Talatama
Encyclopedia
Talatama is named as the oldest son of Tuitātui
and succeeded him as the 12th Tui Tonga
(king of Tonga
) somewhere in the middle of the 12th century AD.
They lived at Heketā, along the northcoast of Tongatapu
, with its rocky shore. Launching and landing canoes was difficult and the surf of the sea was always noisy. The nearby village of Kolonga
, nowadays is nicknamed Utulongoaa (noisy coast), because that was what Talatama's sister Fatafehi said.
Either to please her or just to find a better harbour for themselves Talatama and his younger brother Talaihaapepe decided to move the royal court to Mua
(meaning: first, because as the new capital, the village would be the first to receive honours). Indeed the coast there was sandy and muddy, safe for the boats, the big royal canoes, named Ākiheuho and Tongafuesia, and it was quiet. The place was named Fangalongonoa (silent shore).
Since that time, up to the last Tui Tonga, Laufilitonga
, the dynasty has always remained in Mua.
When Talatama died he had no sons. Talaihaapepe seemed to be the most straightforward one to succeed him, but he himself saw it as a bad omen to break the tradition from father to son. Now when Talaihaapepe had been a boy (some say he was still a boy at that time) he had a doll, made of tou
wood, called Tamatou. This doll was declared the son of Talatama and installed with all the pomp and splendour of a Tui Tonga, even a queen was assigned to him, and he was named Tui-Tonga-nui-(ko-e)-tama-tou (Great Tonga king (that is) tou person).
Three years later Talaihaapepe declared that the king, Tamatou, had died and would be buried in a vault, while his wife was supposed to have been pregnant and born a son. This son, Talatama's grandson, would succeed as the 14th Tui Tonga. Needless to say that this was Talaihaapepe himself.
Tu'itatui
Tui-tā-tui was the 11th Tui Tonga, a dynasty of mighty kings in Tonga, and lived somewhere in the 12th century AD...
and succeeded him as the 12th Tui 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...
(king of Tonga
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...
) somewhere in the middle of the 12th century AD.
They lived at Heketā, along the northcoast of Tongatapu
Tongatapu
Tongatapu is the main island of the Kingdom of Tonga and the location of its capital Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with approximately 71,260 residents , 70.5% of the national population...
, with its rocky shore. Launching and landing canoes was difficult and the surf of the sea was always noisy. The nearby village of Kolonga
Kolonga
Historical Place NameKolonga is the largest village and populated settlement located on the northeast coast of Tongatapu in the Hahake District, Kingdom of Tonga. The current population of Kolonga was recorded in the Tonga 2006 Census as 1,199. One historical interpretation is that Kolonga was, at...
, nowadays is nicknamed Utulongoaa (noisy coast), because that was what Talatama's sister Fatafehi said.
Either to please her or just to find a better harbour for themselves Talatama and his younger brother Talaihaapepe decided to move the royal court to Mua
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...
(meaning: first, because as the new capital, the village would be the first to receive honours). Indeed the coast there was sandy and muddy, safe for the boats, the big royal canoes, named Ākiheuho and Tongafuesia, and it was quiet. The place was named Fangalongonoa (silent shore).
Since that time, up to the last Tui Tonga, Laufilitonga
Laufilitonga
Fatafehi Laufilitonga was the 39th and last Tui Tonga, a dynasty of kings in Tonga during the Tui Tonga Empire.-Biography:Only little is known about Laufilitonga's life....
, the dynasty has always remained in Mua.
When Talatama died he had no sons. Talaihaapepe seemed to be the most straightforward one to succeed him, but he himself saw it as a bad omen to break the tradition from father to son. Now when Talaihaapepe had been a boy (some say he was still a boy at that time) he had a doll, made of tou
Tou (tree)
Cordia subcordata is a species of flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae, that is native to eastern Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, northern Australia and the Pacific Islands...
wood, called Tamatou. This doll was declared the son of Talatama and installed with all the pomp and splendour of a Tui Tonga, even a queen was assigned to him, and he was named Tui-Tonga-nui-(ko-e)-tama-tou (Great Tonga king (that is) tou person).
Three years later Talaihaapepe declared that the king, Tamatou, had died and would be buried in a vault, while his wife was supposed to have been pregnant and born a son. This son, Talatama's grandson, would succeed as the 14th Tui Tonga. Needless to say that this was Talaihaapepe himself.