Mala'ekula
Encyclopedia
Malaekula or Malae Kula (red square) is the proper name of the royal burial grounds in central Nukualofa
in Kingdom of Tonga
in the southern Pacific Ocean
. The kings of Tonga and their very close relatives (wives, husbands, children) are buried there. Those who are a little farther away from the mainline (cousins, nephews, nieces, inlaws) are buried elsewhere, in other chiefly cemeteries. Kings from older times, (i.e. the Tui Tonga
dynasty), are mostly buried in the langi in Mua
.
Malaekula is a short distance south of the royal palace
along the Hala Tui (kings road). Kings Road is the official name of this road and its named meaning that this is the last road every Tongan King will travel during his reign, toward his resting place in Mala'ekula. This road is also known as the Hala Paini (pine road) because of the Norfolk pines (a royal tree in Tonga) which were planted by Europeans along this road but all have disappeared due to the deep roots reaching the underground seawater. The cemetery was established when the first king of modern Tonga died, Siaosi Tāufaāhau Tupou I. His tomb is positioned in the middle of the field, such that one can see it there when looking from the palace grounds straight along the Hala Tui .
The word malae means in Tongan
: (village)-green, park, playground, etc. but it is also the royal word for cemetery. Kula means: red. It is a reminder of the famous kātoanga kula (red festival) held at that place in 1885. The festival was a fundraising event for Tonga college (whose corporate colour is vermilion-red, opened 1882), and everybody was dressed in red that day.
During the middle of the 20th century expatriates in Tonga used the area as a golf course. After queen Sālote had died and was buried there, out of respect the area was no longer used for such mundane purposes.
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
in Kingdom of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
in the southern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. The kings of Tonga and their very close relatives (wives, husbands, children) are buried there. Those who are a little farther away from the mainline (cousins, nephews, nieces, inlaws) are buried elsewhere, in other chiefly cemeteries. Kings from older times, (i.e. the Tui Tonga
Tu'i Tonga
The Tui Tonga is a line of Tongan kings, which originated in the 10th century with the mythical Ahoeitu; withdrew from political power in the 15th century by yielding to the Tui Haatakalaua; and died out with Laufilitonga in 1865...
dynasty), are mostly buried in the langi in Mua
Mu'a (Tongatapu)
Mua is a small city in the Hahake district on the island of Tongatapu, and it was for centuries the ancient capital of Tonga. It is divided in the villages Lapaha and Tatakamotonga, is close to Talasiu and famous for the ancient langi .-Geography:Mua is situated along the eastern side of the...
.
Malaekula is a short distance south of the royal palace
Royal Palace, Tonga
The Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Tonga is located in the northwest of the capital, Nukualofa, close to the Pacific Ocean. The wooden Palace, which was built in 1867, is the official residence of the King of Tonga...
along the Hala Tui (kings road). Kings Road is the official name of this road and its named meaning that this is the last road every Tongan King will travel during his reign, toward his resting place in Mala'ekula. This road is also known as the Hala Paini (pine road) because of the Norfolk pines (a royal tree in Tonga) which were planted by Europeans along this road but all have disappeared due to the deep roots reaching the underground seawater. The cemetery was established when the first king of modern Tonga died, Siaosi Tāufaāhau Tupou I. His tomb is positioned in the middle of the field, such that one can see it there when looking from the palace grounds straight along the Hala Tui .
The word malae means in Tongan
Tongan language
Tongan is an Austronesian language spoken in Tonga. It has around 200,000 speakers and is a national language of Tonga. It is a VSO language.-Related languages:...
: (village)-green, park, playground, etc. but it is also the royal word for cemetery. Kula means: red. It is a reminder of the famous kātoanga kula (red festival) held at that place in 1885. The festival was a fundraising event for Tonga college (whose corporate colour is vermilion-red, opened 1882), and everybody was dressed in red that day.
During the middle of the 20th century expatriates in Tonga used the area as a golf course. After queen Sālote had died and was buried there, out of respect the area was no longer used for such mundane purposes.