In previous editions, we examined the historical context surrounding the first settlers of Deuba Village, including their spiritual beliefs and totemic traditions. This week, we delve into a tumultuous period marked by conflict and warfare as tribes sought to assert their dominance or eliminate rival groups.
Like many other villages at the time, Deuba faced the challenges of warfare and rivalry. Being a newly established settlement, they struggled to protect themselves from external threats. This week’s narrative draws from William Robert Gedde’s book “Deuba: A Study of a Fijian Village,” where elder and traditional priest Tu Vio Cokanasiga recounts the numerous hurdles encountered by the early inhabitants.
Initially, the Yavusa Dravuni and Yavusa Deuba coexisted in the old village, intermingling through marriage. According to Mr. Cokanasiga’s recollections, shortly after their arrival, a messenger from the Yavusa Korolevu of Serua Province visited Deuba. This messenger, hailing from Yavusa Qalo, which was then linked to Korolevu but formerly part of Dravuni, was selected due to their familiarity with the community.
“The messenger was seen as a kinsman, ensuring a more favorable reception for the request,” Mr. Cokanasiga noted in the book. The Korolevu tribe expressed their exhaustion from ongoing conflicts and intended to relocate part of their population to Deuba. The Dravuni people agreed to this, provided the newcomers would work on their banana plantation.
Soon after, members of Yavusa Korolevu migrated to Deuba, and the dynamic shifted quickly. “Before long, the guests became the masters, and their behavior grew increasingly arrogant, eventually forcing the original inhabitants to leave,” Cokanasiga described. The Dravuni, along with some from Yavusa Deuba, relocated to Mau, while others went to Beqa and Suvavou.
From Mau, the Dravuni sought support from the chief of Namosi against the Korolevu. Given their familial ties, no customary tribute was presented to the chief, who willingly offered assistance to his relatives. The Dravuni then moved from Mau and established camps near Navua, including Naitata, Nailati, Damalamala, and Namuamiwaqa, where they organized a feast to welcome their allies.
The Tui Namosi, along with his entourage and some warriors from Naitasiri, attended the festivities. Following a night of celebrations, preparations for an attack commenced at dawn. To outmaneuver their adversaries, the group swam across the Navua River to reach near Nasasa, where some Korolevu members resided. The assault on this section led to a significant struggle, resulting in the death of a chief’s son.
The adversaries quickly returned to their original village to report the defeat, while the Dravuni men chose not to pursue further but instead returned to their families to recuperate. Upon their return, they found the village deserted. Throughout the conflict, the Tui Namosi remained atop a hill with bodyguards, fearful of being killed.
In gratitude for the assistance received, the Yavusa Dravuni presented traditional gifts to the Tui Namosi at Delai Navua, allowing them to regroup and rebuild their garden and village. However, their relief was short-lived as the Tui Namosi continued to demand tributes from the Dravuni. The daily requests for crabs, fish, and dalo pudding became burdensome, leading the Dravuni people to feel like subservient laborers.
Additionally, resentment brewed due to the Tui Namosi’s interest in a Dravuni maiden, which only intensified their determination to expel the Namosi from Navua. Despite this unrest, the Tui Namosi was a formidable figure in Viti Levu and posed a threat not just to Dravuni but also to the Korolevu tribes, who were eager to see him defeated.
In light of this, they sent two elders, Ratu Wiliame Moceica and Waqanivalu, to the Korolevu war chief, signaling that “the fortress at Dravuni is to be rebuilt.” This message indicated that an attack on Namosi was imminent, with promises of support to follow.
Part three to be continued…