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Originally from the mountains of Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu, the Bau migrated to the east coast, and by the middle of the eighteenth century had established their political center on the tiny offshore island of Bau. Aided by an increasing availability of firearms during the early nineteenth century, and culminating with the defeat of rival Rewa by the Vunivalu (paramount chief) Cakobau in 1855, Bau became the dominant political power of Fiji. Bau chiefs commanded a formidable army and navy, collected large tributes, and mandated religious practices such as cannibalism and widow-strangling that shocked the missionaries who began arriving in 1839. In 1854 Cakobau converted to Christianity and renounced cannibalism. He reigned until nearly a decade after acceding to British colonial rule in 1874, which brought about administrative reorganization, and diminished the political power and customary prerogatives of Bau chiefs.

Fijian society

The megalithic sea works and temple platforms at Mbau in Fiji

Kava Drinking

Culture Summary

Fijian material culture

The customs of Bau

The king and people of Fiji

The islands and their inhabitants

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Author	Title	Publication Date
Deane, W. (Wallace), Reverend	Fijian society	1921
Hornell, James	The megalithic sea works and temple platforms at Mbau in Fiji	1926
Ravulo, Ratu	Kava Drinking	1913
Routledge, David	Culture Summary	2020
Tippett, Alan R. (Alan Richard)	Fijian material culture	1968
Toganivalu, Deve	The customs of Bau	1912
Waterhouse, Joseph	The king and people of Fiji	1866
Williams, Thomas	The islands and their inhabitants	1860

Bau Fijians

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