Hatana

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Hatana Island is the most sacred islet in the Rotuma Group, Fiji, and appears in many Rotuman creation stories. The legend connects Hatana to Raho, the founder of Rotuma. Raho, a Samoan chief, fled his homeland and “planted” Rotuma with two baskets of sand, but a Tongan chief named Tokaniua tricked him. In anger, Raho climbed Rotuma’s old volcano Mamfiri, stuck a stick into the peak, and the dirt flew off, forming nearby islets including Hatana. Raho left the main island and moved to Hatana with many maidens. A burial site on Hatana is said to be Raho’s grave.

Two small boulders mark the burial places of Tuimanuka and Famafu, while 27 smaller rocks form a circle to symbolize the 27 maidens who, in the story, died when the king did, to accompany him in the afterlife. There is an umefe, or eating table, where people leave offerings like garlands, coins, and alcohol to please the God-King and ensure safe passage back home.

Access to Hatana is restricted. The island is owned by the Losa people of the village of Ituʻtiʻu on Rotuma’s west coast, and visitors must travel with a Losa guide. People sometimes go to collect seabirds or eggs, and there are day trips to visit the burial site and have a picnic. The island is ringed by a high reef, so boats cannot land. Visitors must reach the shore by swimming or running about 50 meters from the reef, making timing important to avoid strong waves.

Hatana has strict rules. Visitors should not relieve themselves on the land; it must be done in the sea. Even insults to the burial site, the ancestors, or the Losa people can anger the spirits and make the sea rough, occasionally leaving groups stranded for days until the spirits are appeased.