By the 1850s Fijian society, as well as coping with increasing contact with the outside world, was attempting to deal with the internal struggles betweem powerful confederations or matanitu. One of the most powerful and influential was that of Bau whose area of hegemony was the western islands of the Koro sea. Ratu Seru Cakabau was the high chief of Bau. He was styled Vunivalu "War Lord" of Bau. As his influence grew over the period leading up to the cession of Fiji to Britain, he also styled himself Tui Viti or King of all Fiji. In fact in the decades prior to cession such a pretension was constantly challenged. One of his most effective rivals was the Tongan prince and representative of King George Tupou I, Enele Ma'afu. Following cession in which Ratu Seru was a key player, the British supported the idea that he was King. He was named King of Fiji on 5 Jun 1871, formally installed as Tui Viti in 1873. Died Feb 1883. See "Fiji, a short history", by Deryck Scarr (Institute for Polynesian Studies, 1984)
Cakobau, Seru Epenisa (Ratu), 1815?-1883
Cakobau, King of Fiji : Document
Date: 10 May 1873
Reference: MS-Papers-0847
Description: Official document appointing W Ottley Groom, sub-Lieutenant in the Fijian Navy from 22 Apr 1873, signed by Cakobau, dated 10 May 1873 Quantity: 1 folder(s) (3 leaves). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Ms (photocopy)
Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand album
Date: [ca 1873-1875]
By: Gaul, John, -1876; Lindt, John William, 1845-1926
Reference: PA1-q-330
Description: Includes views New Zealand, Pacific and Australia, including images of indigenous houses and plantations, and a series of 12 studio tableau portraits of Aboriginal Australians, taken by John William Lindt in 1873-1874. Kai Colo (Fijian people) - name for the people who live in the mountainous interior of Fiji. It's literal meaning is something like "mountaineer". This information was given by Dr Vicki Lukere (Luker), specialist in South Pacific history, Victoria University, 1997. A series of 12 studio tableau portraits of Aboriginal Australians by John Wiiliam Lindt, including three not found in this album, are at Library reference PA1-q-1317 Quantity: 1 album(s). Physical Description: Photograph album. Provenance: Written comments in the album indicate that it might be associated with Commodore J Goodenough RN, who was appointed as a commissioner by the Crown to investigate the events that led to the annexation of Fiji. This album was compiled by an unidentified member of the Australian Division of the Royal Navy based at Sydney in the mid 1870s. The Australian Naval Station was responsible for policing the Pacific and supporting Britain's interests in the region. The one date associated with the album (1875) as well as some of the images, suggest that it was compiled soon after the cession of Fiji to the British Crown. The two ships associated with the album, HMS Blanche and HMS Pearl, were both stationed at Sydney and both were involved with events in Fiji before and during cession. HMS Pearl was Commodore Goodenough's flagship. He was the officer in charge of the Australian Naval Station at that time. He also played an important political role in the process of cession in Fiji. In the album he and his officers are shown swimming on Ovalau. The compiler of the album on the other hand, seems to have been personally associated with HMS Blanche. There are two pictures of this ship in the album as well as pictures of memorials erected by the captain and crew to one of their members. HMS Blanche had been active against the traffic in cheap labour in the South Pacific. In 1873 her paymaster, Lieutenant Nettleton, had acted as temporary British Consul in Fiji after the recall of E B March.
Thakambau's canoe, Nai Koro Koro, Levuka, Fiji
Date: 1884
From: Burton Brothers album 13 :The Camera in the Coral Islands
By: Burton, Alfred Henry, 1834?-1914
Reference: PA1-o-089-14
Description: Burton Brothers no 2371 Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
King Cakabau's canoe, Suva, Fiji
Date: 1880s
From: Falloon, Wendy :Photographs of the Sommerville family
Reference: PAColl-1699-1-16
Description: The state canoe of the Ratu Seru Apenisa Cakobau, King of Fiji as confirmed by the British and War Lord of Bau Quantity: 1 photocopy/ies.
Photographs Vol 4
Date: [ca 1860s]
From: Hope, Charles Webley (Rear Admiral) 1829-1880 : Letter journals of Captain Charles W Hope of HMS Brisk
Reference: qMS-1002
Description: Includes photographs of C W Hope, Sir G F Bowen, Sir John Young, Alfred Stephen (Chief Justice of NSW, 1868) and his wife. 6 unnamed Maori portraits, 1865, and other named photos including Pohipe, Mokena Kohere (Chief of Waiapu, 1865), Patara, Tomika Te Mutu (Ngaiterangi tribe, Tauranga), Ellen, wife of Haora Tupaea; Mary Tahana, Taranaki; Ahipena Kaihau (Ngaiteata tribe) and his wife Ana; wife of Ihaiha (Taranaki). Photos of the Pink and White Terraces. Photos of several named and unnamed Fijians together with photos of dwellings and scenery. Photos of natives of Western Australia taken ca 1868, and scenes of Perth Quantity: 1 volume(s).
South Sea Island papers
Date: 1871-1876
From: Phillips, Coleman, 1846-1925 : Papers
Reference: 73-150-03
Description: Volume labelled `South Sea Island papers, my petition of 1876, also a copy of the statutes of Fiji Kingdom under Cakobau' comprising papers A3, A3A, A3B, `Papers relating to the South Sea Islands, their natural products, trade resources &c' (AJHR, 1874), clippings relating to the petition, and parliamentary Acts of Fiji, nos 1-18 (1871) Quantity: 1 folder(s). Finding Aids: Preliminary listing in Back file.
