A leading matāpule of Lord Ma’afu claimed the mother of Late King Siaosi Tupou I, Lady Hoamofaleono, was about between three and four metres (10 – 11 feet) tall.
‘Atamai-He-Me’alahi claimed her royal grave was four feet wide.
He did not provide the details of how they measured the skeletons found and the size of the grave.
The claims were made after the Huelo ‘O Hāngai royal cemetery in Tokomololo was tangaki (exhumed) in May.
As Kaniva News reported last week, the exhumations were made on the order of King Tupou VI.
‘Atamai also claimed the town officer of Tokomololo became sick and partly incapable of movement days after he got down into Hoamofaleono’s tomb during the exhumation rituals.
‘Atamai claimed this had happened because the town officer didn’t have the traditional and cultural rights to get into the royal tomb.
He claimed the town officer was asked by Tākapu, the leader of Ha’a Tufunga, to dig up one of the remains of the escorts who were buried along with Hoamofaleono.
King Tupou I, who was also known as Taufa’āhau, was revered by Tongans after he announced the Emancipation Edict freeing all commoners from bondage to the chiefs in 1862 and the promulgation of the Constitution in 1875.
‘Atamai also claimed two matāpules from Vainī, one from Lord Ma’afu’s estates, died after they were given the heraldic names Tō E La’ā ‘o Tonga (Sun of Tonga is set) and Takavale ‘i Mo’unga (Wander about foolishly in the royal tomb.)
After they died another person was appointed, but he refused to accept the position after he claimed he had a dream in which he saw people trample and crushed him. He was then reappointed to the name Fatongia ‘I Lo’āmanu.
The ownership of the name Takavale ‘I Mo’unga was Late Princess Tāone, the wife of Lord Ma’afu.
‘Atamai claimed that if anything sinister happened to the royal family, a lake in Tokomololo known as Tu’ilokomana which literally means Tu’i for king, loko or loka for rough seas and mana for thunder, would react by rumbling and causing big waves.
The fragrant flower plants Heilala grown by the lake gave the name Heilala ‘O Tu’ilokomana.
The name Tokomololo came from Toka-Moe-Lolo after Hoamofaleono swam and bathed in a lake in the town. The oil from her candle-nut soap appeared while the candle-nut she used floated on top of the water, hence the name Toka-Moe-Lolo.
For more information
Land lease leaves King Tupou 1’s mother’s tomb dilapidated; King orders its restoration
