Tuʻi Kanokupolu


Tuʻi Kanokupolu are a junior rank of the Haʻa Tuʻi in Tonga.

Terminology

The Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu are described as Kau Halalalo. Kauhala means side of the road and lalo means lower. Thus, Kau Halalalo is the lower side of the road.
The term Kau Halalalo differentiates the Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu from the Haʻa Tuʻi Tonga who are the most senior and sacred members of the king's lineage. In contrast to Kau Halalalo, the Haʻa Tuʻi Tonga are the Kau Halaʻuta, meaning the higher side of the road.
In Muʻa Tongatapu, the ancient capital of Tonga and the traditional residence of the Haʻa Tuʻi Tonga, the Haʻa Tuʻi Tonga lived on the higher, inland side of the road, whereas, the Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu lived on the lower, beach side of the road. In Muʻa Tongatapu, the settlement was expanded along the lower, beach side of the road.
During Inasi ceremonies, when tributes were brought from the various chiefdoms of the Tonga empire to the Haʻa Tuʻi Tonga, the Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu would arrive in canoes and settle along the beach. After presenting their tributes, the Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu would return to their chiefdoms.
Tupou is the title given to the Tuʻi Kanokupolu.

Ngata, 1st Tuʻi Kanokupolu

The position of Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu originated at the time of the Moungatonga, the 6th Tuʻi Haʻa Takalaua. Ngata was the youngest son of Moungatonga and Tohuʻia, a Samoan woman from Savaii tuhoia lineage made a Samoan Clan the Sisi Chief which of Sisi Malamalama and returned to Tonga while brothers Sisi Tautai and Sisi Uli stayed and made residence in what is now called Vaifoa, Sasina, North Savaii, Western Samoa was the birthplace of Tuhoia and the Sisi line from Eldest brother Sisi tautai living relatives Hon, Vagana Si'ulikutapu Fineanganofo Kolini, Seumanutafa Liaga and Semanutafa Falemaa and Descendants of Sisi Uli .Ngata was sent to Hihifo district, Tongatapu,the western part of the Tongan empire, to govern the district on behalf of the Haʻa Tuʻi, the Tuʻi Tonga and the Tuʻi Haʻa Takalaua. Ngata was ecorted by his uncle, Nuku and his cousin, Niukapu.. Ngata's venture was also supported by his mother's family, the Fale Haʻakili. Throughout Tonga, the Fale Haʻakili are the traditional supporters of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu.
Ngata married Vaʻetapu and Kaufoʻou, the two daughters of Ahomeʻe, a chief of Haʻavakatolo, Hihifo district. The children formed the first Tuʻi Kanokupolu chiefdom and resided in Hihifo. The chiefdom, the Haʻa Ngata is divided into Haʻa Ngata Motuʻa and Haʻa Ngata Tupu.
Founded E,HON,OOS Alan A V T Vaifale

Chiefs of the Haʻa Ngata Motuʻa clan

ʻAtamataʻila' was the son of Ngata and Kaufoʻou of Hihifo. He reinforced the office of the governor of Hihifo. When he married Tokilupe, the daughter of Tuʻi Haʻatuʻunga and the niece of Tuʻi Haʻamea, chief of the Central Tongan Empire. Atamataʻilaʻa daughter, Palula was sent to be the wife of the eighth king of Tonga, Vaea Tangitau.

Mataeleutuʻapiko, 3rd Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Mataeleutuʻapiko was the son of Atamataʻila and Tokilupe. He married Papahaʻamea, a daughter of the Tuʻi Haʻamea, chief of the Central Tongan Empire; Fatafehi, a daughter of the 31st Tuʻi Tonga, Kauʻulufonuafekai; and Tuʻimala, daughter of the Tuʻi Tonga, Fefine, of the Tahama clan.
The children of Mateletuʻapiko formed the second clan of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu, the Haʻa Havea. The Haʻa Havea is divided into the Haʻa Havea Lahi, the older Havea clan of central Tonga and the Haʻa Havea Siʻi, the younger Havea clan of the Vavaʻu Islands.

Chiefs of the Haʻa Havea Lahi clan

the role of the haa tui kanokupolu is taking the responsibility that all the high haa tui has for them in a Royal Funeral or Wedding..

