Niulakita

Niulakita is a small inhabited island in Fiji's Lau Islands, within Lau Province in the Eastern Division. It lies in the southern Lau group and is part of the broader Fiji archipelago, often associated with nearby Ono-i-Lau. The island is low-lying and largely covered by coconut palms, scrub, and natural vegetation, with a coastline featuring sandy beaches and rocky areas.

Population and settlement are modest, with residents living in a few villages that form the island’s communities. The people of Niulakita maintain customary Fijian life, with land held under mataqali (clan) tenure and social structures tied to the vanua (land, people, and culture). The local economy is primarily subsistence-based, centered on fishing, small-scale farming of root crops and vegetables, and coconut products, with some families earning cash income from these activities.

Historically, Niulakita has been part of the broader Lau cultural and nomadic trading networks that connected Fiji with other Pacific islands. The island shares in the religious and cultural influences common to the Lau group, including Christian churches and traditional ceremonies such as kava rituals.

Access to Niulakita is by sea; there is no regular airport on the island, and transport typically involves boat services from other islands in the Lau group or from Fiji’s main centers. Education on the island is provided for primary-level students, while secondary schooling and certain services generally require travel to other islands or to the main island of Fiji.

See also: Lau Islands, Fiji; Ono-i-Lau; Geography of Fiji.