Roko Tui Bau

Turaga na Roko Tui Bau is a vassal chief to the Vunivalu of Bau, Paramount Chief of the Kubuna Confederacy.

From his seat at the chiefly residence of Naicobocobo, the Roko Tui Bau is Suzerain of the Vusaratu chiefs which include the Roko Tui Viwa, Roko Tui Kiuva, Tui Nuku and has special relationships with the related titles of Roko Tui Dreketi, Ratu Mai Verata, Roko Tui Namata, Roko Tui Veikau, Tui Vuya and many other chiefly titles in Fiji's Chiefly Households.

The succession to the title does not follow primogeniture, but the candidate must be a high-ranking member of the Vusaratu clan. Although the Roko Tui Bau is technically a subordinate chief, the selection process is completely independent of the Vunivalu and his Tui Kaba clan.

The Vunivalu was not always the senior Chieftain in Kubuna and Bau. The title was considered subordinate to the Roko Tui Bau. Power struggles between the various chiefly households came to a head with the exile of the Vunivalu Tanoa Visawaqa in the early 19th century after a series of murders and reprisals. His son Seru Epenisa Cakobau however was allowed to remain in Bau during his fathers exile. Cakobau gained power by subverting the Lasakau people to plot and execute the overthrow of the ruling group, led by Ratu Ravulo Vakayaliyalo, in 1837; Seru Epenisa Cakobau then reinstated his father as ruler.

After the expulsion of the tokatoka Vuaniivi, they re-established themselves at Vanua Balavu as the Rasau line of chiefs of Lomaloma.

The leadership of the Mataqali Vusaratu and that of the wider Vusaratu chieftains was reestablished under a new dynasty led by the Tokatoka Nacokadi. To cement this relationship, Cakobau took two of the new Roko Tui Bau's daughters as wives: Adi Salote Qalirea Kaunilotuma and Adi Litia Samanunu.

...
Wikipedia