Kolonga

Kolonga is a village and the most populated settlement located on the northeast coast of Tongatapu in the Hahake District, Kingdom of Tonga. Kolonga is a hereditary estate of Hon. Lord Nuku.

The current population of Kolonga was recorded in the Tonga 2006 Census as 1,199.[1] Many people have left to overseas for a better opportunities. Many lands been deserted or they live it to the care of their relatives, sending money support back home. The majority of the residents owned two lands: one in town where they reside and one agricultural land in the bush.

Nearly 99% of the population are agricultural farmers, out of that population only 60% own some level of qualification to a degree. Only a few have government jobs, while the rest, make money out of their farming supplies at Nuku'alofa, the capital city of Tonga.

History

The name Kolonga did not cease to exist till later on, there were two names that were known; Ualako (old residence home of Hon. Lord Nuku) and the name Mesimasi.

Estate history

Kolonga village has always been the home and land of Hon. Lord Nuku and his people since the installation of Ngata, Tu'i Kanokupolu. In 1875, when King Tupou I declared the Tongan Constitution, Hon. Lord Nuku was elevated from being an ancient chiefly titleholder to established hereditary noble.

The title, Nuku, has always been passed from the oldest brother to the youngest, not from father to son. Before King Tupou I left for war to Fiji, he entrusted, Hon. Lord Nuku Momoiangaha, to be the King’s Guard at the Royal Palace. When he returned, he was very upset to hear that Moimoiangaha had granted permission for a catholic church in his land. Therefore the title was stripped off.

The title landed among the children of Finauvalevale Finefeuiaki, the youngest brother. His son, Fatanitavake Finefeuiaki, was called to the title but he refused. He along with his sister, Tu’inavu Finefeuiaki, journeyed with Prince Henele Ma'afu 'o Tu'i Tonga to Lau Islands, Fiji. Than the title was bestowed to his brother, Hon. Lord Nuku Nehasi Finefeuiaki, since then the title went from father to son.

Hon. Lord Nuku Nehasi Finefeuiaki died leaving no male heir. Than the title went to his brother, Hon. Lord Nuku Sosaia Finefeuiaki and his son, Hon. Lord Nuku Pulu Finefeuiaki. After he died, the title returned to the descendant of Hon. Lord Nuku Nehasi Finefeuiaki. Not long till the matter was taken to court. The investigation revealed, Hon. Lord Nuku Makoni Kailahi, was a descendant through the female line in three generations. The Tongan Constitution ruled him out and the title reverted to the descendants of Hon. Lord Nuku Sosaia Finefeuiaki.

There was also a dispute over the title during the time of Hon. Lord Nuku Penisimani Katavake Naufahu Finefeuiaki. Sione Vao (Illegitimate descendant of Fatanitavake Finefeuiaki) and his relatives arrive from Fiji to claim the title. The Tongan Constitution already ruled them out, due to his ancestor, Fatanitavake, signed away his birthright.

While Hon. Lord Nuku Fe’ao Finefeuiaki was still alive, his cunning brother-in-law, Sione Senior Kite was a very shrewd man from Fakakai village, Ha’apai Islands. He brought hundreds of people from Ha’apai Islands, and granted them land at Kolonga, without Hon. Lord Nuku's permission. By than it was too late, this angered Hon. Lord Nuku Fe’ao Finefeuiaki, and he stripped everything of him, including their land and send them to Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu. The Ha'apai people that remained behind led Hon. Lord Nuku Fe'ao Finefeuiaki, to divide the land among them and granted them registered land ownership (since they were innocent).

Origin of the name

One historical interpretation is that Kolonga was, at one time, a collection of hut. Kolonga got its name during the battle between the people from the Hahake and Hihifo District of Tongatapu during the Tu'i Tonga Empire. As the Hihifo people were winning the battle, the Hahake people retreated and escaped to the middle of the Hahake District. The Hihifo District people found the large hut, the people hide in it and they touched the hut down. As the people were crying, a Chief’s Representative (Talking Chief) Nifofa was coming from Nautoka and he asked a person, “What is that sound coming from?” the person answered, “Koe kolo ‘oku nga, ‘uhinga koe kolo ‘oku tangi”, translating “The town is weeping meaning the town is crying”. Once the large hut was burned down, the battle was over and everyone return to the villages where they came from. Therefore, the village was named Kolonga.

