THE GUIDE - Rough Guide to Fiji - page 251

Brief history
Before Captain James Cook chartered the island of Vatoa in Southern Lau in 1774, the
Lau Group was a little-known group of remote islands where Tongans and Fijians traded,
occasionally fought and often intermarried. The Tongans came for the giant vesi trees that
flourished around the islands of Fulaga and Lakeba. These were hollowed out to make large
double-hulled canoes used for exploration, trade and war around the Tongan empire. In 1800,
the Argo , one of the first Western merchant ships to enter Fijian waters, was shipwrecked on
the Bukatatanoa Reef east of Lakeba. Its survivors were rescued in canoes by people from
Lakeba and became the first white people to live amongst Fijians. Items from the ship includ-
ing ceramic plate and buttons moved briskly around the islands, providing much curiosity.
Sadly the ship also brought with it a strain of cholera which caused many deaths throughout
the group.
In 1835, two Wesleyan Methodist missionaries , the Rev William Cross from England and
Rev David Cargill from Scotland, landed at Tubou on Lakeba, becoming the first mission-
aries to arrive in Fiji. The pair had already worked in Tonga for several years and were ac-
companied by several envoys of the Taufa'ahau , the Christian King of Tonga. During the
great wars of the 1840s between Bau and Rewa, fierce Tongan warriors fought for both
sides in different parts of the islands. By 1848, their reputation had begun to embarrass Ta-
ufa'ahau, so he sent the headstrong Prince Ma'afu to Lakeba to control his people. Ma'afu
excelled at his task and soon began to dominate the Lau Group. He moved his seat of power
to Lakeba and by 1869 had declared himself Tui Lau or “ King of Lau ”. With the islands paci-
fied and a Christian ruler in place, European planters moved in, purchasing the fertile islands
of Northern Lau to grow cotton, and later for coconut oil production. When the entire Fijian
archipelago was ceded to Britain in 1874, Ma'afu was granted control of the Lau Group and
remained here until his death in 1881.
Today, Lauans walk tall amongst Fijians, retaining much power in political life. Two
of Fiji's most revered figureheads hailed from Tubou on Lakeba: Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna
(1888-1958), who paved the way for the nation's independence; and Ratu Sir Kamisese
Mara (1920-2004), Fiji's first Prime Minister. The latter held the title of President from 1993
to 2000 before being unceremoniously deposed by the Speight coup .
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: THE LAU GROUP
By plane Pacific Sun operates weekly flights from Nausori Airport direct to Cicia, Northern
Lau (Thurs; 1hr; F$263); Lakeba, Southern Lau (Thurs; 1hr; F$275); and Vanua Balavu,
Northern Lau (Wed; 1hr; F$275), but no flights between the islands. Flights are often booked
out months in advance, especially around Christmas and other school holidays. Northern Air-
ways flies to Moala (Wed; 1hr; F$100).