Fijian links to Samoa (Update 46)
print this page

Date: Wednesday 9th June
Time: 1400 hours Samoa Time (GMT – 11 hours)
Position: 17* 10.4’ South/ 167* 01.7’ West (330 n.m. from Sinalei)

Bula Viti, Rotuma kei Vuravura

Another star gazing evening in very light winds that eventually died away to nothing after midnight. We only managed 15 nautical miles from midnight till daylight.

The winds were shifting 15 to 30 degrees with our course varying from 270 – 330 degrees as we tried to keep the canoe moving through the water.

At 2am we could see the lights of Ranui approaching us on our Port side. Ranui has stayed with us in support as the other two canoes, Te Matau a Maui and Hine Moana fell behind.

We were on a Port tack having just gybed after a 20 degree wind shift. Suddenly Ranui was almost on us so I rushed to the VHF and called “Good morning Ranui”. There was silence so I rushed back to beside Unaisi who was on the Uli.

I said to her “If they don’t alter course soon swing to Starboard”. Soon they were within three canoe lengths so Unaisi pulled us to starboard while I shone my Fenix torch directly into Ranui’s cockpit hoping to get some reaction.

Then Richard’s voice (Ranui Skipper) came through on the VHF. “Good Morning Uto ni Yalo. Nice call Colin. I think the boys (his sons) fell asleep on watch and I only just got up.”

Ranui was motoring and Richard stopped her in her tracks so we could continue on our course across her bow. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. We learned a valuable lesson tonight. At sea at night, lights always appear further away then they actually are.

A brief shower just before daybreak woke up those of us on watch. At 6am we were unable to hear any radio checks from the other canoes so we checked the e-mail. Magnus had sent through their positions. Te Matau a Maui was 70 nautical miles South and Hine Moana was under tow and was 20 nautical miles astern.

The wind eventually freshened to 12 – 15 knots from the South South East so we are back to 7.5 knots again. We are praying this holds for a while.

We have received dozens of e-mails through the website www.fijivoyaging.com wishing us calm seas and tail winds. The Tongan Catholic Priest in Rarotonga, Father Mafi also prayed for calm seas during our send off.

This morning I received a wonderful e-mail from Mr Jim Sanday in Canberra wishing us the same. Mr Sanday is Lomoloma’s uncle and we have been in e-mail contact with him since leaving Rarotonga.

It is no wonder we have been getting such calm seas and light winds from the East. Everyone’s prayers have been too strong. What we are actually praying for though is rough seas and strong winds from the beam (90 degrees to our course)

Jim has kindly shared some interesting information on links between Samoa and Fiji. Amazingly enough, one of our crew members from Kabara also has links with Samoa through the Lemaki Clan – read on.



ANCIENT FIJIAN LINKS TO SAMOA

Connections of Fiji to Samoa are not as extensive as Fiji to Tonga.

Tonga played a brokerage type of role between the two nations in the past.

Sandalwood, red feathers, fine mats, weapons and the drua (Fijian double-hulled canoe) were traded from Fiji to Samoa via Tonga.

Fijian contacts with Samoa are the subject of some Samoan legends, as well more recent contacts.



Fijians in Samoan Legend

The Legend of Vaea and the King of Fiji (Tui Fiti)

Many years ago in the islands of Samoa there lived a handsome giant named Vaea. He was very strong but gentle. Stories about him were told all over the Pacific. When Tui Fiti, the king of Fiji, heard about Vaea, he became jealous and decided to travel to Samoa to destroy him. His warriors prepared three outrigger canoes and they sailed towards Samoa.


One evening while Vaea was up in the mountains he saw Tui Fiti and his men arrive. He waited until midnight when Tui Fiti and his men were sound asleep in their canoes. Then he came down the the harbor, picked up the canoes with the men still inside them and put them on top of the trees.

In the morning, Tui Fiti woke up, saw the ground far below him and became frightened. Soon Vaea appeared and then Tui Fiti saw how huge he was, he begged him to spare their lives. In return he said he would give Vaea anything he wanted. Vaea knew that Tui Fiti had a beautiful daughter named 'Apa'ula so he asked for her to be his wife. Three warriors went to Fiji to get 'Apa'ula. When they returned Vaea kept his word and put their canoes back in the water.


'Apa'ula lived with Vaea as his wife until one night when she heard her father preparing to return to Fiji. While Vaea slept, she slipped away and returned to Fiji with her father. Months passed and a baby boy was born to 'Apa'ula but her father was angry and killed the baby so that there would be no Samoan blood in Fiji. 'Apa'ula was so sad that she ran away and went back to Samoa.


