Fakpure
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The Fakpure was the secular ruler of
Rotuma Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a large and unique Polynesian indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognisable minority within the population of Fiji, known as " ...
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 authority on the island, the Fakpure was one of the gagaj ‘es itu’u of the districts of Rotuma, and the convener of the island’s Council of Chiefs. After being elected as the district chief through the traditional processes (see
gagaja Gagaja is a Rotuman word denoting the position of "Chief" or "Lord". This could be a formal chiefly position in one of the seven districts (''gagaj 'es itu'u'') or a village chief (''fa 'es ho'aga'') as well as to anyone else, such as the Chairm ...
), the position of fakpure was bestowed on the most senior of these district chiefs, usually the chief whose district had won the most recent war, who also received the privilege of being the first served in the politically charged kava ceremony.


Overview

In the early European writings on Rotuma, (therefore the earliest recorded information on Rotuma, being prior to Western contact, an oral-based culture), the prevailing understanding of the fakpure was that, prior to Western influence, he was convener and presiding officer of the council of district chiefs, and that he was charged with the appointment and maintenance of the Sau, ensuring that the Sau, as an earthly altar to placate the gods of fertility was treated lavishly. Although the conditions in which the Fakpure functioned have necessarily changed dramatically, the role of the fakpure, while not strictly existent any more, has been succeeded by the position of the Chair of the
Rotuma Island Council Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a large and unique Polynesian indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognisable minority within the population of Fiji, known as " ...
. The district claiming the position of Chair and first precedence in the traditional kava ceremony is, in line with Fijian precepts of chiefdom, the "chiefly" district of Noa’tau, who led the
Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...
alliance, the victors in the
Rotuman Religious Wars Rotuman may refer to: *anything related with the island Rotuma *Rotuman people *Rotuman language Rotuman, also referred to as ''Rotunan'', ''Rutuman'' or ''Fäeag Rotuạm'' (citation form: ''Faega Rotuma''), is an Austronesian language spoken b ...
, the last war on the island which culminated in Rotuma's cession to
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
in 1881.


List of title holders


Sources

* {{Unreliable source?, date=December 2022
World Statesman
Fakpure Fijian nobility