In 1961, over 1,500 residents, including men, women, and children from various regions of Fiji, gathered in Daku, a village near the Wanibokasi River’s mouth, to celebrate two significant events: the opening of a new village school in the morning and a wedding in the afternoon.
According to a report from The Fiji Times on September 15, 1961, the school was constructed without any government funding and was completed in just 12 days. The building was made of a combination of timber and concrete, with local carpenters handling the entire construction process.
The wedding ceremony that took place was between Ratu Ponipate Baleinanene, also known as Roko Takala, the son of the late Ratu Lote Daulakeba, a paramount chief of Daku, and Adi Rewa Saurara, the daughter of Meleti Saurara and niece of Emosi Saurara. Rev. Maika Tora officiated at the ceremony, which took place in the village hall.