Vasu

Vasu is the generic term in Fidjien standard for nephew and niece, but also an honorary title for a man, announcing his family ties with a great cheffery by his/her mother. The title is then transmitted to its descent. This bond confers to him a great prestige and a certain number of privileges within this cheffery. A vasu of the great cheffery Bau is on the usual level the most important title among that of Vasu. One distinguishes two types of vasu.

the vasu levu (literally the " large vasu") who is thus related to a great cheffery not only by his mother but also by his father. It was for example the case of Kamisese Mara, Tui Nayau (big boss of the Confédération Lau) and Vasu levu nor Beam, going down directly from Seru Epenisa Cakobau, big boss (Vunivalu) of Bau and the Confédération Kubuna by a maternal line (cf article Tui Nayau)
the vasu taukei which goes down as for him from a great cheffery only by his/her mother.

Among the privileges of the vasu, right to ask all that it wishes on the subjects of the great maternal cheffery, except for a wife (even if that arrived sometimes). It cannot in the absolute live either on the territory (vanua) of this cheffery. According to the Captain Charles Wilkes who visited the archipelago in 1840, when that a vasu went in the maternal cheffery, this one was received with all the honors and by these words, " O its vinaka lako May vaka turanga Ratu vasu levu! " (Pleasant Oh is the arrival of our noble lord nephew!).

Source

William, Thomas & Calvert, James, " Fiji and the Fijians ", 1858, p.34-35
Charles Wilkes, " Narrative off the United States Exploring Forwarding During the Years 1838,1839,1840,1841,1842 " , New York, 1852.

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