Rotuma

This article is about theFijiandependency. For other uses, seeRotuma (disambiguation).

Rotuma Rotuma
Flag
Location of Rotuma inPolynesia
The island of Rotuma, located to the far north, in relation to mainland Fiji
Administrative center	Ahau 12°29.9′S177°2.82′E
Official languages	Rotuman English Fijian Fiji Hindi
Ethnic groups	Rotuman ∟Fagutan
Demonym(s)	Rotuman ∟Fagutan
Government	Dependency of Fiji
•Gagaj Pure (District Officer)	Niumaia Masere
•Gagaj Jeaman (CouncilChairman)	Tarterani Rigamoto
Establishment
• Faguta's special status agreed to byRotuma's chiefsin the Treaty of Hamelin	11 September 1871
• Rotuma ceded to theUnited Kingdom	13 May 1881
• Independence from the United Kingdom granted as part ofFiji	10 October 1970
Area
• Total	47 km2(18 sq mi)
Population
• 2017 census	1,594
Currency	Fiji dollar (FJD)
Time zone	UTC+12
Calling code	+679

Rotuma/roʊˈtuːmə/is a self-governing heptarchy, generally designated adependencyofFiji."Rotuma" commonly refers to Rotuma Island, the only permanently inhabited and by far the largest of all the islands in theRotuma Group.Officially, the Rotuma Act declares that Rotuma consists of Rotuma Island as well as its neighbouring islands, rocks, and reefs across the entire Rotuma Group. The dependency is situated around 500 km west of the French islands ofWallis and Futunaand a similar distance north of the Fijian mainland. Its capital is Ahau, a hamlet consisting of a number ofcolonial-erabuildings. Rotuma exists as a dependency of Fiji but itself contains its own socioreligiouspene-enclaveknown traditionally asFagutawhere the chiefs (ofJujuandPepjei) and their villages adhere to the practices of worship,festivaldates, andFrench-basedwriting system of theMarists,based atSumi.

The island group is home to a large and unique Polynesian indigenousethnic groupwhich constitutes a recognisable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans".Its population at the 2017censuswas 1,594,although many more Rotumans live on mainland Fijian islands, totaling 10,000.

History

Origins according to oral history

Rotuma was first inhabited according to record by people of Tahiti Nui, Marquesas, and Rapa Nui. At that time, it was known as Siria. Little was known about the exact years of migration from these far Eastern Kingdoms of those times. The only information known was that Rotuma was used by these three Kingdoms as the royal burial ground for the Kings and Queens of Tahiti Nui and Rapa Nui. Rotuma was known as Siria by the indigenous peoples of Tahiti Nui and Rapa Nui as it was named after the star which lies exactly above the location of the island. Thus, the people of those days prayed to a mythical figure known as Tagaroa Siria. In remembrance of this old royal burial ground, a certain species of seaweed was given as a token of blood ties to remember the old and special bonds between Tahiti Nui and Rotuma. This particular species of seaweed is a delicacy amongst the islands, but it only grows on Tahiti and Rotuma. This seaweed species was said to be given by a Princess of Bora Bora. The Princess name was Teura (Redness) of Bora Bora who married the Legendary Prince Te-Fatu of Rotuma.

The first foreigner to arrive in Rotuma is sometimes named in oral tradition as Bulou ni Wasa who arrived with her seven brothers. The name of the canoe that brought her and her family was known asRogovoka.Her brothers left her on the island and made their way to Fiji. When she disembarked on Rotuma onto a rock which her priests called Vatu Vonu (Haf kafaghoi ta), the rulers of Rotuma are said to have immediately given her the name Tafatemasian, coincidently the same meaning as Adi Rarama ni Wasa (a spirit encircled with light). Without meeting her, some say Prince Sarefua and Princess Tefuimena decided that she be installed immediately as the ruler of the island as a gesture of welcome and therefore persuaded her to stay and rule the island.

