“I am desirous to climb the heights of *Laucala That I may see thence the island of Naitaumba, Floating apparently like a canoe on the Bright water…” Author unknown, from Transactions of the ninth International congress of Orientalists, 1893
Not much information is available about Naitauba pre-European settlement of the Lau Archipelago, some commentators are of the opinion that fresh water would have been an issue on such islands (no above ground water) and would have prevented a permanent settlement.
When Captain William Bligh sailed passed Naitauba in 1789, it is recorded “.. steered West to pass close to Naitauba, where they saw natives on the beach with spears in their hands..”
The Fiji Islands: a geographical handbook By Ronald Albert Derrick
Naitauba pronounced “Ny-tum-ba” is a volcanic and raised limestone island, with a high point of 186 metres(1), part of the Northern Lau Group, recently estimated to be 2000 acres or just over 3 square miles(2) in size.
It has cultivated areas and virgin forest. There are sections of ocean within the reef kept as a marine park, restricting fishing and hunting. The Island is almost completely enclosed by reef -named “The Garland of Whales” by Adi Da Samraj- as this high altitude photograph clearly shows. Naitauba has also been spelled ; Naitaba – Naitaumba- Naitamba – Neita-oumba (3) in the past
Walter and Herbert Chamberlain (1877-1899) The brothers Walter and Herbert Chamberlain, uncles of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, a pair of British adventures and entrepreneurs, bought the Island of Naitauba from William Hennings in 1877, for £ 7,250. They sold it back to Hennings after deeming it an unprofitable enterprise for £ 4,000, in 1899.
From Diary Notes recorded from a return visit by the brothers in 1881:
“Cleared much Jungle, planted many thousands of cocoanuts and 300 ac. of South Sea cotton, the proceeds about paying the costs.Then, as the government regulations enormously increased the expenses of labour and we deemed it hopeless as a paying proposition under vicarious management, we sold it in July 1899.. ” (4)
The Hennings Family (1899-1965)
The first reliable record of a European owner of Naituaba was William Hennings a German national (married to a Fijian women of title) and at times a successful Copra Trader(5) his son Ratu Gustavus Mara Hennings (the “Ratu” title goes back to his link to Fijian Royalty on his mothers side), took over and continued to develop the plantation, later marrying Elizabeth Vogel, German by birth. The island then remained in the Hennings family until 1965.
Under the stewardship of the Hennings, Naitauba became mainly copra producing, known for good labour relations and described as “a model plantation”(6)
Raymond Burr 1965-1983
Raymond Burr and his long time partner Robert Benevides(7), bought Naitauba from Elizabeth Hennings (Gus Hennings died in 1955) The pair further developed the plantation, including building many wooden structures and introducing cattle, Burr had a great passion for orchids and grew many varieties on the island.
Burr was a noted philanthropist and helped the Fijian residents, providing employment and among other things sponsored several Island children to be educated in the US. Burr always referred to the island as “Naitamba”
His biographer noted “”All religions are respected with dignity on Naitamba”(8)
Adi Da Samraj & Adidam (1983 – present)
In 1983 Naitauba was acquired for Adidam (Adi Da was a legal renunciate) primarily financed by one patron-devotee. Adi Da first set foot on Naitauba on October 27Th 1983, the next day he said (9) :
AVATAR ADI DA SAMRAJ: Naitauba is not just a piece of land. It is a Divine Place. That is how it will be for as long as the sun shines and rises and sets and the grass grows and the wind blows. Forever – as ever as there can be in this world. Maybe it will become a paradise through Spiritual sacrifice. And, all during that epoch, this Place should be a Sanctuary of Blessing. Over time, then, millions of people – literally, millions of people – should come to this Place and be Blessed. They should come and acknowledge, affirm, and see My Revelation magnified.
This place is so great, so great. Civilization has never interfered with it. It is untouched. The water is blue. The fish are happy. Untouched, really untouched. Pristine from the beginning of the world – this place. It has been waiting here since the beginning of time.
–October 28, 1983
Under the custodianship of Adi Da Samraj the Island was slowly developed into a Hermitage Ashram (formally named, Adi Da Samrajashram) with some similarities to the Indian model yet unique to the emerging Spiritual Way of Adidam . Its emphasis is a disciplined life of devotion, service and meditative practice. The conservation of the Island flora, fauna and reef was actioned from the beginning of acquisition of the island. A report into the health of the reef (named by Adi Da, “The Garland of Wales”) was undertaken in 1986(10). The necessity of supplying food to the residents of the island in a self sufficient manner moved the plantation model into that of an organic farm, in the later 1980’s one of the founders of permaculture Bill Mollison(11) was invited to Naituaba to research and advise Adidam on the development of this practice. A constant weed eradication program continues, many thousand of the coconuts have been removed as they become unclimbable (and therefore unusable) and a hazard to humans and all cattle were removed and gifted to local island communities.
Co-operative association with Indigenous Fijian village of Ciqomi (thing-GO-mee) was an imperative from the beginning. Many residents started to work for Adidam on projects from new building infrastructure to developing the extensive gardens. Adidam supports the village in many ways including employment- school scholarships, health clinic service, transport, water supply and sanitation. The village is completely independent of Adidam.
Naitauba remains a place of pilgrimage and spiritual retreat for devotees of Adi Da Samraj, it exists solely on the sponsorship of members and friends of Adidam, as a place of personal and spiritual sacrifice. The intention is to protect and preserve this Sanctuary as an esoteric and conservation treasure of humanity, into perpetuity.
A more extensive version of this article is available here
notes and references
*Laucala is a nearby island
(1) Review of the protected areas system in Oceania By Arthur L. Dahl
(2) http://naitaubafarm.org/
(3) http://www.geody.com/geospot.php?world=terra&ufi=-1189947&alc=ntm
(4) The years of hope: Cambridge, colonial administration in the South Seas and Cricket By Philip Snow
(5)The Cambridge History of the Pacific Islanders By Donald Denoon, Malama Meleisea, Stewart Firth, Jocelyn Linnekin, Karen Nero
(6) The years of hope: Cambridge, colonial administration in the South Seas and Cricket By Philip Snow
(7) http://www.glbtq.com/arts/burr1_r,2.html
(8) Raymond Burr: A Film, Radio and Television Biography By Ona L. Hill
(9) http://global.adidam.org/books/adi-da.html
(10) http://www.reefbase.org/pacific/pub_C0000000130.aspx
(11) http://www.tagari.com/?p=58
