Latest news with #Lakeba
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Ratu Tevita bestowed three chiefly titles in Lau, Fiji
Ratu Tevita, the son of Fiji's first prime minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, was granted three chiefly titles this week in two grand ceremonies that took place on Nayau and Lakeba Islands in Lau.
ABC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The installation of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara signifies a historic awakening of chiefly power in Fiji
Over on Lakeba Island in Fiji, a historic awakening of chiefly power is underway as Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara is installed with three of the nation's highest titles, which have not been granted for 20 years. After 11 years in exile, Ratu Tevita, the son of Fiji's first prime minister, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, is being formally bestowed the titles of Turaga Tui Nayau, Tui Lau and Sau Ni Vanua o Lau. Royals, chiefs, and media gathered to witness ceremonial rites that have not been publicly performed for over five decades. The ABC's Lice Movono has been reporting from the Lau Islands, and spoke to Nesia Daily just metres away from where sacred rituals were being carried out in the village of Tubou.
RNZ News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Tongan royals to celebrate age-old ties with Fiji at high chief's installation ceremony
By 'Alakihihifo Vailala , PMN Tonga's King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u at their coronation in 2015. Photo: Supplied / PMN The King and Queen of Tonga are visiting Fiji to attend the installation ceremony of the chiefly titles of Sau Ni Vanua Ko Lau, Tui Nayau, and Tui Lau. The installation ceremony will be held on Lakeba Island, and the royal couple has been invited by Lauan chief Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara, who has Tongan noble ancestry. Ratu Tevita, who is also the head of Mataqali Vuanirewa, Tubou Village, will be installed as the new Sau Ni Vanua Ko Lau, Tui Nayau, and Tui Lau next week. He is the son of Fiji's first Prime Minister, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, and Burebasaga paramount chief, the late Ro Adi Lady Lala Mara. Next week's ceremony comes 56 years after Ratu Tevita's father was last installed as the paramount chief of Lau. Ratu Tevita's maternal great-grandmother was the daughter of Lord Veikune, a prominent Tongan noble. The late Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho, mother of the current Tongan monarch King Tupou VI, was also a granddaughter of Lord Veikune. Lord Veikune's wife, Lady Vaohoi Veikune, was the great-granddaughter of Ma'afu, the first Tui Lau, who was renowned for bridging the Tongan and Fijian chiefly lineages. Frederica Lupe'uluiva Tuita, a member of the Tongan royal family, told PMN News that this royal gathering is steeped in ancestral connections, particularly between Tonga and Fiji's chiefly families, particularly the connections through the clan known as 'Ha'a Fale Fisi'. The clan descends from a Tongan chieftess and a chief from the island of Lakeba. Tuita is a niece of King Tupou VI - daughter of the monarch's sister, Princess Royal Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita and Lord Siosa'ia Ma'ulupekotofa Tuita. "Relationships between the Tongan royal families and Fijian aristocracy stretch back hundreds of years," she says. "This is embodied in a group or clan of hereditary Lords called 'Ha'a Fale Fisi' or 'House of Fiji'. "They are descendants of Tapu'osi (a chief of Waciwaci Village in Lakeba) and Sinaitakala Lotunofo (eldest daughter of the Tu'i Tonga). "Sinaitakala was a Tu'i Tonga Fefine and was sacred." From left, the Late Queen Mother Halaevalu Mata'aho, Frederica Tuita, and Princess Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita. Photo: Facebook / Frederica Tuita According to legend, the eldest daughter of the Tu'i Tonga met Tapu'osi by chance on Lakeba Island during a brief stopover. Lau is an island group in eastern Fiji, with its main island, Lakeba, located about 300 kilometres east of Suva by air. By sea, the journey can take around 10 to 15 hours, depending on the vessel and weather conditions. Tuita emphasises the importance of understanding family history for Pacific identity, noting the significance of family gatherings and obligations in nurturing these relationships. Lauan chief Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara. Photo: Supplied / PMN "Most Tongans value their blood ties as they appreciate that without knowing your family history, one's future can be light and ordinary," she says. "We travel( when affordable) to funerals, weddings, family reunions, as it's an obligation and a privilege to nurture and cultivate our family, and we have a sense of belonging." The week-long celebrations for Ratu Tevita's installation will take place from 7 to 13 July. -This article was first published by PMN .