It is also said; the name Kolonga also had its origin from the Kanokupolu village, Hihifo District of Tongatapu and the Three Heads (‘Ulutolu). When Ngata was first crowned Tu’i Kanokupolu by the rebel people, he sat on the sia beneath the koka tree in the middle and both Niukapu and Nuku sat on the ground known as Kolonga.

Other names for Kolonga

The metaphoric reference to Kolonga is Lotopoha, Sialehaevala and 'Utulongoa'a.

Sialehaevale (gardenia; torn clothes), originated when Tu'i Tonga Fefine arrived in Kolonga and climbed up the gardenia tree. As she climbed up the tree to pick a flower, her clothes torn apart, this gave rise to the name.

'Utulongoa'a (shore/cliff; noisy) Kolonga was that loud and noisy during the night, the Tu'i Tonga Fefine couldn’t sleep. She grew tired of the noise that it turned out, the sound of the waves keep on crashing against the cliffs. This is another possible reason, the capital Heketa was moved to Mu'a by Tu'i Tonga at a later date.

Tongan proverb

The word Kolonga features in the Tongan proverb, Ala-i-sia-ala-i-Kolonga (Mahina 2004),[2] translated as, skillful at the mound, skillful at the hut. This indigenous proverb derived its meaning from the pigeon trappers’ practice of heu lupe, the snaring of pigeons. The mound on which the pigeons were trapped was called sia, and the temporary huts where the men resided and stored the captured pigeons were called kolonga. The proverb in vernacular language would be written as, Ala 'i sia, ala 'i kolonga. The meaning thus paid tribute to the trapper who was not merely skillful in snaring pigeons, but also skillful at storing and preserving the birds. The proverb referred to individuals who possessed the ability to successfully function in multiple contexts, a trait held in high regard by early Tongans. Relevant to the village characteristic of Kolonga and present day descendents, the proverb captured an element of wisdom known to the early Tongans. That is, humans have greater success at surviving if they are adaptable, skillful and functional in more than one environment.[3][4]

Commercial area

Kolonga has small numbers of shops and sometimes special events occur at Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga or the LDS Church. Kolonga features the following landmarks:

Transport

According to Tonga 2006 Census, the most common way of getting to work at Nuku'alofa and back, was by car (87%) and public transport (13%).

Schools

There's one private college known as Mo'unga'olive College, is run and owned by the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. And one government school known as Kolonga Government Public School (GPS).

Churches

There are seven distinctive churches in Kolonga;

Hon. Lord Nuku and his descendant

Hon. Lord Nuku's bloodline had descended into more than twenty traditional chiefly titleholders, eventually reaching to Tu'i Tonga Laufilitonga, Tu'i Pelehake Filiaipulotu, Tui Lau and Tui Nayau of Fiji and the House of Tupou.

