Tui Nayau

Tui Nayau is the title held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji and is synonymous with the title holders over lordship of these islands. When translated Tui Nayau means Lord of Nayau, an island north of Lakeba, the latter being the chief island in the Lauan archipelago. Prior to being installed as Tui Nayau, the claimant must first be installed as High Chief upon the decision of the noble households making up the Vuanirewa clan. Not every High Chief has been installed as Tui Nayau: several have not held office long enough. The last Tui Nayau was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who died in 2004. His son, Ratu Finau Mara, is considered a likely successor; he has been invited by elders from the village of Tubou (the seat of the chiefdom) to assume the office, but to date (July 2005) there has been no word as to whether or not he has accepted the invitation.

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When the Tui Nayau is traditionally installed, his wife or in the past his senior wife was likewise installed with him and bore the title Radini Nayau or Lady of Nayau. The last Radini Nayau was the Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Lady Lala Mara, wife of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

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Lau Islands: The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. 30 islands of the chain of about 100 islands and islets are inhabited. The Lau Group covers a land area of 188 square miles (487 sq...

Lakeba: Lakeba () is an island in Fiji's Southern Lau archipelago; the provincial capital of Lau is located here. The island is the tenth largest in Fiji, with a land area of nearly 60 square kilometers. It is fertile and well watered, and encircled by a 29-kilometer road. Its closest neighbors are Aiwa 12 ...

Vuanirewa: The Vuanirewa is the ruling clan (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 members of this clan all hail from the village of Tubou on the island of Lakeba and claim descent from one of four noble househo...