Petigru, T fl 1851 : Letter to Tui Viti, chief of Bau
Date: 6 Mar 1851
By: Petigru, T, active 1851
Reference: qMS-1642
Description: Warns Tui Viti of the consequences upon failure to deliver the coconut oil and arrowroot purchased by the American consul Source of title - Supplied Petigru was commander of USS `Falmouth' Quantity: 1 volume(s) (1 leaf). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Holograph (32 cm, ½ blue roan, light blue boards)
Lyth, Richard Burdsall 1810-1887 : Letters
Date: 1836-1854, 1927
By: Lyth, Richard Burdsall (Rev), 1810-1887; Wesleyan Missionary Society
Reference: fMS-137
Description: Chiefly correspondence by Lyth and others, relating to Lyth's term in Fiji as a Methodist missionary, also includes:- Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society - Instructions to the Wesleyan missionaries, London, 1834. Letter dated 27 Apr 1857, written by Lyth from Auckland - comments on the letters by G C Henderson, 30 Nov 1927. Letters describe mission work and missionaries in Fiji, Fijian social life and customs, and the rise of Cakobau, King of Fiji Quantity: 1 volume(s) (347 leaves). Physical Description: Mss and printed matter (44 cm; black buckram)
Ratu Seru Apenisa Cakobau
Date: ca 1873
From: Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand album
Reference: PA1-q-330-54-2
Description: Ratu Seru Apenisa Cakobau (or Thakambau) was the High Chief of the Bau confederation, western Viti Levu, Fiji, during the years prior to cession in 1874. He was styled Vunivalu, \"War Lord\" of Bau. Cakobau was one of the power brokers in Fiji in the decades before cession to Britain, and attempted to unify the country as a Kingdom under his rule. He was also the instigator of cession as a means of settling his public debts, resolving Fiji's internal conflicts, and dealing with her growing dysfunctional contacts with the outside world. As well as Vunivalu he styled himself Tui Viti, or King of all Fiji, though he was never universally supported in this position. As part of the cession agreement, the British supported Cakobau in his role as King of Fiji Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Young Fijian woman; possibly a daughter of Ratu Seru Cakobau, King of Fiji and War Lord...
Date: ca 1873
From: Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand album
Reference: PA1-q-330-54-4
Description: This photograph occupies a page made up of portraits of Cakobau and identified members of his family. It is highly likely that this woman is one of his daughters Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Ratu Seru Apenisa Cakobau
Date: ca 1873
From: Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand album
Reference: PA1-q-330-54-1
Description: Ratu Seru Apenisa Cakobau (or Thakambau) was the High Chief of the Bau confederation, western Viti Levu, Fiji, during the years prior to cession in 1874. He was styled Vunivalu, \"War Lord\" of Bau. Cakobau was one of the power brokers in Fiji in the decades before cession to Britain, and attempted to unify the country as a Kingdom under his rule. He was also the instigator of cession as a means of settling his public debts, resolving Fiji's internal conflicts, and dealing with her growing dysfunctional contacts with the outside world. As well as Vunivalu he styled himself Tui Viti, or King of all Fiji, though he was never universally supported in this position. As part of the cession agreement, the British supported Cakobau in his role as King of Fiji Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
Double canoe belonging to King Thakambau, Fiji
Date: 1884
From: Parliamentary Library: Photograph albums
Reference: PA1-f-178-20-2
Description: Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).
The Vunivalu's coffin lying in state
Date: 1883
From: Fijian photographs collection
Reference: PAColl-3800-001
Photographs of Ratu Cakobau
Date: 1869
From: Hope, Charles Webley (Rear Admiral) 1829-1880 : Letter journals of Captain Charles W Hope of HMS Brisk
Reference: qMS-1002-20
Description: Two photographs of Ratu Cakobau (Thakombau). Caption reads "For Captain C.W. Hope from J.B.T." Quantity: 1 page. Physical Description: Two sepia photographs on page 210 x 349mm
[Turnbull, Henry Hume] d 1858 :[Tui Viti Cakobau. 1850]
Date: 1850
From: [Turnbull, Henry Hume] d 1858 :[New Zealand and Pacific sketchbook, 1848 to 1856]
By: Turnbull, Henry Hume, -1858
Reference: E-454-q-045
Description: Head and shoulders portrait of Cakobau Tui Viti, with beard and moustache and a large turban-style head-dress In Philip Doyne Vigors' Journal is a very similar drawing entitled Tue Vete, King of the Feegee Islands, and dated 1850. Vigors acknowledges that he has copied a drawing by Henry Hume Turnbull, and this is probably the drawing that Vigors copied. Both men were aboard H. M. S. Havannah when she visited Fiji in 1850. Turnbull's portrait is likely to be the original copied to illustrate J. E. Erskine's book 'Journal of a cruise among the islands of the Western Pacific ... (London, Murray, 1853), opp. p. 240. Erskine acknowledges that Turnbull, along with R. A. Oliver and Kempster Knapp provided drawings for the illustrations in his book. Other Titles - Tue Vete Thackambau Quantity: 1 drawing(s). Physical Description: Pencil on sketchbook page 180 x 259 mm
Photographer unknown :Portrait of Adi Samanunu, wife of Cakobau
Date: 1860 - 1881
Reference: PA2-2595
Description: Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).