| Nobility of Fiji |
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Titles |
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Adi is a title used by Fijian women of chiefly rank namely female members of chiefly clans Bulou is a title used by Fijian women of chiefly rank in Nadroga-Navosa, Kadavu, and parts of Serua. Ro is a title used by Fijian chiefs in the Province of Rewa, as well as parts of Naitasiri, Namosi, and Serua. Roko is a title used by Fiji of chiefly rank specifically from the Lau Islands. The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a formal assembly of Fiji 's senior hereditary chiefs, along with The term House of Chiefs is a collective term used to refer to the Fijian nobility which consists of about seventy chiefs of various ranks Burebasaga is the largest of the three confederacies that make up Fiji 's House of Chiefs, to which all Fijian chiefs belong Kubuna is one of three confederacies which comprise Fiji 's House of Chiefs, to which all of Fiji's chiefs belong Tovata is one of three confederacies comprising the Fijian House of Chiefs, to which all of Fiji's chiefs belong Rotuma is a Fijian Dependency, consisting of the island of Rotuma and the nearby islets of Hatana, Hạf Liua, Solkope, Solnohu Gagaja (IPA Pronunciation /ŋəŋəʧə/ is a Rotuman word denoting the position of “Chief” or “Lord” Sau, (often mistranslated as “ King ” refers to the role of spiritual leader in pre-Christian Rotuman society. The fakpure is variously considered the secular ruler of Rotuma in the pre-European contact times Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य An equivalent title, Adi (pronounced [andi]) is used by females of chiefly rank.
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Etymology
Ra is a prefix in many titles (Ramasi, Ramalo, Rasau, Ravunisa, Ratu)and Tu is simply Chief the formal use of "Ratu" as a title in a name as in "Sir" in British tradition was introduced after cession of 1874, prior to this a Chief would only be known by his birth name and his area specific traditional title.
Fijian Nobility
The Fijian nobility consists of about seventy chiefs, each of whom descends from a family that has traditionally ruled a certain area. The chiefs are of differing rank, with some chiefs traditionally subordinate to other chiefs. The Mataiwelagi clan is regarded by some as the highest chiefly clan. They are descendants of Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the Vunivalu of Bau or Tui Levuka (Paramount Chief of Bau, on the eastern side of Viti Levu, Fiji's most populous island), who was the first chief to unite the entire country under his authority in 1871, when he was proclaimed Tui Viti (King of Fiji). A Name forged in Battle The Vunivalu and the sacred Chieftain the Roko Tui Bau had many power struggles during the course of nearly a century Turaga na Vunivalu ni Bau is the Paramount Chief of the Kubuna Confederacy, loosely translated the title means Warlord of Bau or Root of War Viti Levu (ˈβiti ˈleβu is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji, the site of the nation's capital Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population Year 1871 ( MDCCCLXXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Tui Viti is a title which denotes Fijian royalty and translates as King of Fiji. He subsequently ceded the islands to the United Kingdom in 1874. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Other prominent chiefly clans include the Vuanirewa (the traditional rulers of the Lau Islands), and the Ai Sokula (the traditional rulers of Vanua Levu). The Vuanirewa is the ruling tribe (yavusa of the Lau Islands, a scattered group of more than a hundred islands (16 inhabited and reefs along the eastern edge of Fiji The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Vanua Levu (βanua leβu formerly known as Sandalwood Island is the second largest Island of Fiji.