Mataelehaʻamea, 4th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Mataelehaʻamea was the eldest son of Mateletuʻapiko and Papahaʻamea, the daughter of the Tuʻi Haʻamea. Mataelehaʻamea went to war with his father in law, the eighth Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua Vaea to established the Tuʻi Kanokupolu's control in central Tongan Empire.
At this time, a number of social factors began to change: the Tuʻi Kanokupolu began to have power over the Tuʻi Haʻa Takalaua. The daughter of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu became the Moheofo of the Tuʻi Tonga. The Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu became known as Haamoheofo: Haʻa means clan and mohefo means principle wife of the Tongan king.
Mataelehaʻamea's son, Tuituiohu, formed the Haʻa Ngata Tupu clan in Vavaʻu. This clan became powerful in the time of Tuituiohu's son, 'Finau ʻUlukalala I, ruler of Vavaʻu and Haʻapai'.

Chiefs of the Haʻa Ngata Tupu clan

Vunu Tuʻi oe Tau was the second son of Mataele tuʻapiko. He lost the support of the Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu and left Vavaʻu to established his own chiefdom. Vunu Tuʻi oe Tau was also challenged by his nephew Tuituiohu.

Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga, 6th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga was the eldest son of Mataelehaamea and Papa Haʻamea.
The children of Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga formed the Haʻa Maʻafu clan. Haʻa Maʻafu include the descendants of the Tuʻi Kanokopolu who do not belong to any other clan and the present day princes of the royal household. This community lives in the Kolomotuʻa and Kolofoʻou of Nukuʻalofa. His eldest son was Ngalumoetutulu by his wife Ate Fiunoa and Ngalumoetutulu was installed TUʻIHAʻAPAI.

Tupoulahi, 7th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tupoulahi was the son of Maafuoutitonga. He built a fort in Nukuʻalofa. He later resigned from the Tuʻi Kanokupolu because of a lack support from other Tuʻi Kanokupolu clans.

Maealiuaki, 8th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Maealiuaki was the son of Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga. Maealiuka retired at an advanced age and became the fifteenth Tui Haatakalaua. He lived in Muʻa.

Captain Cook's observations

visited Maealiuaki in 1777. Cook wrote:
Cook also wrote about "Feenou" ; "Toobou", chief of "Annamouka" ; "Tooboueitoa", king of the surrounding islands of "Kottoo" ; "Poulaho" and his son, "Fattafaihe" who was about twelve years old at the time; and "Toobou".
While Cook described Maealiuaki as "old and in retirement", he also noted that the Tupou was younger and going blind from an eye problem; that Maealiuaki and Tupou were brothers; that there was a peaceful interaction between all the chiefs; and that respect was paid to the Tuʻi Tonga Paulaho and his son, Fatafehi.
Finau Tukuʻaho, left Vavaʻu to gather provisions for Cook. When Cook told Finau Tukuʻaho that he would follow him to Vavaʻu, Finau Tukuʻaho refused and advised Cook there was no safe anchorage in Vavaʻu. In fact, Vavaʻu has a good anchorage, which Finau did not wish to reveal to Cook.

Tuʻi Halafatai, 9th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tuʻi Halfatai was the son of Tupoulahi muʻa.]0

Tupoulahisiʻi, 10th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tupoulahisiʻi was the son of Tuʻi Halafatai.

Mulikihaʻamea, 11th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Mulikihaʻamea was the son of Maealiuaki. He resigned and following his father, become the 16th Tuʻi Haʻa Takalaua and lived in Muʻa. In 1797, Mulikhaʻamea received George Vason. In the same year, London Missionary Society missionaries arrived.

Observations of George Vason

Vason wrote:

Tupou Moheofo, 12th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tupou Moheofo was the daughter of Tupoulahi and the principal wife of the Tui Tonga Paulaho. Her cousin, Tukuaho opposed her marriage. It is said he came from his home on Eua and said,
Tupou Moheofo was defeated by Tukuʻaho. He installed his own father, Mumui, the son of Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga, as the thirteenth Tuʻi Kanokupolu.
Vason described the incident between Tupou Moheofo and Tukuʻaho in 1797. Therefore, the incident must have happened some years earlier, as Mumui was already a king when Vason was in residence. Vason wrote,

Mumui, 13th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Mumui was the son of Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga. He was made Tuʻi Kanokupolu when his son defeated Tupou Moheofo. Mumui was the first Tuʻi Kanokupolu mention in the writing of George Vason and the LMS missionaries in 1797. Vason recorded Mumui's visit to the missionaries. He wrote,
Vason reported the death of Mumui not long after their arrival. He wrote,

