After more than a century, 6,070 hectares — roughly 15,000 acres — of native land in Nadrivatu have been formally returned to Mataqali Nadala, marking the latest development in a long‑running effort to rectify a historic land grievance. The reversion process was completed last year following a comprehensive review of colonial‑era records, and government and clan leaders this week publicly marked the handback of the parcel known as NG2.
The land was originally acquired by the colonial administration on June 15, 1905, under Ordinance XI of 1905 from Mataqali Nadala for an annual rental of 25 pounds. Over the decades the tract was used for a variety of public and commercial purposes — as a sanatorium, as a forest and recreation reserve, and to support agricultural industries, including cocoa and coffee production geared to Indian immigrants with relevant experience.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka framed the return as both corrective and forward‑looking, thanking the landowners for earlier cooperation when the area was made available for agriculture and urging proper stewardship of the restored title. “It has come to the right time to give back what is rightfully yours,” Mr Rabuka said, noting that while acquisition and reversion were lawfully handled, “the onus is on how you use your land properly.” He also acknowledged the government ministries involved in the lengthy legal, archival and surveying work that underpinned the reversion.
District representative Vinivini Daulali, speaking on behalf of Savatu and the mataqali, expressed gratitude to the Government for listening to their request and for completing the technical work necessary to return NG2. “It is indeed a blessing for the Mataqali Nadala and its people who have come together as one to witness this historic occasion,” Mr Daulali said, thanking officials who oversaw surveying and the administrative processes.
The public confirmation of the handback closes a chapter that began with the early 20th‑century transfer of communal iTaukei land into colonial administration control. Officials said the detailed review of historical records was central to resolving competing claims and ensuring the reversion complied with statutory requirements. By completing that review and the subsequent surveying, the Government says it has upheld its commitment to land justice and to protecting the rights of iTaukei landowners.
With title formally restored, Mataqali Nadala now faces decisions about future management and use of the former NG2 lands. The Prime Minister’s remarks underscored government expectations that the community will pursue sustainable and productive uses that honour the work of their ancestors while delivering economic and social benefits to current and future generations.
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