A disciplined 200-strong military guard and a sudden clearing of skies framed a solemn homecoming yesterday as the late Na Turaga Taukei Naisogolaca, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, was returned to his ancestral home on Bau.
One hundred soldiers of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and 100 navy personnel formed a guard of honour on the rara on Bau, standing at attention for roughly 30 minutes while their Colour Party was held aloft in a display of ceremonial precision. Observers said the long period of stillness was broken only when the formation was ordered to “stand at ease,” signalling the arrival of the funeral procession and the start of the next stage of the ceremony.
As the RFMF band began the chords of the National Anthem, the casket of the former president was marched into the vatanitawake — the chiefly house or assembly area on the island — in a measured procession. Military protocol and musical honours accompanied the transfer, underscoring the formal respect accorded to a man who once held Fiji’s highest office and carried a prominent chiefly title.
The ceremony’s atmosphere shifted visibly with the weather. A stretch of gloomy, wet conditions earlier in the day gave way as the procession reached the island, and the sun broke through the clouds — a change noted by attendees and captured in images from the rara. The sudden brightness provided a striking counterpoint to the somber rites and was regarded by some as a poignant moment in the proceedings.
The return to Bau follows official and customary arrangements for the late Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, whose passing has prompted a series of public and family observances. Yesterday’s short but formal ceremony on the rara emphasised both state recognition and customary practice, with the armed forces playing a visible role alongside local ceremonial protocols.
The casket’s placement in the vatanitawake concluded the morning’s military-led honours. Further customary and family ceremonies on Bau were expected to continue the traditional sequence of rites marking the late leader’s final journey.
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