Talatama

Who is Talatama?

Talatama is named as the oldest son of Tuʻitātui and succeeded him as the 12th Tuʻi 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 ʻUtulongoaʻa, 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 Talaihaʻapepe decided to move the royal court to Muʻa. Indeed the coast there was sandy and muddy, safe for the boats, the big royal canoes, named ʻĀkiheuho and Tongafuesia, and it was quiet. The place was named Fangalongonoa.

Since that time, up to the last Tuʻi Tonga, Laufilitonga, the dynasty has always remained in Muʻa.

When Talatama died he had no sons. Talaihaʻapepe 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 Talaihaʻapepe had been a boy 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 Tuʻi Tonga, even a queen was assigned to him, and he was named Tuʻi-Tonga-nui--tama-tou.