Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
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His Excellency The Right Honourable Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara CF, GCMG, KBE |
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| 2nd President of Fiji | |
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In office 18 January 1994 – 29 May 2000 |
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| Prime Minister |
Sitiveni Rabuka Mahendra Chaudhry Ratu Tevita Momoedonu |
| Preceded by | Himself As Acting President |
| Succeeded by |
Frank Bainimarama Head of the Interim Military Government |
| Acting President of Fiji | |
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In office 16 December 1993 – 18 January 1994 |
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| Prime Minister | Sitiveni Rabuka |
| Preceded by | Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
| Succeeded by | Himself As substantive President |
| 2nd First Vice-President of Fiji | |
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In office 2 June 1992 – 15 December 1995 Serving with Ratu Sir Josaia Tavaiqia Second Vice-President of Fiji |
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| President | Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
| Prime Minister | Sitiveni Rabuka |
| Preceded by | Ratu Sir Josaia Tavaiqia |
| Succeeded by | Ratu Sir Josaia Tavaiqia |
| 4th Leader of the Opposition (Fiji) | |
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In office 13 April 1987 – 14 May 1987 |
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| Governor General | Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
| Preceded by | Harish Sharma |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| 1st Prime Minister of Fiji | |
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In office 10 October 1970 – 13 April 1987 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor General |
Sir Robert Sidney Foster Ratu Sir George Cakobau Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
| Preceded by | Himself As Chief Minister |
| Succeeded by | Timoci Bavadra |
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In office 5 December 1987 – 2 June 1992 |
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| President | Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau |
| Preceded by | Vacant |
| Succeeded by | Sitiveni Rabuka |
| 1st Chief Minister of Fiji | |
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In office 20 September 1967 – 10 October 1970 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor |
Sir Derek Jakeway Sir Robert Sidney Foster |
| Preceded by | None (new office) |
| Succeeded by | Himself As Prime Minister |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 May 1920 Lomaloma, Vanua Balavu, Fiji |
| Died | 18 April 2004 (aged 83) Suva, Fiji |
| Resting place | Tubou, Lakeba, Fiji |
| Citizenship | Fijian |
| Nationality |
British subject To 1970 |
| Political party | Alliance Party |
| Spouse(s) |
Ro Lady Lala Mara (nee Tuisawau) 9 September 1950 – 18 April 2004 (his death) |
| Relations |
Adi Koila Nailatikau (daughter) Ratu Finau Mara (son) Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara (son) |
| Children | 4 daughters, 3 sons |
| Alma mater | Wadham College, Oxford |
| Profession | Economist |
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE (6 May 1920 – 18 April 2004) is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992. He subsequently served as president from 1993 to 2000.
Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Uluilakeba Mara was born on 6 May 1920, in Sawana, Lomaloma, Vanuabalavu in the archipelago of Lau, the son of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba, Tui Nayau and head of the chiefly Vuanirewa clan of Tubou, Lakeba and Lusiana Qolikoro from the Fonolahi Family of the Yavusa Tonga clan in Sawana. Fonolahi has lineage to the Tongan royalty and was also descended from an English missionary.
Mara's title, Ratu, which means "Chief," was hereditary; as the hereditary Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, he held the titles of Tui Lau in 1963, and Tui Nayau kei Sau ni Vanua ko Lau in 1969. He succeeded to the Tui Nayau title in 1969, following the death of his father in 1966. He was earlier installed as Tui Lau in 1963 following the traditional consultation process between the Yavusa Tonga in Sawana, Lomaloma and the Tui Nayau his father. Though the title Tui Lau is not hereditary it has been left vacant by his cousin¹ Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, who had died in 1958.
Mara was educated first at Queen Victoria School (Fiji) before he left for his final year in Marist Brothers High School, Suva and Sacred Heart College, Auckland. He then attended the University of Otago in New Zealand, where he studied medicine (1942 to 1945). He never finished his medical studies, because his great-uncle and mentor, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (who was then regarded as Fiji's paramount chief), seeking to groom him for future leadership of the nation, arranged for him to study history at Wadham College, Oxford in the United Kingdom. Mara was distressed to abandon his medical studies, but, dependent on Ratu Sukuna for financial support, followed his orders without question, and graduated with an MA in 1949. In 1961, he returned to the United Kingdom to pursue postgraduate study at the London School of Economics for a Diploma in Economics and Social Administration, which he was awarded in 1962. In 1973, his old alma mater, Otago University, awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws (LL.D).
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