Vaea missed 'Apa'ula so much that by the time she returned his body had turned into a mountain. Before his head turned to stone he told her it was too late and she should return to Fiji and her people. 'Apa'ula stood at the foot of the mountain and cried and cried. To this day there is a mountain near Apia called Mt. Vaea and at the foot of this mountain flows a river called Loimata o 'Apa'ula, 'Tears of 'Apa'ula'.


Fijian links to the island of Sava’ii

According Samoan oral history the village of Fagamalo on the island of Sava’ii was once settled by Fijians. The village of Fagamalo is the home of the spirit deity called ‘Tui Fiti’ who is referred to as being a high chief of Fagamalo.

In 1978 the Fiji Governor-General at the time, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, visited Fagamalo during a state visit to Samoa. In recognition of Samoa’s ancient connexion to Fiji he was bestowed with the honorary matai title of ‘Pesetamanaia’ by the matai (chief) of Matautu village (of which Fagamalo is part)



Fijian Links to the Lemaki Clan of Manono Island

The Tuila’epa title in Samoa is connected to the Tui Lakeba/Lakepa chiefs of Fiji and Tonga.

Fiji is the origin of the Tuila’epa title in Samoa, given that Lakepa or Lakeba is in the Lau group of Fiji.

The island of Manono, between the islands of Sava’ii and Upolu is said to hold burial grounds of the Tuila’epa family.

The name "Manono", according to one version, is said to originate from the bloody wars fought against Fijians who were led by their chief Tui Lautala (Laucala in Fijian, whose origins can be traced back to the coastal Laucala people of Rewa).

The Tui Lautala and his fleet of Fijians and Tongans invaded Manono Islands. In that war the Fijians invaders slaughtered many locals on Manono Island in their attempt to gain a foothold in Samoa.

Ultimately, the Fijian chief Tui Lautala and his warriors were defeated by the Samoan chief Tupa'imatuna. Legend has it that the famous Samoan Chief Saumaniafaese came to the rescue of Tupa'imatuna by casting a net between Manono & Savaii islands which stranded the Fijian Tui Lautala and his men who were either slain and captured, thus ending the war.

Today, the genetic stock of the people of Manono Island is a mixture of Tongan, Samoan and Fijian (this information comes from a UNESCO world heritage site that in turn took its information from traditional/local sources in Samoa).

Fijian and Samoan links are also founded on the Lemaki clan from Manono Island. The Lemaki were a clan of master canoe (vaka) builders known as the tufunga fouvaka (originators or builders of the vaka) who were taken to Fiji (Lau) by the Tongans to build the drua (Fijian) or kalia (Tongan).

The Lemaki clan settled on the island of Kabara which was favoured because of the many vesi trees that grew there. The vesi was the equivalent of the NZ kauri tree which was ideal for canoe (vaka) building and carving etc. The descendants of the Lemaki clan are still to be found on Kabara where they are referred to as the yavusa Lemaki.

Because of its ancient links to Fijians and Tongans, Manono island is also known in Samoan as "Aiga 'i le Tai" (meaning family or people of the sea).



The Fijian and Tongan Connection to Manono Island

The Fijian and Tongan connection or alliance between the island and people of Manono and the Tui Kanokupolu chiefs of Tonga (current King of Tonga) dates back to Tohu'ia Limapo, the Samoan princess who was the daughter of the Samoan chief, Ama, from the village of Safata.

Limapo married the 6th Tui Ha’a Katakalaua who was the ruler of Tonga at the time. This occurred around the year 1610. They (the Samoan woman Limapo and the 6th Tui Ha’a Katakalaua) had a son who they named Ngata who became the founder of the Tui Kanokupolu line from which the current king of Tonga is descended. The current king of Tonga is the 25th Tui Kanokupolu

The first Tui Kanokupolu Ngata (son of the 6th Tui Ha’atakalaua and the Samoan princess Tohu’ia Limapo) had a daughter by the name of Fetunu. She married a Fijian chief. Their son took the title of  ”Tui Soso” who retains a special place in the current Tongan royal lineage to this day.

Vinaka Mr Sanday for sharing this little bit of history with us. None of us on the Uto knew this history and I am sure many people in Fiji are the same.

Moce

Colin/Uto ni Yalo

Report by Satellite Phone courtesy of DIGICEL