The descendants of the original inhabitants of Munia Island in Vanuabalavu, Lau, continue to grapple with the challenge of repaying a sum to reclaim ownership of their island, which was sold for just $400 as freehold land to an American. Munia Island, approximately 5.3 kilometers in length and with a coastline of 10 kilometers, was initially settled by the ancestors of the villagers currently residing on nearby Avea Island.
Over two centuries ago, the forebears of the Avea residents were forcibly removed from Munia due to a transaction involving the Tui Cakau, Ratu Galea, and an American buyer. During a visit to Avea Island, village headman Etuate Umu expressed the community’s ongoing struggle to pay the Fijian Government $450,000 to gain full ownership of Munia. The Government purchased Munia for the same amount in 1983 and later planned to resell it to the descendants of its original inhabitants.
As part of a buyback agreement established in 1989, the residents were to repay the $450,000 over 30 years at an annual rate of $15,000. However, Mr. Umu stated that they have only managed to pay $30,000 in the first two years. The Government subsequently allowed for reductions in yearly payments, first lowering it to $7,000, then further to $3,000, but the villagers still found it difficult to meet these payments. Over the course of 30 years, they have managed to pay back only $225,000.
At 69, Mr. Umu highlighted the lack of stable income sources for many villagers, even in the copra industry, impeding their ability to fulfill the payment obligations. He noted that many elders had attended Mavana Primary School and depended on relatives in Mavana village, which resulted in significant hardship for families during that time. Mavana village is on mainland Vanuabalavu and requires a 45-minute boat ride from Avea.
Mr. Umu shared that children were often sent to Mavana as soon as they turned six for schooling, which contributed to struggles in pursuing further education and securing better-paying jobs. He expressed concern that the Government’s plan to resell the island at such a high price created an additional burden for the community.
As the village headman for a third term, Mr. Umu hopes to collect the remaining $225,000 by December, with contributions of $25,000 each from the four clans (mataqali) on the island, meaning each working individual from Avea residing elsewhere would need to contribute $1,000. The clans involved are Marama, Nakie, Narocake, and Saweilau.
Mr. Umu indicated that funds from their trust and investments would help cover any remaining balance, and several villagers are expected to return to Munia once the payments are completed. There are plans for Munia to be operated as a state where villagers remain on Avea but work on Munia. Upon completing the payments, ownership will transfer to the trustees from the four mataqali in freehold status. However, if the trustees fail to meet the payment obligations, the agreement can be rescinded by the minister, with all sums paid forfeited to the Government.
The Freehold Buyback Scheme was established in 1989 to facilitate the repurchase of ancestral lands that had been alienated.
The current population of 118 villagers on Avea Island descends from early migration waves from Vuna, Taveuni. Mr. Umu recounted how his ancestors first settled on Munia at Waitadrailagi, led by Koroi Bo, and moved to other areas on the island. He noted that the Tui Cakau sold Munia to foreign buyers around the 1860s while some traditional inhabitants still lived there, and those who remained had to flee across the ocean to mainland Vanuabalavu when faced with new dangers.
Mr. Umu recalled working on Munia for white settlers in the 1970s, and he stated that when the island was eventually returned to the community, it was left in ruins. Despite this, the voices of the Munia descendants on Avea Island can be heard throughout Fiji, aided by local music bands that contribute to keeping their culture alive.