ʻOku fakamatalaʻi atu ʻi lalo e ongoongó ni ʻi he lea faka-Tongá
Tributes to mark the Queen Mother’s death should use correct Tongan metaphorical expressions to avoid any disrespect to Their Majesties and the deceased, Rev. Dr Mohenoa Puloka has warned.
Dr Puloka said Their Majesties the King and Queen of Tonga were still alive and the wording of tributes to the Queen Mother, whose death was reported on Sunday, should not make the public into thinking the condolences were meant for Their Majesties.
“Fakafeta’i ‘Eiki, ‘oku kei Tonga pe ‘a Tonga, kei huhulu e Huelo’i La’a Koula, he ‘oku kei lakoifie Tamasi’i Tu’i, Tupou V1…”, Dr Puloka said in Tongan.
(Translated: “Thanks be to God Tonga is still Tonga, the golden rays of the sun still shine as His Majesty the King Child is still alive and healthy…”)
Dr Puloka referred to the form of Tongan respect in which the king and the royals were mentioned using the zodiacal system instead of calling them by their birth names.
Traditionally and according to Tongan poets, the king is referred to as the sun, the queen as the moon and their children were referred to with the rest of the planets.
Since the death of the Queen Mother, Halaevalu Mata’aho, many tributes have referred to Her passing on social media using the phrase “Kuo to e laʻā ʻo Tonga” (Translated: The Sun of Tonga is set).
Some tributes have said: “Kuo pulonga e māhiná”. (Translated: The Moon is dark or invisible.)
These were normal references to the royals in times of death, but they were wrongly applied to the deceased Queen Mother.
Dr Puloka said it was more respectable to leave the “cosmological moon” to be used to refer only to Her Majesty Queen Nanasipauʻu.
Dr Puloka said there were special metaphorical expressions to be used for the Queen Mother.
“Ka ‘oku kehe ange naunau ‘o e Kuini Fehuhu”, he said (Translated: But the Queen Mother’s entitlement was especially exceptional.”
He said the Queen Mother could be referred to with certain kakala ʻeiki (honorary garlands with significantly fragrant flowers) such as Ve’eve’e Heilala Tatakamotonga (kakala ‘o Tungi Mailefihi), Pa’angahea, Papaifa, Faka’ofilani, Faka’otusia, Nusi Palataha, Fakamatamoana, Faka-loto-Mu’a, Heilala fakavahamapa and fakavainiaku’aki e mapo’i hingano mei Tau-‘a Tonga.
Dr Puloka, who is also a member of the Takalaua lineage, made the comments after some warnings had been made on social media for commoners to stop the fiematamu’a or being impertinent and using the Queen Mother’s photos as their profile image on Facebook.
Those who supported the idea agreed and said commoners should know their limits when it comes to royal matters.
However, some said she was the Queen Mother of Tonga and there was no disrespect at all when using her photos as their profile image.
The main points
- Tributes to mark the Queen Mother’s death should use correct Tongan metaphorical expressions to avoid any disrespect to Their Majesties and the deceased, Rev. Dr Mohenoa Puloka has warned.
- Dr Puloka said Their Majesties the King and Queen of Tonga were still alive and the wording of tributes to the Queen Mother should not make the public into thinking the condolences were meant for Their Majesties.
- “Fakafeta’i ‘Eiki, ‘oku kei Tonga pe ‘a Tonga, kei huhulu e Huelo’i La’a Koula, he ‘oku kei lakoifie Tamasi’i Tu’i, Tupou V1…”, Dr Puloka said in Tongan.
- (Translated: “Thanks be to God Tonga is still Tonga, the golden rays of the sun still shine as His Majesty the King Child is still alive and healthy…”)
