In 2014, the remains of six Solomon Island laborers, interred for over a century on Nawi Island in Savusavu Bay, were exhumed during a solemn ceremony attended by police. Members of the Miller family from Nukunuve participated in the exhumation, which revealed various items, including a bottle of liquor and coffin pieces, associated with the Melanesians who arrived in Fiji during the blackbirding era starting in the 1860s. The Fiji Times reported that this excavation was conducted to facilitate hotel development on Nawi Island. The remains, which had rested on the island for approximately 180 years, were reburied in Nukunuve.
However, one grave remains untouched on Nawi Island’s highest hilltop—believed to belong to a woman known as Mouga, thought to be of Samoan royalty. Historical accounts suggest that she eloped with a Mr. Miller, an ancestor of the current Miller family in Fiji. The identity of her partner varies in literature, with some referring to him as “William Miller” while others cite “D.B. Miller,” with suggestions they could be brothers.
Nawi Island itself offers picturesque views, nestled within a beautiful harbor near Savusavu. The tale of how Mouga came to reside on this hilltop is captivating, resembling an adventurous love story. The Sunday Times recently sought to piece together her life by tracing her lineage. According to genealogical records, Mouga was Aheamauga Lalomauga Mona Miller, born around the 1820s in Upolu, Samoa, and married to Daniel Bathe Miller, a sailor from Levuka born in 1816.
Further elaboration from The Fiji Times indicates that Daniel was a descendant of two Miller brothers who migrated from England. One brother fell in love with a royal Samoan woman, leading to Mouga’s eventual departure from her homeland for a life in Fiji, where cultural norms would not allow their marriage. Mouga, had three children: two sons, Jim and William Henry Miller II, and a daughter named Maunga Miller.
Mouga later passed away in “Vanua Levu” and was buried on Nawi Island, where she remains today. Reports state her legacy continued through her children and their descendants, particularly highlighted by her eldest son’s marriage into influential families. The Miller family reportedly decided that Mouga’s grave would remain a significant tourist attraction, despite the developers’ plans for grave removals in 2014.
Recently, The Sunday Times team visited her grave, located on the western side of Nawi Island Marina, requiring a short boat ride and a hike to reach the site, characterized by its stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The journey to Mouga’s resting place took about half an hour. Visitors described the experience as rewarding, with the location being a beautiful testament to her legacy as a figure who challenged societal norms and united families across different cultures.
Mouga’s story exemplifies how love can transcend geographical and cultural barriers, underlining the role of women in forging connections and maintaining family legacies. Her significant influence is reflected through the numerous descendants that continue to strengthen familial ties across various communities.