Turaga Na Rasau - The Installation of The Turaga Na Rasau, Tui Tuvuca - The Ceremony

The Ceremony

Once the Yaqona is mixed and the torchmasters (Daunicina) have held the flaming torches (the torches are held whether day or night ) upto the Yaqona as it pours from the bowl back into the Tanoa and the herald exclaims “Wai Donu” then the Takala and Matakilomaloma approach carefully the candidate being installed with 3 pieces of Masi (Bark cloth) and ask him to stand, they then tie the cloth one on the left and one on the right arm, then the herald stands and ties the third piece of masi on his right arm, once the arms are bound with masi both the herald and the Sau are seated. Then the Takala exclaims to the people “hear you men of lomaloma today is installed the Tui Tuvuca and the Sau of Lomaloma”, then to the Rasau he says “The Masi we are tying we tie for you to be Rasau and to love the people and to look after them well so that no evil may come”. the Takala and the Matakilomaloma then sit down and clap once (Obo) and crawl back to the Tanoa (Yaqona basin where Yaqona is prepared and served from) the Kava is then brought to the Rasau and he drinks, once he has finished the two warriors of Tuvuca then approach the Rasau and stand behind him on either side and they speak the following words “This sir is your rampart, these clubs we two are carrying, be not faint hearted, we here are the men of Navusaveti, the name of the club we hold is called UPHOLD THE RASAU” they retire to their places and Kava is then poured for the Herald (matanivanua), then come the Naividrawalu who drink third because they are the nobles (taba Turaga) in Yavusa Buca and are the support for the Yaqona (I raviti ni Yaqona.) but they are never installed as Rasau. Then fourth the Turaga Na Ravunisa drinks and after him the rest drink. The Daunicina (Torchmaster) then extinguishes the flaming torches after the Yaqona ceremony has finished.