Lala Sukuna

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Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, circa 1940s

post-independence leadership
of Fiji. He did more than anybody to lay the groundwork for self-government by fostering the development of modern institutions in Fiji, and although he died a dozen years before independence from the United Kingdom was achieved in 1970, his vision set the course that Fiji was to follow in the years to come.

Lineage

Sukuna was born into a chiefly family on

Bauan noble and rebel leader Ratu Mara Kapaiwai
.

After joining the Audit Office as a clerk at an early age, Ratu Madraiwiwi had steadily worked his way up through the civil service, establishing connections along the way that were later to prove decisive in the life of his son. Ratu Sukuna's mother,

Tui Nayau, Ratu Alifereti Finau Ulukalala (High Chief of Lau) and father of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III [the father of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
]

Ratu Mara Kapaiwai of Bau was born in 1815, son of Ratu Vuibureta and Adi Mere Veisaca. Ratu Vuibureta was the sixth son of Ratu Banuve Baleivavalagi the 3rd Vunivalu of Bau from 1770 to 1803 and Adi Ufia from Lakeba.

Throughout his life, Ratu Sukuna was regarded as a credible contender for the title of Tui Viti.

Although he was not accorded a chiefly title from Bau his birthplace, he was installed as the second

Tui Nayau, Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III following the passing of Ratu Alifereti Finau Ulukalala
as referenced in the TRY Lakeba. He held the title of Tui Lau until his death in 1958.

Early life

Sukuna's exposure to diverse cultures came early. Although Sukuna was an

Roman Catholicism
and then back again, before sailing for the mission field in Fiji. Determined that Sukuna should receive the best education possible, his father arranged for him to receive private tuition from Andrew. He was a strict teacher, beating Sukuna on occasion.

Sukuna proved to be an exceptionally able student; author

Wanganui
, New Zealand. He proved to be a bright pupil. He was a strong debater, played rugby and cricket, and became the Wanganui Collegiate boxing champion.

War hero and Scholar

It was at this point in his life that the connections cultivated by Sukuna's father throughout his career proved decisive. No Fijians to date had graduated from a university, and the British colonial administration was unwilling to encourage higher learning for the natives. However, Ratu Madraiwiwi was personally acquainted with the

Oxford, in 1913. Financial constraints had prevented him from realising his dream of pursuing a four-year law degree at Cambridge
.

Ratu Sukuna Tui Lau and other chieftains of Lau in Vanua Balavu, 1918 after service in France and Before he left again for England

Ratu Sukuna had little time to settle down to his studies.

Croix de Guerre
.

Now a war hero, Ratu Sukuna had no difficulty raising funds for his return to Oxford. Towards the end of 1918, he graduated from the history course that was shortened for returned servicemen. He proceeded to the Middle Temple in London, and by 1921 had graduated with both a BA and an LL.B degree. He thus became the first-ever Fijian to receive a university degree.

The Statesman

Meanwhile, Sukuna's father had died in 1920, and he had to return to Fiji to take his place as head of the

coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
in London in 1937.

In 1938, Sukuna was installed as the Tui Lau (Protector of the Tongans of Sawana in Vanuabalavu), a senior chiefly title in the Lau Islands that had been vacant for many years. In many respects, this formalised what had long been the reality that he was the most influential chief in Fiji, notwithstanding the seniority enjoyed by other chiefs. Sukuna's education complemented his lineage: he was a descendant of Fijian and Lauan royalty, and no other chief held a university degree. It was by hard work, however, that he earned the respect of his people. Travelling from village to village, Sukuna listened to the common people and took their concerns back to the colonial authorities. In 1940, he returned to Suva as the Native Lands Reserves Commissioner. That year he was awarded the CBE. In 1942 he set about recruiting Fijian men for the World War II effort. The British government had completely reversed its former position of not permitting natives to enlist, and the Fijian Battalion, commanded by Ratu Edward Cakobau (a relative of Sukuna's) fought with distinction. At long last, Fijians had begun to earn the respect of the British authorities, and after the war, they began steps towards fostering self-government in Fiji.

One of Ratu Sukuna's greatest achievements was his role in the establishment of the

Indo-Fijian farmers. Prior to 1940, each clan individually negotiated the terms of leasing the land to those who farmed it, resulting in a wide variation of lease terms. As most landholdings were small, few mataqali were able to develop their plots to any large degree. The then colonial governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, proposed establishing a central body to hold the land in trust and lease it to willing farmers on terms that would be uniform throughout Fiji. The pressing need of the time was to provide land for a growing population of Indo-Fijian farmers, without expropriating it from its Fijian owners, and to do so in a way that was consistent. As early as 1933, Ratu Sukuna had recognised this problem, and had told the Great Council of Chiefs
, "We regard the Indian desire for more permanent tenancy as a natural and legitimate consequence an agricultural community settling in any country. But how was this desire to be reconciled with the need to protect the interests of present and future Fijian landowners?" The Native Land Trust Board scheme emerged as a solution.