Later settlers of the islands it was widely said, in myths which came from Samoa, were led by a man named Raho. In 1896, the scholar Friedrich Ratzel recorded a Samoan legend about Samoans' relationship to Rotuma:

"Thus the Samoans relate that one of their chiefs fished in the vicinity of Rotuma and then planted coco-palms on the main island. In a later migration the chief Tokaniua came that way with a canoe full of men and quarrelled with the Samoan chief Raho about who had the right of possession."

Rotuman Revolution

While Tongan forces invaded and occupied the island at one point in the 17th century, managing to consolidate their hold over the island and its people, eventually the Rotumans rebelled. According to the Acting-Resident Commissioner of Rotuma W.E. Russell, Rotumansultimately overthrew their Tongan occupiersin a bloody uprising that took place over a single night.

European contact

Tupaia's Map is among the most important artifacts to have come from late 18th-century European–Indigenous encounters in the South Pacific region and features, in Epeli Hau‘ofa's terms, a "sea of islands" extending for more than 7,000 km from Rotuma in the west to Rapa Nui in the east and more than 5,000 km from Hawai‘i in the north to New Zealand in the south. The earliest known confirmedEuropeansighting of Rotuma was in 1791, whenCaptainEdward Edwardsand the crew ofHMSPandoralanded in search of sailors who had disappeared following theMutiny on the Bounty.Some scholars have suggested that the first European to sight the island was, instead,Pedro Fernandes de Queirós;his description of an island he sighted is consistent with the characteristics and location of Rotuma. However, this possibility has not been conclusively substantiated.

France, Catholicism, and Coquille

FrenchmanRené Lessonwhose sharing of his beliefs in 1824 was recorded as the first such occasion on the island. This act effectively rendered French Catholicism the first religion to reachRotumans'ears.

In 1824, French surgeon and naturalistRené Lessonarrived in Rotuma onboard the vesselCoquille.Lesson observed that the Rotumans had no awareness of an afterlife; his revelation of such an idea therefore made French Catholicism, the official religion of the state of his employ, theKingdom of France,the first faith shared with the Rotumans.His catechising would subsequently be formalised and reinforced by FrenchMariststwo decades later, most especially in the formerly conjoinedchiefdomsof Faguta,PepjeiandJuju,as well as extending into neighbouring districts, especiallyItuʻtiʻu.

Whaling

A favorite of whaling ships in need of reprovisioning, in the mid-nineteenth century Rotuma also became a haven for runaway sailors, some of whom were escaped convicts. Some of these deserters married local women and contributed their genes to an already heterogeneous pool; others met violent ends, reportedly at one another's hands. The first recorded whaleship to visit was theLoperin 1825, and the last known visit was by theCharles W. Morganin 1894.Rotuma was visited as part of theUnited States Exploring Expeditionin 1840.

Tongan invasion and the Wesleyan agenda

In the 1850s and 1860s, the Tongan princeMa'afuclaimed possession of Rotuma and sent his subordinates to administer the main island and its neighboring islets. Ma'afu had earlier made a serious effort to spread his Wesleyan beliefs to eastern Fiji and the Tongan invasion of Rotuma allowed him to consolidate its hold over a new group, the Rotumans in the north of the island.

Cession to Britain

Wesleyanmissionaries fromTongaarrived on Rotuma in June 1841, followed byCatholicMaristsin 1847. The Roman Catholic missionaries withdrew in 1853 but returned in 1868. Conflicts between the two groups, fuelled by previous political rivalries among the chiefs of Rotuma's seven districts, resulted in hostilities that led the local chiefs in 1879 to askBritainto annex the island group. On 13 May 1881, Rotuma was officially ceded to theUnited Kingdom,when the British flag was hoisted byHugh Romilly.The event is annually celebrated asRotuma Day.

