The longstanding kinship between the chiefly households of Rewa and Bau was celebrated this week as Roko Tui Dreketi Ro Teimumu Kepa paid tribute to the late Na Turaga Taukei Naisogolaca, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, and the households that shaped his life. Speaking on the chiefly island of Bau, Ro Teimumu described Ratu Epeli as a living testament to a bond that she said transcends time and politics.
Ro Teimumu used the occasion to trace the roots of that relationship, sharing the history of her predecessor and the characteristics of the Naisogolaca household that nurtured Rewa’s chiefs. She reflected on the life of the late Ratu George Cokanauto Tuisawau, noting he spent his formative years on Bau, and stressed the close personal ties forged during those years. “The late Roko Tui Dreketi was born and raised here in Bau,” she said, underscoring the personal and familial connections between the two provinces.
Central to Ro Teimumu’s address was the gratitude Rewa holds for the hospitality and protection the Naisogolaca household extended over three decades. She said the care provided to Rewa’s leadership during that period created a lasting debt of gratitude that continues to define relations between the communities. “It was the best of kinship, love and care that the people of Naisogolaca showed to our late Roko Tui Dreketi, is why we come and we will always come especially for the late Ratu Epeli,” she told assembled chiefs and guests.
The gathering was described by Ro Teimumu as more than a formal visit; for the people of Rewa it was a homecoming to honour a shared legacy. She framed the journey to Bau as an act of remembrance and respect for Ratu Epeli, whose life, she said, personified the values and traditions of the Naisogolaca household. The remarks highlighted how customary bonds and hospitality have underpinned chiefly relationships across generations.
Bau, long recognised as a focal point of Fiji’s traditional leadership, has historically hosted and influenced neighbouring chiefly houses. Ro Teimumu’s comments reiterated that these ties are rooted in family, upbringing and mutual obligation rather than transient political considerations. Her public acknowledgement of the Naisogolaca household’s role in raising and protecting Rewa’s leaders brought the provinces’ shared history into sharp relief.
This week’s ceremony and Ro Teimumu’s reflections serve as the latest public affirmation of the enduring connection between Rewa and Bau. By honouring the late Ratu Epeli and recounting the personal histories that link the two provinces, the event reinforced an intergenerational heritage of hospitality and kinship that Rewa leaders say will continue to be observed and respected.
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