Uluilakeba I

{{Unreferenced, date=October 2008 Uluilakeba was the eldest son of

Niumataiwalu Niumataiwalu was a Verata high chief who was the father of Roko Rasolo and his siblings who became the Vuanirewa siblings or clan in Lau. The name Niumataiwalu, translated as 'I came first at Walu beach' was in memory of his grandfather-Tuivanuak ...

. He did not succeed to his fathers title, first since his father was not known to have been installed to the title of either

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 ...

or Sau ni Vanua ko Lau, second in the test of feat that had ensued to select the candidate for the title of Tui Nayau he was known to have been one of the two sons of Niumataiwalu who had backed down from the unnerving jump that was put to them by the Bete. In that test of feat it was said as related orally that he as an excuse to allay any possible accusation of cowardice on his part said that since he was the eldest his claim to the title was already established by birthright and thence there was no need for him to prove himself.

Rasolo Rasolo was a Fijian High Chief. Family Father of Rasolo was Chief Niumataiwalu of Lakeba. Rasolo's mother was Lady Tarau of Tovu Totoya. Rasolo was a brother of Lady Sivoki and Uluilakeba I and half-brother of Matawalu. Rasolo's first wife wa ...

then on the account of his elder brothers excuse, the second eldest of the three then took up the challenge, after

Matawalu {{unreferenced, date=December 2009 Matawalu was a Fijian chief. He was the son of Niumataiwalu—first ''Roko Sau'' of Lau Islands—and Uma of Nukunuku. Matawalu became the fourth ''Roko Sau'', ruler of the Lau Islands, after the death of his h ...

the youngest had also surrendered up any idea of contesting. After his unsuccessful bid to the title it was later said that he had made a second attempt after Rasolo had established himself as not only the Tui Nayau but also Sau ni Vanua ko Lau in

Lakeba Lakeba (pronounced ) is an island in Fiji’s Southern Lau Archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers.Steadman (2006) It is fertile and wel ...

. The account as orally related, it was said that he had remained at

Nayau Nayau is an island of Fiji, a member of the Lau archipelago. Nearby cities: Suva; Nuku'Alofa; Coordinates: 17°58'39"S 179°3'13"W. Nayau, north of Lakeba Lakeba (pronounced ) is an island in Fiji’s Southern Lau Archipelago; the pr ...

whilst frequenting Lakeba on occasions and on one of those occasions he with a band of followers conspired against Rasolo. This was known by the Vakavanua of Nayau, the Tui Nayau's representative on Nayau on hearing of the plot told his son who was a young fellow to go and hide himself at the bow of the

Drua Drua, also known as na drua, n'drua, ndrua or waqa tabu ("sacred canoe", ), is a double-hull sailing boat that originated in the south-western Pacific islands. Druas do not tack but rather shunt (stern becomes the bow and vice versa). Both ends o ...

and on arrival on Lakeba to immediately sneak and find his way to what is now Nakorovusa the old village site and relate the account of an assassination plot to the Sau on the guise of a friendly visit by his elder brother. The Sau on hearing of the imminent attempt on his life summoned the

Tongans Tongans, a Polynesian group, represent more than 98% of the inhabitants of Tonga. The rest are European (the majority are British), mixed European, and other Pacific Islanders. There also are several hundred Chinese. Almost two-thirds of the pop ...

who were at the present village site of

Tubou Tubou is a village on the Fijian island of Lakeba. One of eight villages on Lakeba, it is considered the capital of the Lau Islands, being the seat of the Vuanirewa clan, a powerful chiefly family from which Fiji's longtime Prime Minister and Pre ...

to stage a mock ceremonial reception to the visiting party while a dispatched war party lay ambush within the vicinity of a conversation hearing distance from where the formal reception was taking place . This went on until it was ascertained that the visiting party had no doubt fallen for the trap when the war party fell on the unsuspecting assailants and thence Uluilakeba and his followers were clubbed at a site known to the present day where an Ivi (chestnut) tree stands. However, for Uluilakeba himself an account also says that he retreated from the village site and onto the beach and made an attempt to swim for his life and on knowing that it would be futile, made a stand and hence clubbed. He came to his end and when they had apportioned him to the ovens his younger brother the Sau, Rasolo stopped what was to be a complete humiliation of the person of Uluilakeba and instead was to be left at where he had fallen. The account of this unsuccessful aspirant's attempt went on to say that on the next day when the villagers went down to the beach his body had washed up on the beach eaten by

sharks Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorp ...

and a certain kind of white sea

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...

had gathered on what was left of his carcase. And that is why the custom with the

Vuanirewa The Vuanirewa is the ruling tribe (yavusa) of the Lau Islands, a scattered group of more than a hundred islands (16 inhabited) and reefs along the eastern edge of Fiji. Origins The members of this clan all hail from the village of Tubou on the ...

clan to this day are forbidden from the meat of the white tipped coral reef

and the Lairo vula (white sea crab) because of Uluilakeba's birthright entitlement. Fijian chiefs People from Lakeba Vuanirewa People from Nayau