10-07-2025
Lau Islands to install first high chief in 20 years
Fiji will see the most important part of a series of traditional, symbolic rituals to install one of the country's paramount chiefs.
Later this morning Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara will become Tui Nayau and Sau ni Vanua o Lau - the high chief of the Lau islands.
The positions have been vacant since his father, Fiji's first prime minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, died 20 years ago.
Among the dignitaries in Lau to witness the historic occasion are Tonga's King Tupou VI and New Zealand's Maori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Pō.
The installation of a high chief is more than just tradition - it's a sacred encounter between culture and faith.
Christian rituals now form part of the ceremony, reflecting how Indigenous Fijian identity has evolved alongside Western influences.
