Sunday, January 17, 2010

New Chief to be Installed After End of Mourning for Late Tui Tavua

www.fijitimes.com - Monday, January 18, 2010

THE Vanua o Bila is yet to decide on when a new Tui Tavua will be installed.

Ratu Ovini Bokini's younger brother, Ratu Totivi Kama Ratu, is the likely candidate. He replaced Ratu Ovini as chairman of the Tavua Tikina Council and at the provincial council.

Tikina Tavua rep Apisalome Ulusova said the vanua would meet soon to decide on a successor and that they would follow the wishes of Ratu Ovini that chiefly titles must not be left vacant for too long.

"He raised it in the Bose ni Momo in 2007, that it is important that all chiefly titles are filled so that the people are led in a clear direction," he said.

"A chief is a symbol of unity. Everyone will listen to only one voice and there will be unity throughout the vanua."

Ratu Ovini is survived by his wife, four children, many grandchildren, two older sisters and six younger brothers.

Bokini's last farewell

Mereseini Marau
Monday, January 18, 2010

THE Tavualevu Village ground was a sea of colours on Saturday to mark the end of the official mourning of the late Tui Tavua, Ratu Ovini Bokini.

The village ground was filled with fine mats, masi and tapa, bales of cloth, drums of kerosene and other traditional gifts during the vakataraisulu which were presented to the vanua by the members of the chiefly Navotukuyawa family.

It also included 20 huge tabua.

Tikina rep Apisalome Ulusova said Ratu Ovini's older sister Adi Laite Nariu was dressed in traditional garb to represent the chiefly family and her siblings.

His widow Tavo Bokini, their children and grandchildren were also outfitted in traditional clothes.

"They had been wearing black since our chief passed away last year. This marks the end of our mourning for our chief," Mr Ulusova said.

He said the vanua presented the family with 11 tabua, three carcass and 60 bundles of dalo to thank them for observing the mourning period.

"We also had the representative of the Sau kei Mualevu, a delegation from the Tui Ba, Tui Vitogo and all those other chiefly households that have links to us," Mr Ulusova said.

He said although Ratu Ovini had left them, the turnout on Saturday showed that his legacy was still remembered.


www.fijitimes.com - Sunday, January 17, 2010

THE immediate family of the late Tui Tavua, Ratu Ovini Bokini, ended their official mourning with a traditional ceremony attended by hundreds of people at Tavualevu Village yesterday.

The vakataraisulu was attended by all those with blood and kinship ties to the family. It also marked the one year since Ratu Ovini's death.

Tikina Tavua rep Apisalome Ulusova said at the ceremony that it was a solemn affair of great magnitude.

"They had been wearing black since our chief passed away last year. This marks the end of our mourning for our chief," he said.

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