On Saturday, the remains of Ro Veidovi Logavatu, the chief of Rewa, will return home after 185 years since his conviction for crimes against humanity and subsequent deportation to the United States. His skull, preserved as Exhibit 292 at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., will be transported to Nausori Airport before proceeding to Lomanikoro and the sacred burial grounds of Narusa.
A ceremonial event will precede his burial, featuring traditional handover rituals alongside a brief church service. The remains of Ro Veidovi, who died shortly after his arrival in the United States in 1842, are expected to be accompanied by Fiji’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ratu Ilisoni Vuidreketi.
Historically, the chief was arrested and convicted in 1840 aboard the USS Peacock for the murder of ten beche de mer traders on Kadavu. Lieutenant Charles Wilkes of the United States Exploring Expedition played a pivotal role in his capture by facilitating an invitation for the Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Kania, and his family aboard the U.S. ship, where they were subsequently held. Ro Kania was released, while Veidovi faced conviction and was sent to the U.S., where he died mere months later.
The legacy of Ro Veidovi is complex, with ongoing debates among scholars regarding his guilt in the alleged murders, many of which occurred six years prior to his trial. Some historians suggest he was merely a pawn sacrificed for the political maneuvers of his time, while others argue that the charges were politically motivated as the U.S. began establishing its imperial presence.
The current Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa, will be present to witness this historic homecoming, as Rewa prepares to honor one of its own and lay him to rest in the embrace of his homeland’s soil. This moment symbolizes not just a return of the remains of a chief but also a reconciliation of the past, allowing the community to remember and reflect on their history.
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