Next Tuesday will be a very special day for the country as well as the decedents of the first Whippy ever to step foot in Fiji, as there will be an unveiling ceremony of the first Whippy, David Whippy's tombstone by the President of Fiji, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.
The first David Whippy was born in Nantucket Island in Boston, Massachusetts in 1801 and at the age of 16, David made a short voyage on a whaling ship under the captain, Timothy Master and his brother Joseph Bunker Whippy as mate.
Life on board the whaling ship was very hard with long periods of boredom, chasing whales and boiling them down for oil. David Whippy was a very playful type of person and he was frequently punished for breaches of discipline.
He also stole a boat to avoid punishment and disappeared.
Towards mid December, 1817 Whippy arrived in Bua and made friends with the Tui Bua. In 1828, while staying in Levuka made frequent trips to Bau, in Tailevu where he met the first of his three wives, Tulia of Namara in Tailevu.
David Whippy then went on to marry Eunice of Koro in Lomaiviti and Tokasa the daughter of the Tui Levuka.
The 6th generation decendant and the chairman of the descendants of David Whippy commitee in Fiji, Daniel Whippy says the committee took some time out to do their research and to find out where their ancestors came from.
Whippy adds because David Whippy was a Seventh Day Adventist believer, his faith will be respected.
The ceremony will on Tuesday morning in Bua.
Story by: Tokasa Rainima
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