Alliances
Vunivalu Ratu Seru Cakobau gave his half-sister Adi Loloakubou in marriage to Ratu Gavidi of Lasakau. Adi Loloakubou's mother was Adi Talatoka, the Radi-Levuka, the first consort of the Vunivalu Ratu Tanoa and daughter of the Tui Cakau. This marriage alliance in essence strengthened the Vunivalu's control of the Lasakau people's seafaring role as chief purveyors for the islet Kingdom. Ratu Cakobau had also promised another prominent chief, the Tui Nakelo his sister in marriage to gain his support in the war against Rewa. This he obviously reneged on, which greatly displeased the Tui Nakelo. The warrior chief of the Rewa delta in kind changed allegiance to the Roko Tui Dreketi of Rewa in opposition to Bau.
At Gavidi's death and in breaking with traditional mourning practices, the people of Lasakau pleaded with Ratu Cakobau that Adi Loloakubou, be spared the custom of wife strangulation as she was with child. Subsequently she gave birth to a son, Ratu Isoa Tuituba. Adi Loloakubou after the death of Ratu Gavidi was later betrothed to Ratu Mara Kapaiwai (1815–59)-cousin and a fierce rival of Cakobau, and the father of Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi, (1859–1920) the leading Fijian administrator of his day.
Ratu Isoa Tuituba, the Komai Nadrukuta married Adi Litia Kaunilotuma of the Vunivalu Tui Kaba clan. Ratu Vodovakatani I, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata I, Adi Tuikilakila, Adi Lewakikau Unaisi and Adi Tatila were born from this union and ensured the Nadrukuta household prominence in Lasakau. Adi Tuikilakila was Ratu Isoa Gavidi II and Ratu Inoke Takiveikata's II mother. Ratu Inoke was acting Vice-President of Fiji in the 1990s. As Vasu Levu to Lasakau Ratu Inoke was honoured as Komai Nadrukuta. He was married to Adi Sainimili Rokoyau of Lomanikoro Rewa.
Ratu Tevita Vodovakatani II, the Komai Nadrukuta (?-1990) and long time engineer on the Governor's vessel the Ramarama, was Ratu Inoke Takiveikata's I son from Roko Naisua of the Tui Moala and also blood linked to Nacokula. Ratu Vodovakatani II married Adi Asenaca Rarogo of the Nabaubau-Rokotui Bau. Their issues were Reverend Ratu Inoke Takiveikata, Adi Litia Vuniwaqa, Ratu Eroni Cinavilakeba, Adi Viniana Tuirewa, Adi Finau, Adi Qolikoro and Roko Naisua. WPC 742, Adi Litia Vuniwaqa was one of the first Fijian female police officers passing-out in December 1970.
The arranged marriage of women of status to gain or seal political alliances was often practised by monarchies in ancient times. Hence Bauan ladies of the Roko Tui Bau and the Tui Kaba were likewise married off to chiefly households of Rewa, Naitasiri, Cakaudrove and Lau. Similarly through such marriages the chiefly clans of the Tui Ba- Nailega, Takala i Gau of Sawaieke, Gau island and the Tui Moala of Naroi, Moala are kinsmen to the chiefs of Lasakau. These strategic familial links reinforced Bauan supremacy on the western coast of Viti Levu, Lomaiviti and the yasayasa Moala Lau group of islands. Ratu Seru Cakobau is said, to have been reared as a child, on Gau island in Lomaiviti and Moala island in Lau.
Read more about this topic: Lasakau Sea Warriors
Famous quotes containing the word alliances:
“An alliance is like a chain. It is not made stronger by adding weak links to it. A great power like the United States gains no advantage and it loses prestige by offering, indeed peddling, its alliances to all and sundry. An alliance should be hard diplomatic currency, valuable and hard to get, and not inflationary paper from the mimeograph machine in the State Department.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)
“’Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.”
—George Washington (1732–1799)
“Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)