Royals

Lords

Notable people of Kolonga Ancestry

References

  1. ↑ Tonga Department of Statistics. 2006. Tonga 2006 Census. Population Distribution By Division, District, Village By Population Change, Tonga: 1996 and 2006.
  2. ↑ Mahina, 'O. 2004. Reed Book of Tongan Proverbs: Ko E Tohi 'A E Reed Ki He Lea Tonga Heliaki. United Kingdom: Reed.
  3. ↑ Malimali, S. 2005. Trochus Resources: A New Fishery in Tonga? In Pacific Voices: Equity and Sustainable Development in Pacific Island Fisheries, edited by I. Novakzec, J. Mitchell, and J. Veitayaki. Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies, The University of the South Pacific, pp. 137–152. (See Section: 'Kolonga Village and Its Fisheries,' pp. 142–152).
  4. ↑ Ruhen, O. 1963. Minerva Reef. Auckland, New Zealand: Minerva Bookshop Limited.
  5. ↑ See The Affinal Politics of the Twentieth Century, http://epress.anu.edu.au/austronesians/origins/html/ch12s04.html. Retrieved 2013-3-4
  6. ↑ See Radio New Zealand International, http://www.rnzi.com/newflagsflying/fiji-int.php. Retrieved 2013-3-6
  7. ↑ See UK Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1459701/Ratu-Sir-Kamisese-Mara.html. Retrieved 2013-3-6
  8. ↑ See Commonwealth of Australia, http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2004/fa053_04.html
  9. ↑ "Fijian president sworn in for three more years" (See Australia Network News, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-13/an-fiji-president-sworn-in-again/4368648). Retrieved 2013-3-8
  10. ↑ Sevele, F. V. 1973. Regional Inequalities in Socio-Economic Development in Tonga. Unpublished PhD Thesis in Geography, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. Retrieved 2013-8-2
  11. ↑ Sevele, F. V. and Petelo, H. 1989. Agricultural Export Marketing Institutions in Tonga: An Assessment of the Role and Consequences of Government Involvement. Honolulu, Hawai'i: East-West Center. Retrieved 2012-12-14
  12. ↑ Women's Basketball (see All Sports, http://iuhoosiers.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2805#). Retrieved 2016-3-1
  13. ↑ Ka'ili, T. O. 2008. Creating Beauty Through the Art of Socio-Spatial Ties. Unpublished PhD Thesis in Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America.
  14. ↑ Ka'ili, T. O. 2005. Tauhi Va: Nurturing Tongan Sociospatial Ties in Maui and Beyond. The Contemporary Pacific 17 (1): 83-114. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  15. ↑ "Court Circular" by The Independent (See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/court-circular-1532249.html). Retrieved 2012-3-8.
  16. ↑ "Tongasat's Flawed Genius" by David Mendosa (See Mendosa, http://www.mendosa.com/tongasat.html). Retrieved 2013-3-8.
  17. ↑ "Parliamentary 'Games' Distract From Tonga's Economic Woes" by Pesi Fonua. (See http://pidp.org/pireport/2012/November/11-02-co.htm). Retrieved 2013-3-8
  18. ↑ (See Tonga Government Portal, http://www.mic.gov.to/ministrydepartment/14-govt-ministries/prime-ministers-office/2000-fakafisi-akilisi-pohiva-mei-he-lakanga-minisita-moui). Retrieved 2013-3-6
  19. ↑ (See Taimi Media Tonga, http://www.taimionline.com/articles/1110, "Pohiva Disappointed"). Retrieved 2013-3-6.
  20. ↑ Brown Pulu, T. J. 2007. Kakai Tonga 'i 'Okalani Nu'u Sila: Tongan Generations in Auckland New Zealand. Unpublished PhD Thesis in Anthropology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. (See external link for the digital copy of the Doctoral Thesis at The University of Waikato Research Commons: http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz//handle/10289/2584). Retrieved 2013-3-1
  21. ↑ Brown Pulu, T. J. 2002. Turangawaewae/Tu'ungava'e: Echoes of a Place to Stand and Belong. He Puna Korero: Journal of Maori and Pacific Development 3 (2): 14-30.
  22. ↑ 'Tongan King of Ukulele', Sione Aleki by Craig (see http://www.ukulelia.com/2009/12/tongan-king-of-ukulele-sione-aleki.html)
  23. ↑ See Rugby League Project, http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/sione-finefeuiaki/summary.html. Retrieved 2012-3-7
  24. ↑ Pulu, Seminati. 1969. Represented Tonga: Silver Medal, 100 Metre Sprint, 11.0 Seconds; Silver Medal, 200 Metre Sprint, 22.1 Seconds. Third South Pacific Games, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. (See External Link for South Pacific Games Track and Field Medalists: http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/spg.htm). Retrieved 2013-3-6
  25. ↑ Pulu, Soakai. 1934 - 1953. Undefeated Tonga Heavyweight Boxing Championship Title.(See Ruhen 1963, p. 48). Retrieved 2013-1-1.
  26. ↑ Pulu, Sione. 1974. Represented Tonga (See Tonga at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games for Athlete/Event Description; See Also External Link: http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=2-3338-0-0-0&sID=32718). Retrieved 2013-1-2
  27. ↑ Pulu, Tony. 1970 - 1985. Heavyweight Boxer (See External Link for Athlete/Event Description: http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=22658&cat=boxer). Retrieved 2012-12-14
  28. ↑ Pulu, Viliami. 1984. Represented Tonga (See Tonga at the 1984 Summer Olympics for Athlete/Event Description; See Also External Link: http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/pu/viliami-pulu-1.html). Retrieved 2012-12-14.
  29. ↑ Howlett, Douglas Charles. 2000 - 2007. Represented New Zealand: 62 All Black International Caps. (See Doug Howlett for Current Biographical Detail). Retrieved 2012-12-14.

Coordinates: 21°08′S 175°04′W / 21.133°S 175.067°W / -21.133; -175.067

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