In 1881, a group of Rotuman chiefs travelled to Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji, to meet Queen Victoria's official representative to complete the process of cession. A memorial to the seven chiefs and their mission is located in the District ofItuʻtiʻu.In response to the cession, Queen Victoria bestowed the name of Albert on theparamount chiefat the time - Gagaj Vaniak - in honour of her beloved husband, Prince Albert, who had died twenty years before. In June 2017,Pene Saggers(née Enasio) met with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and together they spoke about the links between their ancestral lines and the cession of Rotuma.

After Rotuma was ceded to the United Kingdom, it was governed as part of the Colony of Fiji. Rotuma remained with Fiji after Fiji's independence in 1970 and the military coups of 1987.

Geography and geology

Satellite image of Rotuma

The Rotuma group of volcanicislandsare located 646 kilometres (401 mi) (SuvatoAhau) north ofFiji.Rotuma Island itself is 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) long and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) wide, with a land area of approximately 47 square kilometres (12,000 acres),making itthe 12th-largest of the Fiji islands.

The island is bisected by an isthmus into a larger eastern part and a westernpeninsula.The isthmus is low and narrow, only 230 metres (750 ft) wide, and is the site of Motusa village (Ituʻtiʻudistrict). North of the isthmus is Maka Bay, and in the south is Hapmafau Bay. There is a large population ofcoralreefs in these bays, and there are boat passages through them.

Rotuma is ashield volcanomade of alkali-olivinebasaltandhawaiite,with many small cones. It reaches 256 metres (840 ft) above sea level at Mount Suelhof, near the center of the island. Satarua Peak, 166 metres (540 ft) high, lies near the eastern end of the island.While they are very secluded from much of Fiji proper, the large reef and untouched beaches are renowned as some of the most beautiful in theRepublic of Fiji.

There are several islands that lie between 50 metres (160 ft) and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) distant from the main island, but are still within the fringing reef. They are:

• Solnohu(south)
• SolkopeandSariʻi(southeast)
• ʻAfgahaandHusia Rua(far southeast)
• Husia(Husiatiʻu) andHusiameaʻmeʻa(close southeast)
• HạuameaʻmeʻaandHạua(Hạuatiʻu) (close together northeast).

There is also a separate chain of islands that lie between 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the northwest and west of Rotuma Island. In order, from northeast to southwest, these are:

• Uea
• Hạfhai
• Hạfhahoi
• Hạfhaveiaglolo
• Hatana
• Hạfliua.

The geological features of this island contribute to its national significance, as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

Pigs are so widespread in Rotuma their stone enclosures are a prominent feature of the island. Scientists conducting a botanical survey of the island in 2000 even remarked on this:

"Pig rearing, often within elaborate stonewalled pens, is also an integral component of the agricultural system and has been recognized by Rotumans as having a considerable impact."

The Acting-Resident Commissioner of Rotuma, W.E. Russell, dubbed this network of stonepig styfences the "Great Wall of Rotuma".

Climate

Climate data for Rotuma Island (1991–2020 normals)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	34 (93)	33 (91)	34 (93)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	32 (90)	33 (91)	32 (90)	34 (93)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31.2 (88.2)	31.1 (88.0)	31.1 (88.0)	31.1 (88.0)	30.7 (87.3)	30.0 (86.0)	29.7 (85.5)	29.7 (85.5)	29.9 (85.8)	30.3 (86.5)	30.8 (87.4)	31.1 (88.0)	30.6 (87.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)	28.1 (82.6)	28.1 (82.6)	28.1 (82.6)	28.1 (82.6)	27.9 (82.2)	27.5 (81.5)	27.2 (81.0)	27.2 (81.0)	27.3 (81.1)	27.5 (81.5)	27.9 (82.2)	28.1 (82.6)	27.8 (82.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	25.0 (77.0)	25.0 (77.0)	25.0 (77.0)	25.1 (77.2)	25.1 (77.2)	24.9 (76.8)	24.6 (76.3)	24.6 (76.3)	24.6 (76.3)	24.7 (76.5)	24.9 (76.8)	25 (77)	24.9 (76.8)
Record low °C (°F)	20 (68)	21 (70)	21 (70)	22 (72)	20 (68)	20 (68)	18 (64)	20 (68)	19 (66)	17 (63)	20 (68)	20 (68)	17 (63)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	359.9 (14.17)	312.8 (12.31)	359.5 (14.15)	264.5 (10.41)	275.8 (10.86)	274.2 (10.80)	249.0 (9.80)	248.2 (9.77)	289.1 (11.38)	355.4 (13.99)	323.5 (12.74)	322.7 (12.70)	3,634.6 (143.09)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm)	19.9	19.0	19.5	18.4	15.9	17.1	17.1	17.2	17.9	18.4	17.9	19.1	217.4
Averagerelative humidity(%)	83	83	83	84	83	82	82	81	81	82	83	82	82
Mean monthlysunshine hours	166.2	162.6	177.8	194.2	194.5	178.9	194.1	201.4	179.5	193.2	188.7	182.4	2,213.5
Source 1:World Meteorological Organization
Source 2:Deutscher Wetterdienst

