Reflections on a special day
TODAY is a special day set aside for us to reƞect on the life of a man who holds a special place in our history as a nation. Ratu Sir Josefa Lalabalavu Vanayaliyali Sukuna was a soldier, a scholar, a chief and a statesman!
The Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka raised some fundamental issues in his message for Ratu Sukuna Day last year which are still apt today.
He drew our attention to what Ratu Sukuna did to build a historic and lasting consensus on the land issue and looks at the significance of his service in the First World War.
Both these aspects of his extraordinary life, he noted, would resonate down the generations.
After the FijiFirst government did away with this event on our national calendar, Fijians once again have an opportunity to reflect on his life.
PM Rabuka gave special emphasis to the importance of young people developing an awareness of Ratu Sukuna’s service in World War I.
He spoke about life in the trenches of the First World War and of a citation detailing how Ratu Sukuna took many prisoners, and his “superb zeal and courage”.
Emphasis was also on how we face challenges, and why we should also think about the wisdom of uniting and moving our nation forward, reconciling differences that still divide us.
In the first part of the PM’s message, we learnt about the lengths to which Ratu Sukuna went in his efforts to put together a consensus for Fijians to hand over to a new board the authority they had for controlling and managing their land.
Ratu Sukuna achieved that after long and painstaking negotiations in virtually every part of the country.
The outcome was a tribute to chiefly authority and was also a tribute to the collective wisdom and generosity of spirit of the indigenous Fijians.
PM Rabuka highlighted how Governor Sir Phillip Mitchell hailed the decision of the indigenous people to give up direct control of their land as “one of the greatest acts of faith and trust in colonial history”.
Ratu Sukuna, the PM said, spoke of unmatched acts of goodwill and cooperation.
In saying that, we should be inspired by what Ratu Sukuna and the Fijian landowners did together.
In the face of the many challenges we have faced and continue to face as a nation, the hurts of the past, and upheavals, we need consensus on what form peace efforts should take.
Former PM Mahendra Chaudhry referred to Ratu Sukuna as a distinguished leader and far-sighted visionary who believed the way forward for Fiji was through peaceful coexistence.
Ratu Sukuna, he said, was a skillful administrator who left a legacy of at least three landmark policies or legislation with far-reaching consequences for the iTaukei as well as the nation.
Mr Chaudhry said Ratu Sukuna was renowned for his policy on the “three legged stool”, believing that the vanua, the church and the government must work together in ensuring the well being of the indigenous people as well as the nation.
It’s a concept he said, that has gained relevance in its application to the ideals of multiracialism in relation to Fiji’s three major races – the notion that the nation can only progress if the three legs of the stool are treated as equals.
Ratu Sukuna’s life offers many lessons. His bravery on the battlefield reminds us of the importance of unity. His land reform efforts remind us about the power of consensusbuilding and the “three-legged stool” reference reminds us about the importance of collaboration across our diverse communities.
Perhaps that, and a commitment to consensus building, should provide the basis for how we move our nation forward!