Persuading the various mataqali to accept the scheme, however, was far from easy. The landowners were being asked to surrender, forever, the control of their land, and entrust its administration to a central authority that would act in the national interest, as well as that of the owners. Almost single-handedly, Ratu Sukuna set about explaining the proposal to every mataqali in Fiji. Rather than rely on radio broadcasts or printed flyers, he determined to take the proposal in person to every village in the country. After explaining it to the people, he would leave to allow the idea to percolate and would return later to answer more questions. If necessary, he would return again and again, gradually building a consensus in favour of the plan. Finally, after a long and vigorous debate, the

Sir Philip Mitchell
, the then Governor, described as "one of the greatest acts of faith and trust in colonial history." Ratu Sukuna himself was assigned the task of examining each landholding and deciding what portion should be reserved for the present and future needs of the mataqali, and what portion should be made available for leasing.

Meanwhile, Sukuna had become Secretary for Fijian Affairs. In 1944, he reestablished the Native Regulations Board, later renamed the Fijian Affairs Board. Then in 1950, he was appointed as an advisor to the British delegation to the Fourth Committee at Lake Success. He said that while self-government was indeed the goal in the South Pacific, it would have to be of a kind that the local people could understand and work with.

Sukuna was created a

KCMG in 1953, Ratu Sukuna was appointed the first native-born Speaker (politics) of the Legislative Council in 1954. Although it was only partially elected and had few of the powers of the modern Parliament of Fiji, the Legislative Council provided a venue for Fiji's future leaders to gain experience in the workings of government. In 1956, Ratu Sukuna encouraged the formation of Fiji's first political party, the Fijian Association under the leadership of Ratu Edward Cakobau
.

Ratu Sukuna's Legacy

Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna was married twice, first to Adi Maraia Vosawale (1903–1956) in 1928, and later to Maca Likutabua (1934–2000) in September 1957,[1] eight months before his death. Neither marriage produced any children, and his successor as the Tui Lau was his nephew,[2] Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The late Adi Alani Sovanatabua (later Dimuri, when she married Ratu Kinivilame Pai Dimuri, of Naseakula, Macuata) was the only child and daughter of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna as a result of a de facto relationship with Roko Melaia Lutukivuya, daughter of Roko Jone Liwaki, the brother of Ratu Alifereti Finau Ulukalala. Ratu Sukuna had acknowledged Adi Sovanatabua as his daughter. Roko Melaia Lutukivuya was the first cousin of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba III and aunt of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Ratu Sukuna died en route to England on the ship Arcadia, on 30 May 1958. He was buried at the Vatanitawake, the Sau Tabu in Tubou, Lakeba alongside great leaders of Lau.

Although he did not live to see Fiji gain its independence (in 1970), the role he played in the pre-independence years was crucial; without him, there might not have been a Fijian state or its creation would almost certainly have been delayed. Not only was his personal role decisive, he also mentored several of the men who were to play pivotal roles in the post-independence years. His nephew,

Indo-Fijian
community, regard themselves as heirs of his legacy.

Fiji's third constitutional President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, described Ratu Sukuna as "a great and noble man ... whose foresight and vision still impacts on our future."

Regnal Title

Preceded by
Enele Ma'afu
 Tui Lau
1938–1958 		Succeeded by
Wikiquote has quotations related to Lala Sukuna.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Several sources on the web wrongly state that Sukuna married Likutabua in 1950, and that she died in 1958. In fact, she outlived him by 42 years Archived 15 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine, dying in May 2000. She was buried on 3 May that year.
  2. ^ Fijian culture understands Sukuna to be Mara's uncle (he was a relative, in his father's generation). British culture understands them to be second cousins, once removed (Mara's father shared grandparents with Sukuna).

References

  • Scarr, Deryck (1980). Ratu Sukuna: Soldier, Statesman, Man of two worlds. London: Macmillan. p. 220.
  • Stewart Firth; Daryl Tarte, eds. (2001). 20th century Fiji : people who shaped this nation. Suva, Fiji: USP Solutions, University of the South Pacific.
    ISBN 9789820104211
    .
  • Sukuna, Lala, Sir; Scarr, Deryck (1983). Fiji : the three-legged stool : selected writings of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna. London: Macmillan Education for the Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Biography Committee.
    ISBN 9780333340530.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    ) – a journal type entry written by Ratu Sukuna and edited into a book by Deryk Scarr

External links
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