Petelo Vikena
Encyclopedia
Petelo Vikena was Tuigaifo, or Monarch
, of the Kingdom of Alo, which is also known as the Kingdom of Futuna
from his coronation
on November 6, 2008 to his abdication on January 22, 2010. Alo is one of the three traditional kingdoms, or chiefdoms, which comprise Wallis and Futuna
.
. Vikena served in the French Army
and worked as a public servant while in France
. He later moved to New Caledonia, where he served as a Nouméa
Town Council officer. There are an estimated 20,000 Walisians and Futunans living in New Caledonia.
, also known as the Kingdom of Futuna, in an official coronation on November 6, 2008. The coronation, which took place in the small village of Alo
, included a mix of traditional and religious elements. The coronation began with a religious ceremony followed by traditional Polynesian
rituals and customs
indigenous to Alo (Futuna), including a kava ceremony
and offerings from Vikena's family and allied chiefly clans. Roast pig offerings, dancers with spears, and tapas ornamentations
similar in design to those traditional used on Samoa
were also featured at the coronation. Vikena was 65 years old at the time of his coronation.
Guests included representatives of several of Alo's chiefly clans, as well as French
officials.
Vikena's coronation was not without controversy. Some chiefly clan
s disapproved of Vikena. They argued that the decision to crown Vikena as the new Tuigaifo was the result of a unilateral decision from the chiefly council and not a result of a consensus among chiefly and royal clans and families.
The position of Tuigaifo had been vacant since February 19, 2008, when Vikena's predecessor, Soane Patita Maituku
, was deposed as the result of a unanimous decision taken by the kingdom's four chiefly clans. The position remained vacant from February until Vikena's coronation in November 2008.
are home to three traditional Kingdoms, which are also known as chiefdom
s. One kingdom encompasses all of Wallis Island
while Futuna island
has two distinct chiefdoms . Futuna is divided into two separate kingdoms: The Kingdom of Sigave
, ruled by the Tuisigave, and the Kingdom of Alo
, which is headed by the Tuigaifo.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
, of the Kingdom of Alo, which is also known as the Kingdom of Futuna
Alo (Wallis and Futuna)
Alo is one of three official chiefdoms of the French territory of Wallis and Futuna in Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
from his coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
on November 6, 2008 to his abdication on January 22, 2010. Alo is one of the three traditional kingdoms, or chiefdoms, which comprise Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands , is a Polynesian French island territory in the South Pacific between Tuvalu to the northwest, Rotuma of Fiji to the west, the main part of Fiji to the southwest, Tonga to the southeast,...
.
Personal life
Vikena is the father of eleven children. He spent much of his professional career outside of Wallis and Futuna in Metropolitan FranceMetropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
. Vikena served in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
and worked as a public servant while in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He later moved to New Caledonia, where he served as a Nouméa
Nouméa
Nouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
Town Council officer. There are an estimated 20,000 Walisians and Futunans living in New Caledonia.
Coronation
Vikena was crowned the new Tuigaifo of AloAlo
Alo or ALO can refer to:* Afghanistan Liberation Organization* Ahwaz Liberation Organisation * Air liaison officer* Alloa railway station in Clackmannanshire, Scotland* Alo , also known as Tu`a...
, also known as the Kingdom of Futuna, in an official coronation on November 6, 2008. The coronation, which took place in the small village of Alo
Alo
Alo or ALO can refer to:* Afghanistan Liberation Organization* Ahwaz Liberation Organisation * Air liaison officer* Alloa railway station in Clackmannanshire, Scotland* Alo , also known as Tu`a...
, included a mix of traditional and religious elements. The coronation began with a religious ceremony followed by traditional Polynesian
Polynesian culture
Polynesian culture refers to the indigenous peoples' culture of Polynesia who share common traits in language, customs and society. Chronologically, the development of Polynesian culture can be divided into four different historical eras:...
rituals and customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
indigenous to Alo (Futuna), including a kava ceremony
Kava culture
Kava cultures are the religious and cultural traditions of western Oceania which consume kava. There are similarities in the use of kava between the different cultures, but each one also has its own traditions.-Hawaii:...
and offerings from Vikena's family and allied chiefly clans. Roast pig offerings, dancers with spears, and tapas ornamentations
Tapa cloth
Tapa cloth is a bark cloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, but as far afield as Niue, Cook Islands, Futuna, Solomon Islands, Java, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii...
similar in design to those traditional used on Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
were also featured at the coronation. Vikena was 65 years old at the time of his coronation.
Guests included representatives of several of Alo's chiefly clans, as well as French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
officials.
Vikena's coronation was not without controversy. Some chiefly clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
s disapproved of Vikena. They argued that the decision to crown Vikena as the new Tuigaifo was the result of a unilateral decision from the chiefly council and not a result of a consensus among chiefly and royal clans and families.
The position of Tuigaifo had been vacant since February 19, 2008, when Vikena's predecessor, Soane Patita Maituku
Soane Patita Maituku
King Soane Patita Maituku was the Tu'i Agaifo of the Kingdom of Alo from November 2002 until February 19, 2008, when he was deposed as the result of a unanimous decision taken by the kingdom's four chiefly clans....
, was deposed as the result of a unanimous decision taken by the kingdom's four chiefly clans. The position remained vacant from February until Vikena's coronation in November 2008.
Abdication
Vikena’s reign lasted only fourteen months, and was strongly contested. “[S]everal chiefly clans” disputed his legitimacy, arguing that “his coronation did not result from a consensus among chiefly and royal clans and families, but from a unilateral decision from the chiefly council”. This resulted in “social tensions”, expressed notably through acts of vandalism against royal property. In this context, Vikena chose to abdicate on January 22, 2010.Background
The two islands of Wallis and FutunaWallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands , is a Polynesian French island territory in the South Pacific between Tuvalu to the northwest, Rotuma of Fiji to the west, the main part of Fiji to the southwest, Tonga to the southeast,...
are home to three traditional Kingdoms, which are also known as chiefdom
Chiefdom
A chiefdom is a political economy that organizes regional populations through a hierarchy of the chief.In anthropological theory, one model of human social development rooted in ideas of cultural evolution describes a chiefdom as a form of social organization more complex than a tribe or a band...
s. One kingdom encompasses all of Wallis Island
Wallis Island
Wallis is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna....
while Futuna island
Futuna Island
Futuna is the name of two islands in the Pacific Ocean:*Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna is one of the Horne Islands, belonging to the French territory of Wallis and Futuna*Futuna Island, Vanuatu, an island in the Tafea province of Vanuatu...
has two distinct chiefdoms . Futuna is divided into two separate kingdoms: The Kingdom of Sigave
Sigave
Sigavé is one of the three official chiefdoms of the French territory of Wallis and Futuna in Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
, ruled by the Tuisigave, and the Kingdom of Alo
Alo (Wallis and Futuna)
Alo is one of three official chiefdoms of the French territory of Wallis and Futuna in Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
, which is headed by the Tuigaifo.