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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. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited. The Lau Group covers a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km), and had a population of 10,683 at the most recent census in 2007. While most of the northern Lau Group are high islands of volcanic origin, those of the south are mostly carbonate low islands.
Administratively the islands belong to Lau Province.
The British explorer James Cook reached Vatoa in 1774. By the time of the discovery of the Ono Group in 1820, the Lau archipelago was the most mapped area of Fiji.
Political unity came late to the Lau Islands. Historically, they comprised three territories: the Northern Lau Islands, the Southern Lau Islands, and the Moala Islands. Around 1855, the renegade Tongan prince Enele Ma'afu with the help of Tui Nayau’s army, conquered the region and established a unified administration. Tui Nayau then bestowed the titleTui Lau, or King of Lau, to Ma’afu, promulgated a constitution and encouraged the establishment of Christian missions. The first missionaries had arrived at Lakeba in 1830, but had been expelled. The Tui Nayau, who had been the nominal overlord of the Lau Islands, became subject to Ma'afu.
The Tui Nayau and Tui Lau titles came into personal union in 1969. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who had already been bestowed the title of Tui Lau in 1963 by the Vuanirewa Clan on the approval of his father Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II (the reigning Tui Nayau during that time), was also installed as Tui Nayau following the death of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II in 1966. The title Tui Lau was left vacant from his uncle, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, in 1958 as referenced in Mara, The Pacific Way Paper. The installation of the Tui Nayau takes place in Narocivo Maumi on the island of Nayau, by the Vunirewa clan elders or the Matua I Tui Nayau. The Tui Nayau can also be installed by the Masi Ni Vanua o Nayau in the island of Nayau.
The Northern Lau Islands, which extended as far south as Tuvuca, were under the overlordship of Taveuni and paid tribute to the Tui Cakau (Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove). In 1855, however, Ma'afu & Tui Nayau gained sovereignty over Northern Lau, establishing Lomaloma, on Vanua Balavu, as Ma”afu’s capital.
The Southern Lau Islands extended from Ono-i-Lau, in the far south, to as far north as Cicia. They were the traditional chiefdom of the Tui Nayau, but with proper consultation between Ma'afu & Tui Nayau in the 1850s, united them to the Lau Province.
The Moala Islands had closer affiliation with Bau Island and Lomaiviti than with Lau, but Ma'afu & Tui Nayau’s conquest united them with the Lau Islands. They have remained administratively a part of the Lau Province ever since.
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Lau Islands AI simulator
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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. Of this chain of about sixty islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited. The Lau Group covers a land area of 188 square miles (487 square km), and had a population of 10,683 at the most recent census in 2007. While most of the northern Lau Group are high islands of volcanic origin, those of the south are mostly carbonate low islands.
Administratively the islands belong to Lau Province.
The British explorer James Cook reached Vatoa in 1774. By the time of the discovery of the Ono Group in 1820, the Lau archipelago was the most mapped area of Fiji.
Political unity came late to the Lau Islands. Historically, they comprised three territories: the Northern Lau Islands, the Southern Lau Islands, and the Moala Islands. Around 1855, the renegade Tongan prince Enele Ma'afu with the help of Tui Nayau’s army, conquered the region and established a unified administration. Tui Nayau then bestowed the titleTui Lau, or King of Lau, to Ma’afu, promulgated a constitution and encouraged the establishment of Christian missions. The first missionaries had arrived at Lakeba in 1830, but had been expelled. The Tui Nayau, who had been the nominal overlord of the Lau Islands, became subject to Ma'afu.
The Tui Nayau and Tui Lau titles came into personal union in 1969. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who had already been bestowed the title of Tui Lau in 1963 by the Vuanirewa Clan on the approval of his father Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II (the reigning Tui Nayau during that time), was also installed as Tui Nayau following the death of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba II in 1966. The title Tui Lau was left vacant from his uncle, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, in 1958 as referenced in Mara, The Pacific Way Paper. The installation of the Tui Nayau takes place in Narocivo Maumi on the island of Nayau, by the Vunirewa clan elders or the Matua I Tui Nayau. The Tui Nayau can also be installed by the Masi Ni Vanua o Nayau in the island of Nayau.
The Northern Lau Islands, which extended as far south as Tuvuca, were under the overlordship of Taveuni and paid tribute to the Tui Cakau (Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove). In 1855, however, Ma'afu & Tui Nayau gained sovereignty over Northern Lau, establishing Lomaloma, on Vanua Balavu, as Ma”afu’s capital.
The Southern Lau Islands extended from Ono-i-Lau, in the far south, to as far north as Cicia. They were the traditional chiefdom of the Tui Nayau, but with proper consultation between Ma'afu & Tui Nayau in the 1850s, united them to the Lau Province.
The Moala Islands had closer affiliation with Bau Island and Lomaiviti than with Lau, but Ma'afu & Tui Nayau’s conquest united them with the Lau Islands. They have remained administratively a part of the Lau Province ever since.