Queen’s fifth visit to Fiji
WHEN Queen Elizabeth visited Fiji for the fifth time back in 1977, she commended Fiji for being an example of how much could be achieved when different races lived and worked together, pooling their talents and resources for the good of all.
The Queen said this while addressing chiefs and members of the public who gathered at Albert Park in Suva for the Fijian ceremonies of welcome.
An article in The Fiji Times on February 17 that year stated the comments were made during the historic Silver Jubilee celebrations.
“You have received me as the Queen of Fiji with the traditional and deeply impressive ceremony of welcome and I thank you for it,” her majesty said.
She said it confirmed the valued links formed more than 100 years ago between Fiji and her family.
During the speech and ceremonies, Fiji’s leaders and chiefs, men and women, sat on mats in the broiling sun with temperature soaring into the 30 degrees Celsius range.
The then deputy prime minister, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, wearing a dark sulu, black tail coat and bare feet, joined the group just before the Queen arrived.
The then prime minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara also sat on the ground as a mark of respect after escorting the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to the dais.
As her majesty walked on the ground, a respectful hush spread through the thousands of people who thronged the park and filled the wooden stands.
The traditional silence was broken by the tama,
Fijian cries of acclamation and a short burst of polite clapping from guest in the pavilion as the Queen mounted the tapa-covered dais and took her seat next to the only Fijian protocol permitted at her level during the ceremonies, her representatives, governor-general Ratu Sir George Cakobau and Adi Lady Cakobau.
After the royal party’s arrival and the acclamation, women of Bau began slowly advancing forward in two lines taking three steps a time.
Water was splashed on the bow of a Fijian model canoe and a tabua (whale’s tooth) was placed on it. Then Adi Saiaki Kikau took the tabua and presented it to the queen.
This was the qalowaqa
ceremony accorded to women of high birth after a sea journey.
Ratu Tuakitau Cokanauto performed the qaloqalovi ceremony, presenting the tabua and traditionally welcoming the Queen.
This was followed by the luva-ni-tawake, the presentation of a tabua to invoke the maintenance of peace and goodwill performed by Ratu Ratavo Lalabalavu, the Tui Cakau.
The vakamamaca ceremony followed with the presentation of mats and other Fijian handicraft and the sevusevu — presentation of yaqona root were performed by Ratu Jone Uluilakeba and Ratu Matia Bainivalu.
Teenager Ratu Apenisa Seru Cakobau, the son of the governor-general, was the official cup bearer in the yaqona vakaturaga
ceremony.
The queen delivered her speech, which took about three minutes.
After her speech, the Queen was formally escorted to the Government House for the knighting ceremony.