Native land records, 1890-1980

Noter

Microfilm of originals at Ministry of Fijian Affairs, Suva, Fiji.

Land records were generated by the Native Lands Commissito provide legal title for clans to their traditional land holdings. A land commissioner was sent to each province to obtain oral testimony holdings and clan genealogy. Informatiwas then compiled into registers (Vola ni Kawa) of clan members that shared in the communal ownership of the clan. Vital informatigoes back to early 1800's.

Includes evidence books, clan genealogies, and registers of native land owners. The evidence books consist of sworn testimony the extent of the communal land holdings of Fijian clans. Clan genealogies consist of sworn statements and pedigree charts. The land owner registers list the members of each clan along with their birthyear or birthdate, references to parentage and death date if known. In most cases there is an original set of land owner registers that was updated with a supplement; and a second set of registers that were continuously updated with new children born into the clan.

Also includes evidence books for reserve lands and fishing rights.

The set of registers listed under each province as "Land owner registers (new)" is indexed by a card file that was also filmed. The index cards include informatibirthdate and family relationships. The index number each card consists of a: clan no., line no., and province abbreviation. For example: (7-676)Tl refers to clan no. 7, individual line no. 676, in Tailevu Province.

There is a separate index for wives about whom nothing is known.

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