Hi Dubai
12-05-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
AqlanX Secures $10 Million Investment from Lakeba to Drive Arabic-First AI in UAE
UAE-based AI startup AqlanX has secured a $10 million investment from Australia's Lakeba Group through its venture arm, DoxAI, marking a major step in the region's push toward AI-driven enterprise transformation. The funding, enabled by the UAE's NextGen FDI initiative, will support AqlanX's efforts to localise and scale DoxAI's enterprise automation technology across the Middle East. Founded to build Arabic-first, UAE-made AI solutions, AqlanX is focused on streamlining business processes, improving operational efficiency, and modernising enterprise document management. The deal aligns closely with the UAE's digital economy agenda, which positions the country as a regional hub for innovation and emerging technologies. AqlanX's growth also reflects the country's broader strategy to attract forward-looking investments and foster a thriving tech ecosystem. As part of the collaboration, AqlanX, DoxAI, and Lakeba have partnered with the University of Wollongong in Dubai to launch an AI Centre of Excellence. The centre will focus on research, innovation, and talent development to support the UAE's national capacity-building efforts in artificial intelligence. The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, who praised the partnership as a strong example of the NextGen FDI initiative's ability to spark high-impact, cross-sector collaboration. With backing from Lakeba and access to DoxAI's intellectual property, AqlanX is poised to become a leader in enterprise AI tailored to the needs of the Arabic-speaking world, reinforcing the UAE's ambition to lead in next-generation technology sectors. News Source: Emirates News Agency
Zawya
12-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
AqlanX secures $10mln investment from DoxAI to launch Arabic-first enterprise AI in Middle East
DUBAI: AqlanX, a UAE-based artificial intelligence company, today announced a US$10 million investment from Lakeba Group through their venture DoxAI, marking a significant milestone in the region's digital transformation journey. The investment, facilitated through connections fostered by the UAE's NextGen FDI initiative, will accelerate AqlanX's mission to localise and expand the proven enterprise automation capabilities of DoxAI across the Middle East. Founded on the vision of building UAE-Made, Arabic-first AI technologies, AqlanX focuses on automating business processes, enhancing operational efficiency, and transforming enterprise document management for large organisations. The company's roadmap is tightly aligned with the UAE's innovation and digital economy strategy, positioning the nation as a hub for AI and innovation-driven ventures. As part of its national capacity-building strategy, AqlanX, DoxAI and Lakeba have also formed a strategic partnership with the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) to establish an AI Centre of Excellence. This initiative will cultivate homegrown AI talent, research, and innovation directly in the UAE. The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, who commented, 'This collaboration between AqlanX, Lakeba, and DoxAI demonstrates the power of the NextGen FDI program to catalyse strategic, cross-sector partnerships. It underscores our commitment to fostering an ecosystem that nurtures innovation and collaboration in priority sectors like artificial intelligence.' Giuseppe Porcelli, Executive Chairman of Lakeba and DoxAI, said, 'This investment is more than capital—it's a commitment to a shared vision. AqlanX represents the next frontier of enterprise AI in the Middle East, and we are proud to bring our experience, technology, and strategic resources to support its growth.' Demetrio Russo, Founder and CEO of AqlanX, added, 'With Lakeba and DoxAI behind us, AqlanX is equipped to deliver Arabic-first AI that is not only world-class, but also born in, and for, the UAE. We are building an innovation hub that reflects the ambitions of this region and empowers its enterprises to lead globally.' With its foundation backed by the expertise and intellectual property of DoxAI, and strategic capital from Lakeba Ventures, AqlanX is positioned to become a regional leader in enterprise AI. The NextGen FDI initiative, launched in 2022, is a core component of the UAE's strategy to promote investment into future-focused sectors, solidify its position as a global hub for innovation, and accelerate the diversification of the national economy. AqlanX joins a cohort of more than 100 companies operating in sectors such as renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and robotics.