Tukuʻaho, 14th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tukuʻaho was the son of Mumui. He was a fierce warrior and a respected leader. He was alected Tuʻi Kanokupolu after the death of Mumui. Vason wrote,
The LMS missionaries, who all stayed under the protection of Tukuʻaho in Hihifo, were then divided up into the districts and their chiefs. This gives a useful record of all the great chiefs in Tonga during this time. Again, Vason wrote,
This quote indicates that the plan to separate the missionaries was approved by Tukuʻaho the Tuʻi Knaokupolu, who protected them in Hihifo. The plan was that two missionaries would stay with Vahaʻi in Haʻateiho; one would go to Muli in Hahake; one would go to Mulikihaʻamea, the second highest chief in Tonga; and two would go to the Tuʻi Tonga at Muʻa. The three remaining missionaries stayed in Hihifo with the Tuʻi Kanokupolu.
The record gives insight into the social hierarchy of the ruling parties. Tukuʻaho was the most powerful but not necessarily the highest ranked Tuʻi Kanokupolu. Mulikihaʻamea was the second most powerful chief of Tonga. At this time, he resigned to become the eleventh Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua. The chief, Vahaʻi, was in Haʻateiho and most likely controlled the central region. The Tuʻi Tonga at Muʻa was Fatafehi, son of Paulaho, who was twelve years old during Cook's visit in 1777. Fatafehi had aspired to be elected as Tuʻi Kanokupolu to recover the position his mother lost to Tukuʻaho. Tukuʻaho was assassinated by Tupouniua and ʻUlukalala with the consent of Mulikihaʻamea.

Maʻafu ʻo Limuloa, 15th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Maʻafu ʻo Limuloa was promoted by the Haa Havea and became Tuʻi Kanokupolu. The very same night, he was murdered by the members of the Haa Ngata who had supported Tukuaho.
Fohe
Ma'afu

Tupou Malohi, 16th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tupou Malohi was appointed after a long interregnum in 1808, when the quarreling chiefs finally put their differences aside in order to forestall the ambitions of Tupoutoa. But Tupou Mālohi was weak, not able to withstand the quarreling chiefs, resigned a year later, and went to Haapai. On the official list, Tupou Malohi retained his title until his death in 1812.

Tupoutoʻa, 17th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tupoutʻa was the son of Tukuaho. The chiefs considered him an "upstart" because he claimed the title of tui kanokupolu but had not been officially recognised. Tupoutʻa also associated with his assassins. The chiefs did not formally denounce Tupoutʻa because they were battling each other. One of the most powerful chiefs, Takai, recognised Tupoutʻa in 1813 but he was the only one. Tupoutoa died in 1820.

Aleamotuʻa (Josiah Tupou), 18th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

ʻAleamotuʻa' was the son of Mumui. He became Tuʻi Kanokupolu in 1826 and was installed on 7 December 1827 in the Pangai at Hihifo by the Haʻa Ngata and Haʻa Havea. Aleamotua became a Christian and was baptised on 18 January 1830 by Mr Turner, a Methodist Missionary. He married Mary Moala in a Christian ceremoniy on the same date. He died in 1845.

Tāufaʻāhau, 19th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tāufaʻāhau was the son of Tupoutoa. Prior to his death, Josiah Tupou named two possible successors. Tāufaʻāhau was baptised and installed as "His Majesty, King George Tāufaʻāhau Tupou I".

His Majesty, King George Tāufaʻāhau Tupou II, 20th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Her Majesty, Queen Salote Tupou III, 21st Tuʻi Kanokupolu

His Majesty, King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, 22nd Tuʻi Kanokupolu

Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV was the son of Her Majesty, Queen Salote Tupou III and Chief Tungi. As a Crown Prince he was known as Tupoutoʻa and later inherited his father's title, Tungi. He ascended to the throne in 1965 and retained the title Tungi, while the title Tupoutoʻa was passed on to the Crown Prince.

His Majesty, King George Tupou V, 23rd Tuʻi Kanokupolu

He succeeded his father in 2006 and reigned until his death in 2012.

His Majesty, King Tupou VI, 24th Tuʻi Kanokupolu

External sources