In its near-century of colonial rule (1874-1970), the British upheld Fiji's traditional chiefly structure and worked through it. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. They established what was to become the Great Council of Chiefs, originally an advisory body, but which grew into a powerful constitutional institution. The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. The Constitution of Fiji is the supreme law of Fiji. Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997 Constitutionally, it functions as an electoral college to choose Fiji's President (a largely honorary position, modelled on the British Monarchy), the Vice-President, and 14 of the 32 Senators, members of Parliament's "upper house" which has a veto over most legislation. Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office The position was created in 1990, to provide a constitutional successor to the President, The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers it may not initiate legislation but may amend or veto it Fiji 's Parliament is Bicameral. The House of Representatives has 71 members The remaining 18 Senators are appointed by the Prime Minister (9), the Leader of the Opposition (8), and the Council of Rotuma (1); these appointees may, or may not, be of chiefly rank also. As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Council of Rotuma is a Municipal body on the island of Rotuma, a Fijian dependency (The Senate was modelled on Britain's House of Lords, which consists of both hereditary nobles and Life Peers). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" The Peerage is a system of Titles of Nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary
The Presidency, Vice-Presidency, and fourteen Senate seats are the only constitutional offices whose appointment is controlled by persons of chiefly rank. In a departure from the generally-followed British constitutional model (which banned Peers from election to the House of Commons prior to the constitutional reform of 1999), chiefs in post-independence Fiji have always competed for parliamentary seats on an equal footing with commoners. The House of Lords Act 1999 (1999 c 34 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999 Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. In the years following independence, this favoured the chiefly class, as the common people looked to them as their leaders and generally voted for them. For several elections, many ethnic Fijian members of the House, which is elected by universal suffrage, were of chiefly rank, in recent elections this discrepancy between chiefs and commoners is slowly narrowing, as commoners are becoming better educated and have begun to work their way into the power structure. Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The chiefs, however, retain enormous respect among the Fijian people. In times of crisis, such as the coups of 1987 and the third coup of 2000, the Great Council of Chiefs has often stepped in to provide leadership when the modern political institutions have broken down. The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian Putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Although the distinction between chiefs and commoners will inevitably continue to lessen, the chiefly institutions are unlikely to disappear any time soon.
Notable Chiefs
- Ratu Sir George Cakobau; Fiji's first native-born Governor General
- Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau; Fijian Monarch who ceded the islands to the United Kingdom
- Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau; Fiji's first President
- Ratu Josefa Iloilo; President
- Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara; Founding father; long-time Prime Minister and President
- Ratu Tevita Momoedonu; former Prime Minister
- Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna; Soldier, scholar, and statesman. Education and early career Ratu Cakobau was educated first at Fiji's Queen Victoria School, then at Newington College in Australia (1927-1932 Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874 and an independent Dominion in the Commonwealth in 1970 A Name forged in Battle The Vunivalu and the sacred Chieftain the Roko Tui Bau had many power struggles during the course of nearly a century Tui Viti (King of Fiji (1871 to 1874 See also Tui Viti Seru Epenisa Cakobau: 5 June 1871 - 10 October The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Education and early career Ganilau was educated at Northern Provincial School, Queen Victoria School and Wadham College, Oxford University Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, MSD, KStJ, (born December 29, 1920) has been the President Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara Kabakoro] GCMG KBE CF, ( May 6, 1920 &ndash April 18, 2004 Pater Patriae (plural Patres Patriae) also seen as Parens Patriae, is a Latin Honorific meaning " Father As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Ratu Tatu Tevita Momoedonu is a Fijian chief and has served as Prime Minister of Fiji twice - each time extremely briefly As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna ( 22 April 1888 - 30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief scholar soldier and statesman
- Ratu Epeli Nailatikau; former Speaker of the Senate and interim Minister for Foreign Affairs
Footnotes
References
- Lau Islands, Fiji, By Arthur Maurice Hocart, Published 1929, Bernice P. Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, LVO, OBE, MSD, OStJ, (born 1941 (often referred The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers it may not initiate legislation but may amend or veto it The Minister for Foreign Affairs (commonly known as the Foreign Minister) is Fiji 's Cabinet Minister responsible for international relations and diplomacy Bishop Museum, Ethnology, 241 pages, Original from the University of Michigan, no. 62 1929, Digitized Feb 23, 2007. Page 150 has details on titles like Ratu and Roko and their use
External links
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