The descendants of the original inhabitants of Munia Island in Vanuabalavu, Lau, are still in the process of repaying the government for the return of their land, which was sold for $400 to an American over 200 years ago. The island, measuring approximately 5.3 kilometers with a 10-kilometer coastline, was first settled by elders of the villagers who currently reside on nearby Avea Island.
The ancestors of the Avea villagers were driven from Munia due to a deal made between the local chief, Ratu Galea, and the American buyer. Now, the village headman, Etuate Umu, 69, expressed the difficulties the community faces in raising the $450,000 they owe the government to fully reclaim Munia. The government had purchased Munia in 1983 and subsequently resold it to the Munia people.
Under a 1989 Land Buy Back Scheme, the villagers were required to pay the total amount over 30 years at $15,000 per year. Unfortunately, they were only able to pay $30,000 in the first two years. Although the government lowered the annual payment to $7,000, and later to $3,000, the villagers struggled to meet these obligations. Over the 30 years, they managed to pay only $225,000.
Umu highlighted the lack of stable income for many villagers, making it challenging to meet financial commitments while working in the copra industry. Many villagers had to depend on relatives for support, which hindered further education and employment opportunities. The plan is for the four clans on the island to contribute $25,000 each by the end of the year, expecting each working member living outside to donate $1,000.
Umu noted that the remaining balance would be supplemented by funds they have invested in a trust fund. There are plans for some villagers to move back to Munia once the payment is finalized. However, a proposal to manage Munia as a state, where villagers continue residing on Avea but work on Munia, is also under consideration.
Once the payment is completed, Munia will be transferred to the four clans’ trustees with freehold status. If they default on payment, the government has the right to revoke the agreement, and all payments made will be forfeited. The Freehold Buyback Scheme was established in 1989 to return ancestral lands that were previously sold as freehold.
The 118 villagers on Avea Island are descendants of early migration waves from Vuna, Taveuni. Mr. Umu shared his family history, explaining how they settled in different locations on Munia before establishing their home at Marama. In the 1860s, amid tribal conflicts, their ancestors were displaced after Ratu Galea sold Munia to foreign buyers, displacing the remaining villagers who had to flee across the ocean.
The occupation of Munia by foreigners continued until the 1970s. Umu, who worked on the copra fields there, recalled that upon reclaiming the island, there was little left behind. Today, the voices of Munia’s descendants are well-known in Fiji, represented by several local bands that celebrate their heritage through music.