Seventy-nine-year-old Losalini Tatatau expressed her deep gratitude for being able to attend the installation of Ratu Tevita Kapaiwai Lutunauga Mara as Tui Lau and Sau ni Vanua o Lau on Lakeba Island. Boarding her flight from Nausori, Tatatau recalled the significance of the event, drawing emotional parallels to when she was a young girl present at the installation of Ratu Tevita’s father, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, in 1969.
Despite her age and mobility struggles, the former teacher was overwhelmed with joy when her children surprised her with a last-minute flight ticket so she could join her family, who had previously traveled by boat to Lakeba for the occasion. “It’s very hard for me to move fast, and very lately they arranged for my going and that’s why I am going. They are already there. They paid my fare just to go and witness the installation today,” she shared, emphasizing the importance of this familial gathering.
Notably, Tatatau mentioned that this event held even greater significance as all her grandchildren were present to witness the historic ceremony. The atmosphere surrounding such installations is rich with shared heritage and community pride, resonating strongly with feelings of continuity and cultural identity that have been highlighted in previous reports regarding the Lau community’s leadership transitions.
This joyful moment for Tatatau encapsulates a broader narrative within the Lau community, where significant ceremonies like these not only mark changes in leadership but also rekindle connections to their cultural roots and reignite hopes for unity and resilience moving forward under Ratu Tevita’s guidance. As Tatatau prepares to return home on Tuesday, her experience becomes part of the collective aspiration shared by many within the community—an aspiration for strengthening their ties to tradition while embracing future possibilities.
Leave a comment