Ratu Tevita takes the helm: A new era for Lau Province celebrated with sacred installation

The new paramount chief of Lau Province in Fiji, Ratu Tevita Kapaiwai Lutunauga Uluilakeba Mara, is committed to leading his people towards success, unity, peace, and contentment.

In his inaugural speech following the traditional sacred rituals of installation in the chiefly village of Tubou in Lakeba on Thursday, the Sau ni Vanua ko Lau says that a chief must lead in all areas of life to build a legacy of growth for his people.

“I want to announce here today that I will do my utmost best and at all times during my leadership to steer the province towards prosperity, solidarity and unity,” Ratu Tevita says.

“But this cannot be achieved if you do not support me in my leadership. I have pledged today that I will make wise decisions, decisions that will benefit people always, ensure a smooth sailing on this journey.”

Ratu Tevita is the fourth Tui Lau to be installed, and his ceremony included full rituals such as the holy consecration and anointing during a church service, the drinking of the cup of authority in a kava ceremony, and the ceremonial bathing at sea.

“You’ve installed me as Sau ni Vanua, Tui Lau in a ceremony that is sacred and performed on chiefly installations well before Christianity came to our shores here in Tubou,” Ratu Tevita says.

“I am extremely happy to have this tradition intertwined with the holy consecration and anointing ritual.

“I have now accepted this mantle of leadership, and I pledge to guide the province, with God’s help, to prosperity.”

The ceremony was attended by Tongan royals, including King Tupou VI, Queen Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho and Princess Salote Pilolevu, as well as the Māori Queen Te Arikinui Ngā wai hono i te po and her entourage from the chiefly household (Kiingitanga), who arrived in Lakeba that morning.

Tonga's Princess Pilolevu, left, and Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā wai hono i te pō at Tubou Village in Lakeba. Photo/itaukei Affairs Board

The Kiingitanga family emphasised that Ratu Tevita’s sacred installation after 21 years demonstrates how intergenerational relationships provide a foundation for navigating uncertainty.

In a statement, the Māori monarch says traditional leaders like Ratu Tevita carry forward ancestral wisdom that has supported Pacific communities through many challenges.

Tonga's Queen Nanasipauʻu Tukuʻaho, King Tupou VI and Māori Queen Te Arikinui Ngā wai hono i te po. Photo/ Itaukei Affairs Board

According to the Kiingitanga, the presence of Te Arikinui Kuini at the installation honours decades of indigenous solidarity, showing how time-tested cultural knowledge systems provide practical solutions when modern approaches fall short.

It states that the installation represents more than just a ceremony - it embodies the resilience that arises when Pacific people maintain their sacred connections across time and distance.

The atmosphere in Tubou was reverent as the people of Lau witnessed history unfold with Ratu Tevita taking up a chiefly title that had been vacant since his late father, Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara passed away in 2004.

Women of Tubou sit at both sides of the 'ibutubutu' - walkway - for the Tui Lau, Sau ni Vanua ko Lau under the watchful eyes of traditional warriors. Photo/Supplied/SEE SAW