Flora and fauna

Mofmanu beach in Motusa, Rotuma

A 4,200-hectare (10,000-acre) area covering the main island and its small satellite islets is the RotumaImportant Bird Area.The Important Bird Area covers the entire range of thevulnerableRotuma myzomela,and the Rotuman subspecies ofPolynesian starlingandFiji shrikebill.Rotuma also supports isolated outlying populations ofCrimson-crowned fruit doveandPolynesian triller.The offshore islets of Haʻatana, Hofliua and Hatawa have nationally significant seabird colonies.

Demographics

Although the island has been politically part of Fiji since 1881, Rotumans are Polynesians and their culture more closely resembles that of thePolynesianislands to the east, most noticeablyTahiti,Tonga,Samoa,Futuna,andUvea.Because of their Polynesian appearance and distinctivelanguage,Rotumans now constitute a recognizable minority group within the Republic of Fiji. The great majority of Rotumans (9,984 according to the 2007 Fiji census) now live elsewhere in Fiji, with 1,953 Rotumans remaining on Rotuma.

Population in Rotuma

Year	Population
1986	2588
1996	2619
2007	1893
2017	1594

Rotumansare staunchly conservative culturally and maintain their customs in the face of changes brought about by increased contact with the outside world; social trends which have emerged elsewhere have remained entirely unwelcome in Rotuma. As recently as 1985, some 85 percent of Rotumans voted against opening the island up totourism,concerned about the impact of an influx of secular tourist outsiders.P&OCruises landed on the island only twice in the 1980s. Rotumans' inherent conservatism has led to a strict form of sociodemographic preservation.Indiansand Chinese have no presence in Rotuma, unlike otherFijian islands,where these groups have managed to acquire property and establish themselves; this is because in Rotuma landholdings are held exclusively for the use and benefit of the island's ownRotuman people.

Notable Rotumans and people of Rotuman descent

• Robin Everett Mitchell:president of the Association of National Olympic Committees; the Oceania National Olympic Committee; and "Olympic Solidarity".
• Paul Manueli:former commander of the Royal Fiji Military Forces; Fiji cabinet minister; senator; successful businessman
• Jioji Konrote:president of Fiji (from 2015 to 2021); formerhigh commissionerto Australia
• Marieta Rigamoto:former Fiji information minister
• Daniel Fatiaki:Chief Justice of Fiji
• Seán ÓgandSetanta Ó hAilpín(brothers of Rotuman descent): Irish sportsmen
• John Sutton:National Rugby Leagueplayer
• Vilsoni Hereniko:playwright; film director
• Sapeta Taito:actress (The Land Has Eyes)
• Jono Gibbes(of Rotuman descent on his mother's side): New Zealand rugby union player
• Rocky Khan(of Rotuman descent on his mother's side): New Zealand Rugby Union player
• Graham Dewes:Fiji Rugby Union player
• Daniel Rae Costello(of Rotuman descent): Fijian-born musician
• Rebecca Tavo(has a Rotuman father): Australian touch-rugby player
• Selina Hornibrook(has a Rotuman mother): former Australian netball player
• Ngaire Fuata(has a Rotuman father): New Zealand television producer and singer
• Pene Erenio:top Fiji soccer player (Savusavu)
• Ravai Fatiaki:Fiji Rugby Union player
• Sofia Tekela-Smith(raised on Rotuma by her grandmother): New Zealand artist
• David Eggleton(of Rotuman descent on his mother's side): Poet Laureate of New Zealand
• Fred Fatiaki:coach
• Lee Roy Atalifo:Fiji Rugby Union player

