Naitauba Island is about 28.5km northwest of Vanu Balavu. The island is volcanic with coral parts, and rises to 186m above sea level. Its length / width is 4.3km by 4km. The island has a protective reef that surrounds it, bright white beaches, bright blue water, coconut palms, a couple of lakes, villages, some native vegetation on the hills …
In 1965, actor Raymond Burr and his partner bought 1,625 hectares (4,015 acres) on the island , where they grew dill and cattle. The land was sold in 1983 to Johannine Daist Communion for use by Adi Da, at a cost of $ 2.1 million. Cyclone Winston severely damaged the island. In gallery, you will see lots of pre Winston/after Winston images as a comparison.
Of course, Naitauba is not without problems or controversy either. The island is known for the fact that there is a religious cult to this day, whose leader was Adi Da Samraj. His real name is Franklin Albert Jones. He died in 2008 at the age of 69. He invented a way of teaching that he called “Crazy Wisdom”. He also had some radical religious ideas, various nervous breakdowns, used psychoactive substances as a test subject, and probably with the help of his “divine” beauty, he had three children with three different women. In the mid-1980s, accusations by former followers of imprisonment, brainwashing, sexual abuse, assault, and forced slavery attracted international media attention. In 1983, Adi Da moved with a group of about 40 followers to the Fijian island of Naitaba, which was bought by a wealthy follower.
POST UPDATE: 28. December 2021
Here is a video of the island, viewed from the air, released by The Adi Da Foundation:
Their movement also created ,,Naitauba Reef Initiative” which should protect the island’s surrounded coral reefs and marine life that inhabit it. That includes regular monitoring of the reef’s health and various actions to prevent and correct damage caused by climate changes.
On Naitauba’s reef, they established marine protected areas where all fishing is prohibited. This protects several vulnerable marine species on the reef. A local fisheries program has been developed in cooperation with Fiji’s Ministry of Fisheries. As the result, the reef’s population of giant clams is being restored. Because sea turtles have been protected in Nautauba for many years, its reef is now home to a stable and growing population. Naitauba reef has beautiful and rich biodiversity where ,,Naitauba Reef Initiative” alongside with local experts actively work to protect and enhance it through ongoing monitoring and conservation projects. More about it can be found here at their site https://www.naitauba.org/reef/
HERE IS OUR NAITAUBA ISLAND GALLERY https://tropicalislands.net/naitauba-island-gallery/
