Ne clan of Korobebe
THE story of how the iTaukei people came to inhabit Fiji initially is a contentious subject. Some accounts tell of how the ancestors of the first Fijians — Lutunasobasoba and Degei — travelled from Lake Tanganyika in Africa to Fiji.
Lake Tanganyika borders Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi and Zambia.
Oral folklore tells of how the iTaukei journeyed on a canoe called the Kaunitoni before they landed to the north of Viseisei Village, Vuda.
The story goes that Lutunasobasoba made his home on land near where the canoe berthed, while Degei sailed further up the Viti Levu coast, landed in Rakiraki and made his home at the Nakauvadra Range.
Over the years, however, as anthropologists and linguists conducted studies, they suggested that the Lutunasobasoba and Degei story was the result of a competition held in the late 1870s to develop a more interesting tale rather than the fables which were circulating in the country at the time.
One theory as to the origins of the iTaukei people was that Fiji’s first inhabitants were proto-Polynesians whose ancestry could be traced back to South East Asia.
Whatever the experts say, Ratu Marika Saukuru, the chief of the Ne clan in the village of Korobebe in the district of Sabeto, Nadi, says his ancestors came from Africa.
He claimed the Lake Tanganyika story was no fable, and he put forward some strong arguments backed by historical evidence to support his stance.
“Our forefathers came here on a boat and we believe they travelled all the way from Lake Tanganyika,” the 65-year-old said.
“They came in search of a better place to live and to avoid the types of sicknesses that were afflicting their people in Africa.”
Ratu Marika said apart from the vivid oral accounts of his forefathers and how those stories had found their way into indigenous music, songs and culture, there was evidence found in the names of his people.
“The evidence that our ancestor captained the Kaunitoni can be seen in some names in our clan.”
He said names linked to the name of the captain were Colauli, Naulivesi, Natakele,
Tiloko, Rokocoko and Lagilolo.
“During their voyage, conflict arose in their midst and it happened when the Kaunitoni sailed near some of the smaller islands near the western side of Viti Levu.
“Even until today, and after asking people who had knowledge of our ancestors’ journey, we don’t really know what led to their differences and caused the conflict between the different parties on board the vessel.
“What we do know is that my ancestor and his clan were dropped off at a reef named Cakauloa in Malolo.
“They managed to find their way to Malolo and when they reached there, they decided to settle there. They built houses and lived there.
“So the ancestors of the people of Korobebe, Vitogo and Yakete were the ones who were told to leave the boat.
“Our ancestors stayed on Malolo Island and they named their village Vanua Levu, after a while they left the place and sailed across to a place they called Matalaqere, and from there some were dropped off at Namoli.
“My ancestors moved up to Yakete and dropped the ancestors of the Yakete people where they remain until today.”
Ratu Marika said his ancestors left Yakete and stayed on a mountain called Ului Ne before continuing their journey down the hill to Korobebe.
He said they established and developed the village and the people remained there until today.
Ratu Marika’s account of his ancestry ran very close to records kept at the Native Lands Commission.
According to the NLC records, three siblings lived around a mountain called Ului Ne and they were described as the Ne clan. These included the Leweidrasa clan, Leweikoro, Navatulevu and Viagoisaukova.
The records said they all agreed to look after each other and to work together for the sake of their vanua and they also pledged allegiance and gave respect to the leader of their siblings — which was the Ne clan.
The NLC records also recorded that the Leweidrasa and Leweikoro families in the Ne clan were now living in Korobebe Village.
The records showed that they used to live at Nadele and lived together with the Rarawaqa clan before they left for Vaturu.
Three siblings — Momokoriqwa, Lave or Leva — were the sons of Nayau and Navakayau and Matabiau.
The NLC records show that these four siblings stayed first at Edronu with Degei on the western side of the Tualeita (ancestor’s pathway) before moving to the valley of Sabeto and staying at Ului Ne.
Momokoriqwa moved to Ne, married a woman from Vunamoli and had four sons. The fourth son, Riqwa, moved to Nawaka and stayed there.
His clan is Senibua. The rest of his sons stayed in Ului Ne and they decided the middle one should lead them. That is why Lave left.
He moved to Koromaka, married a Vunamoli woman and together they had two children, and the leadership was given to a young son who stayed near Koromaka name Drasa.
The descendants of Lave or Leva are now the Leweidrasa, but Matabiau followed the tualeita, he climbed up the cliff and stayed at Rairaikoro and married a Vitogo woman and had three children.
The descendants of Matabiau started the Leweikoro clan to commemorate the place where their ancestors lived before which was Rairaikoro.
“That is how we came to be and how we spread around the Nadi district where our people continue to live until today.” History being the subject it is, a group’s version of events may not be the same as that held by another group. When publishing one account, it is not our intention to cause division or to disrespect other oral traditions. Those with a different version can contact us so we can publish your account of history too — Editor.