Politics and society

Political offices

Rotuma is divided into seven districts, each with its own chief (Gagaj ʻes Ituʻu). The district chiefs and elected district representatives make up theRotuma Island Council.The districts are divided into subgroupings of households (hoʻaga) that function as work groups under the leadership of a subchief (gagaj ʻes hoʻaga). All district headmen and the majority of hoʻaga headmen are titled. In addition, some men hold titles without headship (as tög), although they are expected to exercise leadership roles in support of the district headman. Titles, which are held for life, belong to specified house sites (fuạg ri). All the descendants of previous occupants of a fuạg ri have a right to participate in the selection of successors to titles.

Participants of the formaltautogadance sometimes wear the lengthy tailfeathers of thewhite-tailed tropicbird,called the "täväke" inRotuman

On formal occasions, titled men and dignitaries such as priests, ministers, government representatives, and distinguished visitors occupy a place of honor. They are ceremonially served food from special baskets andkava.In the daily routine of village life, however, they are not especially privileged. As yet no significant class distinctions based on wealth or control of resources have emerged, but investments in elaborate housing and motor vehicles by a few families have led to visible differences in standard of living.

At the time of arrival by Europeans, there were three pan-Rotuman political positions created by the Samoan invaders: thefakpure,thesạu,and the mua. The fakpure acted as convener and presiding officer over the council of district headmen and was responsible for appointing the sạu and ensuring that he was cared for properly. The fakpure was headman of the district that headed the alliance that had won the last war. The sạu's role was to take part in the ritual cycle, oriented toward ensuring prosperity, as an object of veneration. Early European visitors referred to the sạu as "king", but he actually had no secular power. The position of sạu was supposed to rotate between districts, and a breach of this custom was considered to be incitement to war. The role of mua is more obscure, but like the sạu, he was an active participant in the ritual cycle. According to some accounts the mua acted as a kind of high priest.

Following Christianisation in the 1860s, the offices of sạu and mua were terminated. Colonial administration involved the appointment by the governor of Fiji of a Resident Commissioner (after 1935, aDistrict Officer) to Rotuma. He was advised by a council composed of the district chiefs. In 1940 the council was expanded to include an elected representative from each district and the Assistant Medical Practitioner. Following Fiji's independence in 1970, the council assumed responsibility for the internal governance of Rotuma, with the District Officer assigned to an advisory role. Up until the first coup, Rotuma was represented in the Fiji legislature by a single senator.

Elections

Administratively, Rotuma is fully incorporated into Fiji, but withlocal governmentso tailored as to give the island a measure of autonomy greater than that enjoyed by other political subdivisions of Fiji. At the national level, in the past Fijian citizens of Rotuman descent elected one representative to the FijianHouse of Representatives,and the Council of Rotuma nominated one representative to theFijian Senate.Rotuma was also represented in the influentialGreat Council of Chiefsby three representatives chosen by the Council of Rotuma. For electoral purposes, Rotumans were formerly classified asFijians,but when theConstitutionwas revised in 1997–1998, they were granted separate representation at their own request. (The majority of seats in Fiji's House of Representatives are allocated on acommunal basisto Fiji's variousethnic groups.) In addition, Rotuma forms part (along withTaveuniand theLau Islands) of theLau Taveuni RotumaOpen Constituency,one of 25 constituencies whose representatives are chosen byuniversal suffrage.

