Seru Epenisa Cakobau

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Seru Epenisa Cakobau, portrait photography around 1870 to 1879, Francis H Dufty

Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau ( IPA : [ θakoˈmbau ]; older spelling Thakombau ) (* 1815 in Narai ; † February 1, 1883 ) was the first and last king of Fiji ( Tui Viti ) and Vunivalu of Bau .

Life

Cakobau was born on the island of Narai and grew up on the Gau of the Lomaiviti Islands. In the course of the construction wars, the majority of Cakobau's family was murdered in 1832, his father Tanoa Visawaqa († 1852) exiled and disempowered; however, his young son was spared because he was considered harmless. In 1837, after five years in exile, he decided to seek revenge for his father, Tanoa, and tortured his enemies. Since then it has also been known as Thakombau, which translated means something like evil to building .

By 1854, cannibalism was widespread in Fiji. But after missionaries convinced him to convert to Christianity , he abolished cannibalism. In 1857 he also gave up polygamy and married his wife, with whom he was baptized on January 11, 1858 under the names Ebenzer and Lydia.

Reign

In 1852 his father died and Cakobau became the warlord (Vunivalu) of Bau in July of the following year.

In 1859, as the most powerful ruler of Fiji, he offered the United Kingdom sovereignty over the islands. But this was rejected in 1862 by the Duke of Newcastle .

In June 1871 some English established a Fijian parliament, with Thakombau as king. A constitution was agreed and parliament was elected. This turned out to be a failure, however, as later the parliament and the government were mutually hostile and the ministry ruled without the aid of parliament. In the meantime, an annexation of Fiji was being considered in England and Australia. To negotiate a cession of sovereignty, New South Wales ' Governor Sir Hercules Robinson traveled to the islands in September 1874. The trip turned out to be a complete success: King Seru Epenisa Cakobau and other leaders ceded the country on October 10, 1874.

Cakobau, who was promised a pension in return, visited Sydney at the end of 1874 accompanied by his two sons . When he came back from the trip, he had measles . The disease, which spread rapidly, killed up to 40,000 Fijian residents in the six months that it ravaged the islands. Cakobau finally died on February 1, 1883.

Ranks and offices

  • 1852–1883: Vunivalu von Bau
  • 1867–1869: Tui construction
  • 1871–1874: Tui Viti (King of Fiji)

literature

  • Joseph Waterhouse: The King and People of Fiji: Containing a Life of Thakombau; with Notices of the Fijians, their Manners, Customs, and Superstitions, Previous to the Great Religious Reformation of 1854. Wesleyan Conference Office, London 1866. ( archive.org ).

Web links

Commons : Seru Epenisa Cakobau  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Alternatively, Joseph Waterhouse in The King and People of Fiji , 1866, p. 33  - Internet Archive gives the island Bau as the place of birth and around 1817 as the year of birth.
  2. ↑ a b c d Philip Mennell: Thakombau . In: The Dictionary of Australasian Biography . Hutchinson, London 1892, pp. 540-541 (English, Wikisource ).
personal data
SURNAME Cakobau, Seru Epenisa
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Thakombau
BRIEF DESCRIPTION first and last king of Fiji (Tui Viti) and Vunivalu of Bau
DATE OF BIRTH 1815
PLACE OF BIRTH Narai , Fiji
DATE OF DEATH February 1, 1883