Taukei Ni Waluvu - Methodist Church - Matailobau/Wainimala Division

Matailobau/Wainimala Division

The conversion to Christianity and allegiance to Bauan hegemony came at a price for Ratu Meli Davetanivalu II and his clan. Reverend Wallace Deane in The strange adventures of a whales tooth, gives a detailed account of the tribal skirmishes of the Taukei ni Waluvu from 1862 to 1874. For amongst belligerent heathen hill tribes, the Taukei ni Waluvu and his warrior people were a major influence in the spread of Christianity and British colonialism in the hills of the main island of Viti Levu.

According to Methodist history, Reverend Thomas Baker (missionary), on his fateful journey spreading the gospel through the hills of Navosa in July 1867, passed through the Taukei ni Waluvu's Christian enclave on the east bank of the Wainimala river. In Methodist folklore, the tabua (whales tooth) sealing the plot to ambush Reverend Baker, had preceded him along the non- Christian west bank of the Wainimala river.

The alliance that Ratu Meli made with Ratu Seru Cakobau, sat oddly with his 'bati' role to Verata and blood links to other hill tribes. However this propelled him and his clan as the leading Colo East entity for Bauan, Christian and colonial domination. Davetanivalu's stronghold village Navaulele then Nairukuruku thus became the seat of the Methodist church divisional superintendent for Matailobau/Wainimala division with a lay persons training centre. Previously the Matailobau division came under the Bau division.

According to Rev. Deane, some of the Christian teachers from coastal villages who laboured spreading the gospel amongst the heathen tribes and paid the ultimate sacrifice for their faith at Navaulele were: Taitusi, from Nairai; Pita from Rewa, Rupeni from Dravo, Nafitalai from Namuka, Solomoni from Nakoroivau, Nemani, from Waikete, and Nasoni, from Buretu. Reverend Setareki Nasilivata of the warrior clan- Nawaita was Nairukuruku's first Methodist minister from 1914 to 1945.

As a glowing credit to Wesleyan mission life and village advancement at Nairukuruku in 1884, Brewester observed

About four miles further up the Wainimala from Vunidawa was Nairukuruku, the seat of Ratu Jona the native minister in charge of my province. He had a small preparatory school where aspirants for the ministry received their preliminary training. Order and discipline were combined with good native customs and the students whilst being educated, were self-supporting, maintained their own food supply and kept their houses neat and tidy. When I got hipped and bored by the life on the station, I would frequently go over to Nairukuruku and spend the day. Sometimes when Naval Officers and others visited me I took them over there to hear the students choir sing Moody and Sankey's hymns. We use to ride over and return by water for the sake of the fun of canoe travelling, shooting the rapids and getting a pot at the ducks. Ratu Jona's wife was an excellent cook, and generally regalled her guests with savory dishes of chicken stewed with yams and shallots.

Rev Ratu Jona Uluinaceva of Kadavu was native pastor of Matailobau circuit from 1881 to 1893. He was preceded by Rev Taito Rauluni (1876–1881) and Rev Rusiate Vunivalu (?-1875). Rev Jona Uluinaceva was succeeded by Reverends: Nasoni Tuisinu (1894–1903), Rev Pita Tuidela (1903–06) and Rev Filimone Waqaniveitaqavi (1906-?) respectively. Distinguished graduates of Nairukuruku preparatory school were Taukei ni Waluvu Doctor Ratu Temesia Robonowai (1866–1937) who was one of the first Fijian native medical practitioners in 1888, Doctor Ratu Jone Roraiova (1904–34) and Doctor Ratu Waisea Radibi (1901–32).

In 1885, the fiftieth anniversary of Methodism in Fiji, a prominent contingent of Australian Methodists visited Nairukuruku to witness first hand the spread of Christianity in the highlands of Fiji. In addition to church festivities, they were treated to a spectacle of native dances and an insight into hill people tribal culture by the Taukei ni Waluvu and Buli Matailobau Ratu Viliame Batiratu.