Fiji’s finest statesman
RATU Sir Lala Sukuna who was born on April 22, 1888 died on May 30, 1958. He was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman and regarded as the forerunner of the 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 UK was achieved in 1970, his vision set the course that Fiji was to follow in the years to come.
Wikipedia states that Sukuna’s exposure to diverse cultures came early and although he was an indigenous Fijian, his father enrolled him at the Wairuku Indian School in Ra, founded in 1898 by Pandit Badri Maharaj, who later served from 1917 to 1929 as the first Indo-Fijian member of Fiji’s Legislative Council.
One of the teachers at the school was the Rev Charles Andrew a colourful character, an Oxfordeducated Anglican clergyman who had converted to Roman Catholicism and then back again, before sailing for the mission field in Fiji.
Determined that Ratu Sukuna should receive the best education possible, his father arranged for him to receive private tuition from Andrew. He was a strict teacher, beating Ratu Sukuna on occasion.
Sukuna proved to be an exceptionally able student; author Deryck Scarr later said of him that he spoke English with “the bell-like tones of standard southern English, as though he had studied diction with the royal family” — a compliment rarely paid even to a native speaker, let alone one who knew English only as a second language.
Largely as a result of Andrew’s influence, the young Ratu Sukuna was sent to the prestigious Wanganui Collegiate School in 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.
Ratu Sukuna hoped to remain in New Zealand to pursue a university degree, but his source of funds dried up and he was forced to return to Fiji, where, in 1907, he joined the civil service as a fifth clerk.
His superb command of English, ensured his rapid promotion and it was not long before he became the chief translator for the government.
In 1909, he was assistant master of the Lau Provincial School at Lakeba. He also became visiting examiner at Queen Victoria School and Levuka Public School, at the age of 21. At Lakeba, Sukuna formed what was to be another key relationship in his life, with the young English headmaster, Arthur Maurice Hocart. 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 colonial Governor, Sir Francis Henry May, and in 1911 asked him to try to arrange for his son to study at a British university on the grounds that he had passed the matriculation exams at Wanganui Collegiate School.
May’s influence persuaded the British Colonial Secretary, reluctantly, to grant Sukuna a one-year leave of absence from his responsibilities in Fiji to study history at Wadham College, Oxford, in 1913. Financial constraints prevented him from realising his dream of pursuing a four-year law degree at Cambridge.
Ratu Sukuna had little time to settle down to his studies as World War I broke out and he had applied for enlistment in the British Army.
The British Government, however, had a policy of refusing enlistment to Fijians so Sukuna enlisted in the French Foreign Legion instead.
He fought bravely and was wounded towards the end of 1915 and forced to return to Fiji. He returned to France the following year, however, with the Native Transport Detachment, a newly formed contingent assisting the British Army. Apparently, the British colonial authorities had had a change of heart about native participation in the war. For his wartime service, Ratu Sukuna was awarded the 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.
History of the suluvakataga
Sukuna brought with him a tailored sulu, a skirt worn by men, which became Fiji’s national dress. He became a chief assistant in the Native Lands Commission in 1922, and a decade later he was stationed in Lomaloma, and also on the island of Lakeba in the Lau Islands, as a district and provincial commissioner. The same year, he was appointed to the Legislative Council to represent the Fijian people
In this capacity, Sukuna attended the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in London in 1937. In 1938, Sukuna was installed as the Tui Lau, a senior chiefly title in the Lau Islands that had been vacant for many years. He was the most influential chief in Fiji. Sukuna’s education complemented his lineage: he was a descendant of Fijian and Lauan royalty, and no other chief held a university degree. Ratu Sukuna had travelled from village to village, and took the chiefs and villagers 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 Native Land Trust Board. 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.
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 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 has created a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1939 and awarded a knighthood in 1946, in recognition of his services to Fiji. After receiving a second knighthood KCMG in 1953, Ratu Sukuna was appointed the first native-born Speaker
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.
His nephew, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, became a world figure as Fiji’s first Prime Minister and later served as President; Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau served for many years as a Cabinet minister and his cousin, Ratu Sir George Cakobau became the country’s de facto Head of State as its first nativeborn Governor-General; and Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau became the first President of the Republic of Fiji.
All four had been personally selected by Ratu Sukuna for leadership, mentored by him, and educated abroad at his expense. Upon his passing Ratu Sukuna had nothing more to his name but 50 cents which was concluded that in a sense, he gave everything he had to his nation
reported on May 31, 1958 that Ratu Sukuna died aboard the Arcadia, off Ceylon. Fijians were not supposed to weep when a chief dies but many did at dawn on May 31, 1958.
There were a crowd of more than 1000 Fijians who witnessed Ratu Sukuna’s body retrun home to Rairaiwaqa after its long journey from half way around the world.
Thousands of people again gathered at the Suva wharf on June 10, 1958 as the body of the chief was carried aboard the Adi Maopa to be taken to Lakeba for burial.