Social control

Thehoʻaga,a kinship community, was the basic residential unit in pre-contact Rotuma.The basis for social control is a strong socialisation emphasis on social responsibility and a sensitivity to shaming. Gossip serves as a mechanism for sanctioning deviation, but the most powerful deterrent to antisocial behavior is an abiding belief in imminent justice, that supernatural forces (the ʻatua or spirits of ancestors) will punish wrongdoing. Rotumans are a rather gentle people; violence is extremely rare and serious crimes nearly nonexistent.

Conflict

Prior to cession, warfare, though conducted on a modest scale, was endemic in Rotuma. During the colonial era political rivalries were muted, since power was concentrated in the offices of Resident Commissioner and District Officer. Following Fiji's independence, however, interdistrict rivalries were again given expression, now in the form of political contention. Following the second coup, when Fiji left theCommonwealth of Nations,a segment of the Rotuman population, known as the "Mölmahao Clan" ofNoaʻtaurejected the council's decision to remain with the newly declared republic. Arguing that Rotuma had been ceded to the United Kingdom and not to Fiji, in 1987 these rebels attempted to form an independent aristocratic maritime republic which they called theRepublic of Rotumabut they were promptly charged with sedition and the entity disintegrated almost immediately. It did not have any substantive support and while majority opinion appears to favor remaining with Fiji some rumblings of discontent remain.

Territorial divisions

Main article:Local government of Fiji

Schematic map of Rotuma indicating districts and main villages

Rotuma's seven districts can be grouped into three agglomerations: the medial and northern districts, the capital district, and the traditional territory of Faguta (whose special character was effectively agreed to by allRotuma's chiefsin 1871 in the Treaty of Hamelin).

Medial and northern districts

Noaʻtau

Noaʻtau(extreme southeast) contains the villages Fekeioko, Maragteʻu, Fafʻiasina, Matuʻea, ʻUtʻutu, and Kalvaka.

Oinafa

Oinafa(east) contains the villages Oinafa, Lopta, and Paptea.

Malhaha

Malhaha(north) contains the villages Pepheua, ʻElseʻe, and ʻElsio.

Ituʻmuta

Ituʻmuta(western peninsula) contains the villages Maftoa and Lopo.

Capital district

Ituʻtiʻu

Ituʻtiʻu(west, but east of western peninsula) contains the villages Savlei, Lạu, Feavại, Tuạʻkoi, Motusa, Hapmak, Losa, and Fapufa.

ʻAhạu,also located in the District of Ituʻtiʻu, is the capital and where the "tariạgsạu" (traditionally the name of the sạu's palace) meeting house for theCouncil of Rotumais based which functions as Rotuma'sseat of government.

Faguta

The southern part of Rotuma is known traditionally asFaguta,a territory encompassingJujuandPepjei,whose chiefs lead socioreligious communities which follow the ecclesiastical, cultural, and linguistic teachings of theMaristsofFrance.

Faguta
Ituʻu	Location	Villages
Juju	south	Juju Tuại Haga
Pepjei	southeast	ʻUjia Uạnheta Avave

Ituʻu is aRotumangeographic term typically considered equivalent to a chiefdom or district.

Timeline of Faguta

The main island in theRotuma Groupwas formerly partitioned into five parts. One of these parts, Faguta, was located to the south of Rotuma Island, across thestraitfromSolnohuisland. Faguta's chief, alongside the chief of Noatau, were generally considered the most influential of all those across the island and effectively governed the island's south and north, respectively. The significance of these two chiefs was reflected in the fact that the position of the head of the island's governing council alternated between the chief of Faguta and the chief of Noatau, depending on which of the two had been victorious in the last conflict between them. However, following victory and invasion by opposing forces (internecine conflictwas endemic for centuries on Rotuma), Faguta was forcibly divided into two by the other districts' chiefs in an effort to weaken its influence, thereby forming Juju and Pepjei (although the territory is still commonly referred to by the two districts' inhabitants and descendants as "Faguta" ).

