Finau Mara - Tui Nayau Candidate

Tui Nayau Candidate

On 18 March 2005, it was announced that five elders from his home island of Lakeba had visited him in Suva to invite him to succeed his late father as Tui Nayau, or Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands. Although not strictly hereditary, the title is traditionally held by a male in the chiefly Vuanirewa Clan, a tradition his father reportedly wanted upheld. One village elder, who chose not to be named, said that Mara had both the blood ties and the modern education expected of a Paramount Chief. "He is a high chief, whose parents are both paramount chiefs and have strong blood ties with all the chiefly households in Fiji and Tonga, is young and can look after his people," the elder said.

Others expressed disappointment, however, that the elders had gone public before Ratu Finau had made a final decision on accepting the invitation, saying that the publicity was an insult to him and the other children of the late Ratu Mara.It was no one who went to the media about this information i don't know where this is coming from but the elders from Nayau have approched Ratu Finau and he said he will let them know of his decision,full stop.

As of July 2005, there was still no public announcement as to whether Mara has accepted the invitation to become the Tui Nayau, but his elder sister, Adi Ateca Ganilau, said that discussions between the family and the mataqali (clan) were ongoing. She said there was no time limit; her father had been installed only after three years of discussions.

On 13 March 2006, the Fiji Village news service quoted Lau Provincial Council Chairman Ratu Josefa Basulu as saying that Mara had accepted an invitation from the chiefly Vuanirewa clan to succeed his late father as Tui Nayau, or Paramount Chief of Lau. A date for installation had yet to be finalized, he said.