BARS AND BUNGALOWS
LEVUKA in the 1930s started to make inroads in as far as Christianity was concerned.
The first few Christian denominations to set up camp on Ovalau were the Methodists, Anglicans and Catholics who were mainly Marist Nuns and Brothers from France.
For decades, the Tui Levuka had sheltered Europeans, many of whom had local women as wives. He protected them from warring Lovoni tribes in the interior of Ovalau and in return he received from them favours such as imported tobacco and liquor.
Initially, Christianity was generally opposed by indigenous people. It took a while before its appeal caught on and people started joining the religion in droves as soon as their chiefs became converts.
Levuka experienced moments of peace and stability, and times of turmoil as well.
Decades later, on a fine June morning in 1871, Levuka's residents were disturbed by noise, among them the sound of drum beating.
As curious people followed the noise, it took them to the northern end of town where Bau chief Ratu Seru Cakobau was sitting under the shade of a native coastal tree known as dilo.
There were a few Fijians and Europeans about him.
“Before a crowd too amazed to respond, the settlers and merchants were briefly told that 'Cakobau Rex' had formed a government. The names of the ministers were announced, most of them Europeans, and the ceremony ended minutes after it began," described Kim Gravelle in his book, Fiji's Heritage: History of Fiji.
At first Cakobau's announcement was taken as a wild joke. It was nothing close to Ma'afu's leadership system in Lau, which was well organised.
Europeans started to oppose Cakobau's government, which ruled between 1871 and 1874. They too wanted one for them, to be operated by them and without natives as leaders.
Ratu Savenaca Naulivou and Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua, were two minsters appointed by Cakobau. The public reaction was initially fairly quiet.
“But at a meeting that night, a number of Levuka's townsmen angrily voted to resist the government, and to protest the way in which it was set up "without the consent of the Europeans," Gravelle said.
Before long, Cakobau had a few white settlers on his Cabinet, as well as the signatures of all prominent chiefs who pledged their support for his regime called the Kingdom of Viti.
One of Cakobau's ministers, Arthur Gordon, later became Fiji's first Governor.
Cakobau kicked off his government with 11,000 pounds, which he collected from the sale of the people of Lovoni whom he sold to rich plantation owners. Some were sold to a moving American circus. But to keep his government afloat, he needed a sustainable source of revenue.
George Austin Woods, a retired British naval officer and the man responsible for supporting Cakobau to set up a government left for Australia, where he was tasked to raise money through the sale of Crown land.
But while Woods was away, discontentment among whites turned to open rebellion.
Australia academic, George Cockburn Henderson, once wrote that among Levuka's responsible settlers were "irresponsible adventurers".
Among this group was the Klu Klux Klan, which was formed with the intention to oppose the government.
“The House of Representatives was fortified with guns trained on the Kayes Hotel, the headquarters of the KKK," Henderson wrote.
There were tensions and altercations and on February 16, 1872, R.A. Derrick wrote: "The diehards met at Keyse's Place, and resolved upon armed resistance”.
"Forming themselves into a secret society, known as the Ku Klux Klan, they bound themselves by exotic oaths to obey their leader's secrecy, to boycott the government and pay no taxes, and to carry arms and rally at appointed posts upon the signal of three shots from a carronade.
“Keyse's Place was fortified and prepared for a siege, and the government was left guessing at the strength and intention of the opposition. (Keyse's Place was formerly a hotel and was situated at the north end of the town, being built on piles extending over the beach and water.)”
The Fiji Times of February 24, 1872 carried a report on the first general meeting of the KKK which confirmed “four resolutions were published".
“The resolutions were (i) asserting that the existing mode of government was contrary to the welfare of the community;(ii) expressing lack of confidence in Burt and asking the king at Bau to dismiss him; (iii) demanding the dissolution of the assembly and the holding of a new election; (iv) appointing a deputation to wait upon the king at Bau, present the resolution and press for Burt's dismissal,” The Fiji Times reported.
Life in Levuka Town became chaotic.
Once, a white man charged with the murder of a Fijian man was released from prison by "70 members of the Tripple K.”
“In the final stage of Cakobau's chaotic government, 600 Europeans went to interview Cakobau at Draiba but were refused entry by Tongan and Fijian soldiers who were under special orders from European officers," noted Suliana Sandys in the book, Levuka: Living Heritage.
“Someone fired a revolver in the air and the soldiers charged. The mob broke and fled along the beach with the soldiers in pursuit. This incident, known as Battle of the Bull Run, ended with a few bruised heads.”
A Mr Proctor arrived in Levuka from Ba, where he led a white supremacy group in Fiji. The KKK was born and the white men of Levuka banded themselves together to join the Ku Klux Klan.
Some white settlers believed the best way to get Fiji to be annexed by either Britain and America was to effectively subdue the indigenous population, the book The White Pacific says.
“And just as the Ku Klux Klan was rising in the