Vorovoro history

From Tribewanted

Traditionally, Vorovoro Island has been the official residence of the past holders of the title of Tui Mali. The current Tui Mali, Ratu Apenisa Uate Bogiso takes his title in line as a direct descendant of the chiefly family who has been the custodians of the title since time immemorial. Members of the extended family with genealogical connections to the same apical ancestry, and who are members of Tui Mali’s clan comprise the membership of his landowning unit of mataqali Dave’alev u( “the big passage”). This in turn is invariably connected to the Yavusa or subgroup of Muana-i-Ra (“the down portion of the land”) within the vanua of Mali. The set up which in a sense defines what used to be the traditional autonomous vanua of Mali also becomes the outer-bounds of the administrative district in contemporary terms under current laws pertaining to Fijian Affairs.

Vorovoro encapsulates the ultimate embodiment of the vanua of Mali. Any traditional reference to Mali would invariably imply Vorovoro for it is undoubtedly the oracle from which the mana, pride and sense of belonging of the people of Mali are derived. Furthermore, this reference invariably combines the manifestation of the actual and cosmological connection to its land and/ or customary fishing grounds (I qoliqoli). In traditional terms Mali and Vorovoro are inseparable just as its people are inseparable from it.