Tu'i Kanokupolu

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In Tonga, the Tuʻi Kanokupolu is a title held by the chief of the House of Tupou, currently the Royal House of Tonga. Kanokupolu is the name of a village in Hihifo district, which probably was Ngata's residence when he was still a governor under his father Moʻunga ʻo Tonga of the Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua dynasty.

1. Ngata - started off as governor of Hihifo on behalf of his father the Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua Moʻunga ʻo Tonga, around 1600
2. Atamataʻila - expanded kinships into central Tongatapu, and as such increased the power of his house
3. Mataeletuʻapiko - the first one to be officially called Tuʻi Kanokupolu; by now the line was strong enough that he could marry an eldest sister or daughter of the Tuʻi Tonga.
4. Mataelehaʻamea - around 1650, fought a war with the Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua Vaea, which apparently established the Tuʻi Kanokupolu dynasty as the more powerful one by now. The Tuʻi Tonga quickly reacted, and both Tuʻipulotu I and Fakanaʻanaʻa married a daughter of him, severing ties with the Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua.
5. Vuna - brother of Mataelehaʻamea; had tried, in vain, to establish his own dynasty on Vavaʻu, but was thwarted by his nephew Tuʻituʻiʻohu who wanted to do the same
6. Maʻafuʻotuʻitonga - son of Mataelehaʻamea; his brother Tuʻituʻiʻohu started his own dynasty in Vavaʻu, the Haʻa Ngatatupu, and was the father of Fīnau ʻUlukālala I
7. Tupoulahi - son of Maʻafuʻotuʻitonga
8. Maealiuaki - brother of Tupoulahi; retired at old age and possibly became Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua; died shortly after Captain Cook's visit of 1777
9. Tuʻihalafatai - son of Tupoulahi; appeared to exercise the powers of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu when met by Captain Cook in 1777 (who called him Finau), but seems never to have been officially installed. Renounced the honour and went to Fiji in 1782.
10. Tupoulahisiʻi - like his father seems never to have been officially installed. Still his name appears on later succession lists as being the Tuʻi Kanokupolu from 1782 to 1789.
11. Mulikihaʻamea - son of Maealiuaki, was only in the office for a few years when driven out by his niece; may have become Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua after that; died in batlle in 1799.
12. Tupoumoheofo - daughter of Tupoulahi and principal wife of the Tuʻi Tonga Paulaho. It is not known how she, a woman, was able to seize such a title exclusively in the realm of men. Her cousin Tukuʻaho was very angry when he heard about it, he came back from his residence on ʻEua and cursed in her face: pali fie ule (vagina wanting to be penis). She did not enjoy the job for long, he defeated her the same year, probably 1793.
13. Mumui - younger half-brother of Tupoulahi and Maealiuaki, father of Tukuʻaho. Took over the Tuʻi Kanokupolu title after Tupoumoheofo was forced out. He was already an old man and died in 1797.
14. Tukuʻaho - saw his ambitions fulfilled when he got the title in 1797. But he had enemies in his own family after his fight against Tupoumoheofo, and his cruelty made him no friends elsewhere too; was murdered in April 1799. This conspiracy started the long Tongan civil war in which William Mariner (writer) was for years an observer and unwilling participant.
15. Maʻafuʻolimuloa was pushed by the Haʻa Havea (a chiefly branch belonging to the dynasty of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu), and was bestowed with the title on 21 April 1799 — and was murdered the same night by the Haʻa Ngata (another, senior chiefly branch), who had supported Tukuʻaho.
16. Tupoumālohi - was appointed after a long interregnum in 1808, when finally the quarreling chiefs put their differences aside to forstall the ambitions of Tupoutoʻa. But Tupoumālohi was weak, not able to withstand the quarreling chiefs, resigned a year later, and went to Haʻapai. Remained with his title, however, until his death in 1812 on the official list.
17. Tupoutoʻa - son of Tukuʻaho, but associated with his assassins; claimed himself to be the Tuʻi Kanokupolu, however, was not officially recognised; but then also not officially denounced; the chiefs of Tongatapu were too much involved in warlords like fightings with each other to bother about an usurpator without any serious rank. One of the most powerful chiefs, Takai, accepted him in 1813. But that was only one, and when Tupoutoʻa died in 1820 neither the Haʻa Ngata nor the Haʻa Havea had acknowledged him yet, and no one did care.
18. Aleamotuʻa - brother of Tukuʻaho; was already an old man when appointed in 1827, and not interested in war and politics. Probably the only reason that the quarreling chiefs took him and terminated the interregnum was to forestall Tāufaʻāhau's claim on the title. Likewise the last Tuʻi Tonga was installed at the same time. Aleamotuʻa became Christian. He died in 1845
19. Tāufaʻāhau - son of Tupoutoʻa; had wanted the title much earlier, but like his father, was considered by the high chiefs of too low rank to be a serious contender. But by 1845 he had conquered whole Tonga and he could take the Tuʻi Kanokupolu title or any title if he wanted. And since he had proclaimed himself since 1831 to be King George Tupou I it did not really matter anymore. He did take the title, only for the form. Although the title of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu lives forth as one of the most important titles in the current dynasty of Tupou, it is no longer an entity on itself, and the numbering of the following holders is only pro forma.
20. Siaosi Tupou II
21. Sālote Tupou III
22. Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
23. Siaosi Tupou V

[edit] References

• I.C. Campbell; Classical Tongan kingship; 1989
• E. Bott; Tonga society at the time of Captain Cook's visit; 1982