My grandfather once told me that stories were passed down from one generation to another and that was one of the method they used to keep records of things that happened. Another method they used to keep their stories passed on is through chanting and dancing – ‘meke’ in Fijian.
This is one example of one of their many stories that talks about them drifting from Lake Taganyika across the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and reaching the island that they named, “Viti” or Fiji today.
The song/chant/meke in my own interpretation is:
My ancestors, let me talk about about them.
When the came from South Africa.
Oh! Verata(spelling is probably wrong b’coz it’s Fijian pronouncitation) their real village near the big Lake Tanganyika.
Lutunasobasoba led them as they travelled from South Africa.
With Nai his wife, a woman from East Egypt.
Lutunasobasoba had five children, Today, they are the chiefly descendants of Fiji.
He had only one daughter, Buisavulu(her name) she lives in Bureta.
Rokomautu(one of his son) lives in Verata,
Melasiga(second son) lives in Burebasaga.
Tuinayavu(third son) lives in the Batiki area.
Daunisai lives in Kabara.
The reason why they came out off Tangayika
A serious illness(some form of sickness) had struck them.
They travel across the Atlantic.
They looked for places/islands/land to stay across the Pacific Ocean.
Lutunasobasoba was actually travelling from Cannaan from the land that the Hebrew God (YWHW) had given to the Israelites. It was said that he was a very strong warrior, who led a nomadic life. While travelling down to Egypt with his followers, he caught site of ‘Nai’ – the most beautiful women in Egypt and the daughter of the great Pharoah of that time. Because he was a great warrior, he was able to win the heart of Nai, whom he took as his wife. Continuing with his nomadic lifestyle, the great warrior Lutunasobasoba travelled up the Nile river with his new wife and entourage. They travelled further south into the Upper Nile. One thing we have to keep in mind is that the Nile is the worlds longest river. Today, there are nine African countries that the Nile and it’s tributaries flow through. These countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Sudan, Rwanda and Zaire. The journeys were also not taken in a matter of days. What we have to consider is that they lived a nomadic lifestyle and were therefore, stopping at various locations along their journey. The banks of Lake Tanganyika (modern day Tanzania) is where they finally settled and established their settlement as Verata. They then moved from Tanganyika, heading eastwards to the coast of Africa, overlooking Madagascar. With time, they began perfecting their canoe building skills that was limited to building river -faring canoes of the Nile into more specialised skills in producing sea – worthy double hulled canoes known to Fijians as Drua. Pacific historians have observed that these double hulled canoes were known to be the largest and finest sea-going vessel ever designed and built by natives of the Pacific. They were also being used long before the first Vikings began their Sea-faring culture. Some would argue that the vast ocean was too large for them to even survive the journey. However, what we have to keep in mind is that these were experts in the use of traditional navigational tools of the sun, moon and stars. There are evidences found in Fiji to prove an egyptian heitage by the early settlers. The province of ‘Ra’ in Fiji or the term ‘Yasayasa vaka Ra’ (land associated with Ra) is prove that the early fijians worshiped the Egyptian Sun god ‘Ra’, who was the principal god of ancient Egypt. Ra in current fijian language means the west or ‘down’. It refers to the direction where the sun sets. In ancient Egypt, the worship of Ra is conducted in the noon – sun, before it sets. This is because it radiates its beautiful rays which often make the temples dedicated to him to radiate in it’s vibrancy, giving an environment of spirituality to his worshippers. Therefore the ‘Yasayasa vaka-Ra’ (west of fiji) was the land dedicated to the sun – god ‘Ra’, as he is worshiped at this time (sunset) by the initial settlers of Fiji. The vegetation of this western side of Fiji is also very dry and identifies with the effect of the scotching sun – Ra – as compared to the eastern half of Fiji.
Thanks for your input. Very interesting reading. And very true too. ( most of the uneducated elders in our islands know of this fact.) Thanks again for sharing. Facts can also be found at the national archives centre in Suva.
Bula. I think you are spot on. I have heard of that theory before and it somewhat makes sense.
I have never heard this version of the story about being the lost tribe of Israel. Id rather stick to Facts as published in our Social Science Textbooks rather than speculate on things that arent factual.
Thanks Dude for publishing the Article.
I wanna know more of Fiji history.
I want to see an evidence if Fiji is the lost tribe of Israel?
Fiji is NOT EVEN closed to being the lost tribe of Israel, if so, then we should be on our back to Israel as it written in Ezekiel 11:17 Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’ As of right now. all the Jews are returning, and we’re still here in Fiji playing rugby. To paraphrase a T-shirt– there is a Jew, and you’re not him.
Very interesting story, im from Tanzania,East Africa and I heard the same story, Welcome home brothers and sister, but remember, the truth Israel are black man
One thing the world is trying to ascertain the whereabout of the Ark of the Covenant which disappeared from the Temple in Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion resulting in Jewish captivity. About the origin of the iTaukei or Indeginous Fijians as a descendant of Daunisai one of Lutunasobasoba’s sons and as such I have a version passed down the ages and seem to assert that Lutunasobasoba and his priests with Degei his Chief Priests were responsible in removing it into their custody and transporting it across to Fiji. There is only one place name in the world after which three places in the world are named and that is the place name Kabara’ The 1st Kabara in Haifa Israel, 2nd Kabara in Mali Africa and 3rd Kabara is Daunisai’s Kabara in Lau, Fiji. Lutunasobasoba brought the Ark of the Covenant from Kabara in Haifa Israeli stopover at Egypt married Nai his wife an Egyptian and learnt Egyptian culture and handicrafts like construction of canoes and double canoes etc and left for Kabara in Mali through Tanganyka then onwards to Fiji where the 3rd Kabara is located. I have several Books connected to this subject matter and closely linked to it are my two Visions of 1963 and 1980 where I saw God’s Glory and heard Him too speaking to me just as He did to Moses.
Blessed, can you tell me the name of the book please
Great, interesting..thanks
I swear some of you are distorting the truth.
The Ark of the Covenant seriously? I think its about time you opened the Good Book (*Bible) and Read through it again..Only Levi’s can touch the Ark Men who were never married. Can we do away with self righteousness and editing God’s word.
So was the ark of the Covenant on the canoe?
We have a saying “If it wasnt documented it didnt happen.” Stop assuming.
Egyptians and Africans were both worshipping different Gods at that time.
Do you actually think Jehovah would entrust the Ark of the Covenant to Pagans?
Enough of this shit.