Mythology centred around Faguta

Local mythology tells of two turtles which live off the coast of Faguta, one red and one white.Green sea turtles,which are known to frequent the islands of Fiji, can actually exhibit reddish and whitish hues on their carapaces and plastrons, respectively.

Solnohu, a islet off the southern coast of Faguta roughly equidistant between its constituent districts, is the location of a significant local myth, "The turtle of Sol Onau". The myth tells of two local girls who fall from atop the island into the sea below. There, the two were transformed into sea turtles, one red and one white. Local beliefs hold that these two turtles, called 'Eao', continue to live around the coral of the rock and will resurface if a particular chant is performed.

Eao manuse, ka Lepiteala
Ai, ma vehia ka foro ole tufe,
Havei, ma foiak ta ka fau paufu,
He ta jauaki, ma moiea. Pete.

Traditional chant for sea turtles from "The Natives of Rotuma", (1898).

J. Stanley Gardiner, who visited the island and wrote extensively on the locals' customs and myths wrote that he tookGagaj Mou,the chief ofPepjei,and five girls to recite the traditional chant. Gardiner recorded that from his vantage point out front he actually noticed the appearance of agreen turtle.Green sea turtles are often located in the waters of Fiji and Rotuma.

He also recorded that Mou, the chief, as well as the others stated that they had regularly seen the turtle and that beach between Faguta and Solnohu was a frequently used feeding spot for the reptile.

Fagutan culture

Fagutan people, like all Rotumans, celebrate the traditional festival ofFara.This involves the residents of Faguta's villages (Juju, Tuại, Haga, Ujia, Uạnheta, and Avave) visiting other village communities, singing and dancing, where they are often invited inside by the local hosts. In exchange, the guests are servedwatermelonas a sort of reward for providing entertainment and are often doused inperfume,talcum powder,orturmeric.Across the island, these sorts of celebrations continue until mid-January. Fagutan Fara however begins much later in December (onDecember 24) than celebrations held elsewhere on the island.

Notable Fagutans

The term "Fagutan" commonly refers to those who live in the two Fagutan districts (Juju and Pepjei) or those with cultural or family ties to the area. Notable examples include:

Charles Chowe Howard, a Fagutan resident and forefather of much of Haga's population.

• Charles Chowe Howard: beachcomber and longtime resident of Faguta. The village of Haga (written as "Hanga" ) in Juju was said to be primarily populated by Howard's own descendants, and it was theorised by theActing-Resident Commissioner of RotumaW.E. Russell that this bloodline contributed to these Fagutans' paler complexions when compared with otherPacific islandersand their referring to themselves as "white" and other islanders as "black men".
• Christine Rovoi: journalist, essayist, and writer inFijiandNew Zealand.Rovoi was born inSuvabut with Fagutan ties was taught Rotuman using the French-based orthography used in Faguta.

See also

• List of volcanoes in Fiji
• Rotuma Airport
• Rotuman New Zealanders

References

• Islands of Fiji,Island Directory, United Nations Environment Programme

• A.M. Hocart, Notes on Rotuman Grammar, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, London, 1919, 252.

External links

• Rotuma website- an exhaustive website on all things Rotuman by anthropologists Alan Howard and Jan Rensel
• The Land Has Eyes- an award-winning film set in Rotuma made by Rotumans.
• Rotuman Hafa- Rotuman dance (see alsoTautoga)
• Amateur radio- Amateur radio operations from Rotuma, with information on Rotuman history, culture, flora, fauna, geography, etc.; lengthy bibliography.
• General information, energy supply
• The Vertebrates of Rotuma and Surrounding Waters, by George R. Zug, Victor G. Springer, Jeffrey T. Wiliams and G. David Johnson, Atoll Research Bulletin, No. 316