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Kitione Vesikula, administrative assistant at the Department of Native Affairs, said the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and the Native Land Commission (NLC) office were two different offices governed by different laws.
Mr Wisikula said while the entities played interrelated roles in recording important iTaukei information, they operated independently.
“Citizens receive a birth certificate from the registry office as proof of their birth, which is essential for various official purposes throughout their lives,” he said.
Mr Wisikula said the NLC was responsible for administering the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB), a register that records the ancestral land titles and ancestry of the indigenous people of Fiji.
“The VKB is culturally and legally significant as it records the ancestral connection to the land, which is integral to iTaukei identity and heritage.”
Mr. Visikula said that while a person may have a birth certificate issued by the registry office, this does not automatically mean that they are registered in the VKB.
“Some people think that when they register their children based on their birth certificate, they are automatically registered with the VKB.”
Mr. Visikula said individuals who wish to register their ancestral relationships and land rights with the VKB must follow the procedures outlined by the NLC.
He said this included producing birth certificates and undergoing verification to determine their legal status with the VKB, the custodian of iTaukei heritage and land rights.
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