in the New Zealand army, joining the 4th Maori Reinforcements. After serving in Egypt and France with the Pioneer Battalion, he was transferred to the Rarotongan Company who were in Palestine. Returning to Fiji in 1919, he joined the civil service, becoming Native Assistant Commissioner for Lomaiviti in 1933. In 1937 he became

Roko Tui Roko may refer to: * Roko (given name), a Croatian masculine name * Roko, a surname: ** Amy Roko, the stage name of a Saudi Arabian comedian ** Nasoni Roko, a Fijian rugby union player * Roko (title), a title of chiefly rank used in Fiji, includin ...

Ra Province Ra is one of the fourteen provinces of Fiji. Occupying the northern area of Viti Levu, the largest island, it is one of eight Viti Levu-based Provinces. With a land area of 1341 square kilometers, it had a population of 30,432 at the 2017 census. ...

. In the same year, he was one of the ten members put forward by 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 ...

for the Governor to choose five nominated members of the Legislative Council. Although he was not chosen, when

Penijamini Veli Ratu Penijamini Veli (1874 – 27 August 1938) was a Fijian chief, civil servant and politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Council from 1937 until his death the following year. Biography Born in 1874, Veli joined the civil servic ...

died the following year, Vuiyasawa was selected as his replacement. He was reappointed to the council following elections in

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January *January ...

and

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...

. In 1945 Vuiyasawa became Roko Tui of

Ba Province Ba is a province of Fiji, occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is one of fourteen provinces in the nation of Fiji, and one of eight based in Viti Levu. It is Fiji's most populous province, with a population o ...

, before being appointed Roko Tui of

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 ...

two years later. He was appointed to the Legislative Council again following the 1947 elections. Although he was not reappointed after the

1950 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1950. Africa * 1950 South-West African legislative election Asia * 1950 Iranian legislative election Australia * 1950 New South Wales state election * 1950 Queensland state election * 1950 South ...

, he rejoined the Council in 1952 as a replacement for

Edward Cakobau Ratu Sir Edward Tuivanuavou Tugi Cakobau (21 December 1908 – 25 June 1973) was a Fijian chief, soldier, politician and cricketer. He was a member of the Fijian legislature from 1944 until his death, also serving as Minister for Commerce, Ind ...

after he resigned. In 1957 he was appointed to Suva City Council for a year after the resignation of Mikaele Dreu.Ratu T.W.T Vuiyasawa
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', June 1957, p117 When the

was established at independence in 1970, he was one of the eight members appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs, serving until 1973. He died in March 1981 at the age of 85.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vuiyasawa, Tiale Fijian chiefs People educated at Wesley College (Victoria) New Zealand military personnel of World War I Fijian soldiers Fijian civil servants Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji Members of the Senate (Fiji) 1981 deaths