Salote Tupou III of Tonga
Encyclopedia
Sālote Mafile‘o Pilolevu Tupou III, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DStJ (13 March 190016 December 1965), but usually named only Sālote, was Queen of Tonga
from 5 April 1918 to her death in 1965.
, she became the mother of Siaosi Tāufa‘āhau Tupoulahi
– later King Tāufa‘āhau Tupou IV –, Uiliami Tuku‘aho (5 November 1919–28 April 1936), and Sione Ngū Manumataongo
– later Tu‘i Pelehake (Fatafehi) –, plus three miscarriages. She died 16 December 1965 at Aotea Hospital, Auckland
, after a long illness. Queen Salote was known for being a tall woman. Time
magazine states that she was 1.91 meters or 6 foot 3 inches.
and as such only grudgingly accepted by followers of the Tu‘i Tonga
, that is the people of Mu‘a
. The first years of her reign she spent a lot of effort in reducing their suspicions. Her marriage to Tungī Mailefihi had been a masterstroke of her father, as Tungī was a direct descendant of the Tu‘i Ha‘atakalaua
, which at that time was seen as belonging to the Tu‘i Tonga
's kauhala‘uta. Their children therefore combined the blood of the three grand royal dynasties in Tonga.
In 1920-1921, she assisted the Bernice P. Bishop Museum's Bayard Dominick Expedition with their mapping of Tongan archaeological sites by providing access to localities and information. The expedition's reports on the Tongan past—including a large volume of material which still remains unpublished even today—were primarily compiled by Edward Winslow Gifford
and provided the groundwork for comprehensive studies of the pre-contact history of the Tongans (Burley 1998). She was also a keen writer and author of countless dance songs and love poems (hiva kakala) as well as majestic lakalaka
.
She brought Tonga to international attention when she attended the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
in London, endearing herself to the spectators by riding through the streets in an open carriage, smiling and waving, in the pouring rain. She served as Chairman of the Tonga Traditions Committee 1954-1965, patronised the Tonga Red Cross Society, was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1932, advanced to Dame Grand Cross (GBE) in 1945, appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
(GCVO) in 1953 and was the first Dame Grand Cross to be appointed to the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) in January 1965.
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
from 5 April 1918 to her death in 1965.
Personal history
She was the daughter of King George Tupou II and his first wife, Queen Lavinia Veiongo. Married to Viliami Tungī MailefihiViliami Tungi Mailefihi
Viliami Tungī Mailefihi was a Tongan chief and consort of Queen Sālote Tupou III.He was the son of Tukuaho who was the son of Tungī Halatuituia. The line of Tungī chiefs from Tatakamotonga was descending from the then defunct Tui Haatakalaua which in that time was more or less seen as an...
, she became the mother of Siaosi Tāufa‘āhau Tupoulahi
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, King of Tonga, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, KStJ son of Queen Sālote Tupou III and her consort Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, was the king of Tonga from the death of his mother in 1965 until his own death in 2006...
– later King Tāufa‘āhau Tupou IV –, Uiliami Tuku‘aho (5 November 1919–28 April 1936), and Sione Ngū Manumataongo
Tu'i Pelehake (Fatafehi)
Sione Ngū Manumataongo Tukuʻaho , also known as HRH Prince Fatafehi Tu'ipelehake, was the youngest son of Sālote Tupou III and was educated in Tonga and Australia. Tu'ipelehake is a traditional high ranking Tongan title....
– later Tu‘i Pelehake (Fatafehi) –, plus three miscarriages. She died 16 December 1965 at Aotea Hospital, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, after a long illness. Queen Salote was known for being a tall woman. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine states that she was 1.91 meters or 6 foot 3 inches.
Achievements
From a traditional point of view she was also (the 21st) Tu‘i KanokupoluTu'i Kanokupolu
The Ha'a Tu'i Kanokupolu is the most junior of the Ha'a Tu'i in Tonga. They are generally refer to as the Kau Halalalo The Ha'a Tu'i Tonga, the most senior and Sacred Ha'a Tu'i in Tonga are generally refer to as the Kauhala'uta, The inland side of the roads...
and as such only grudgingly accepted by followers of the Tu‘i Tonga
Tu'i Tonga
The Tui Tonga is a line of Tongan kings, which originated in the 10th century with the mythical Ahoeitu; withdrew from political power in the 15th century by yielding to the Tui Haatakalaua; and died out with Laufilitonga in 1865...
, that is the people of Mu‘a
Mu'a (Tongatapu)
Mua is a small city in the Hahake district on the island of Tongatapu, and it was for centuries the ancient capital of Tonga. It is divided in the villages Lapaha and Tatakamotonga, is close to Talasiu and famous for the ancient langi .-Geography:Mua is situated along the eastern side of the...
. The first years of her reign she spent a lot of effort in reducing their suspicions. Her marriage to Tungī Mailefihi had been a masterstroke of her father, as Tungī was a direct descendant of the Tu‘i Ha‘atakalaua
Tu'i Ha'atakalaua
The Tui Haatakalaua was a dynasty of Tongan kings, which originated in the 15th century by taking over the power from the Tui Tonga line. Lost the power in 16th century to the Tui Kanokupolu dynasty, and disappeared into nothingness by the end of the 18th century.#Moungāmotua – around 1470; might...
, which at that time was seen as belonging to the Tu‘i Tonga
Tu'i Tonga
The Tui Tonga is a line of Tongan kings, which originated in the 10th century with the mythical Ahoeitu; withdrew from political power in the 15th century by yielding to the Tui Haatakalaua; and died out with Laufilitonga in 1865...
's kauhala‘uta. Their children therefore combined the blood of the three grand royal dynasties in Tonga.
In 1920-1921, she assisted the Bernice P. Bishop Museum's Bayard Dominick Expedition with their mapping of Tongan archaeological sites by providing access to localities and information. The expedition's reports on the Tongan past—including a large volume of material which still remains unpublished even today—were primarily compiled by Edward Winslow Gifford
Edward Winslow Gifford
Edward Winslow Gifford devoted his life to studying California Indian ethnography as a professor of anthropology and director of the Museum of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley....
and provided the groundwork for comprehensive studies of the pre-contact history of the Tongans (Burley 1998). She was also a keen writer and author of countless dance songs and love poems (hiva kakala) as well as majestic lakalaka
Lakalaka
The lakalaka is a Tongan group dance where the performers are largely standing still and make gestures with their arms only. It is considered as the national dance of Tonga and part of the intangible human heritage...
.
She brought Tonga to international attention when she attended the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was the ceremony in which the newly ascended monarch, Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, as well as taking on the role of Head of the Commonwealth...
in London, endearing herself to the spectators by riding through the streets in an open carriage, smiling and waving, in the pouring rain. She served as Chairman of the Tonga Traditions Committee 1954-1965, patronised the Tonga Red Cross Society, was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1932, advanced to Dame Grand Cross (GBE) in 1945, appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(GCVO) in 1953 and was the first Dame Grand Cross to be appointed to the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG) in January 1965.