(chiefs) are a junior rank of the (king's lineage) in Tonga.
Terminology The are described as . means 'side of the road' and means 'lower'. Thus, is the lower side of the road. The term differentiates the from the who are the most senior and sacred members of the king's lineage. In contrast to , the are the , meaning the 'higher side of the road'. In Muʻa Tongatapu, the ancient capital of Tonga and the traditional residence of the , the lived on the higher, inland side of the road, whereas, the lived on the lower, beach side of the road. In Muʻa Tongatapu, the settlement was expanded along the lower, beach side of the road. During Inasi ceremonies, when tributes were brought from the various chiefdoms (districts) of the Tonga empire to the , the would arrive in canoes and settle along the beach. After presenting their tributes (such as fruit), the would return to their chiefdoms. is the title given to the .
Ngata, 1st Tuʻi Kanokupolu The position of originated at the time of the Mo'unga'otonga, the sixth Tuʻi Haʻa Takalaua (king). Ngata was the youngest son of Moungatonga and Tohuʻia, a Samoan Taupou (Princess) from Upolu, Samoa who was the daughter of Samoan War Chief Ama of Safata. Ngata was sent to Hihifo district, Tongatapu, the western part of the Tongan empire, to govern the district on behalf of the , the Tuʻi Tonga and the . Ngata was escorted by his uncle, Nuku and his cousin, Niukapu. (These events are depicted in the story). Ngata's venture was also supported by his mother's family, the ('House of Haʻakili'). Throughout Tonga, the are the traditional supporters of the . Ngata married Vaʻetapu and Kaufoʻou, the two daughters of Ahomeʻe, a chief of Haʻavakatolo, Hihifo district. The children formed the first chiefdom and resided in Hihifo. The chiefdom, the , is divided into (old Haʻa Ngata) and .Genealogy of Tonga by Tamaha Amelia, 1840. Cocker, 2007
Chiefs of the Haʻa Ngata Motuʻa clan ʻAhio (ʻulu) Kapukava Ata Veʻehala Vaha'i Afu ʻAhomeʻe Hafoka
Atamataʻila, 2nd Tuʻi Kanokupolu Atamataʻila was the son of Ngata and Kaufoʻou of Hihifo. He reinforced the office of the governor of Hihifo. When he married Tokilupe, the daughter of Tuʻi Haʻatuʻunga and the niece of Tuʻi Haʻamea, chief of the Central Tongan Empire. Atamataʻilaʻa daughter, Palula, was sent to be the wife of the eighth king of Tonga, Vaea Tangitau.
Mataeletuʻapiko, 3rd Tuʻi Kanokupolu Mataeletuʻapiko was the son of Atamataʻila and Tokilupe. He married Papahaʻamea, a daughter of the Tuʻi Haʻamea, chief of the Central Tongan Empire; Fatafehi, a daughter of the 31st Tuʻi Tonga, Kauʻulufonuafekai; and Tuʻimala, daughter of the Tuʻi Tonga, Fefine, of the Tamahā clan. The children of Mataeletuʻapiko formed the second clan of the , the . The is divided into the , the older Havea clan of central Tonga and the , the younger Havea clan of the Vavaʻu Islands.
Chiefs of the Haʻa Havea Lahi clan Ma'afu (ʻulu) Lavaka Fielakepa Fohe Tuʻivakanō Vaea Lasike (son of their sister) Mohulamu Momotu
Chiefs of Haʻa Havea Siʻi clan Ika Tu'ihalamaka Maka Faleʻosi Lapota The 's role is to take the responsibility that all the high has for them in a royal funeral or wedding.
Mataelehaʻamea, 4th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Mataelehaʻamea was the eldest son of Mateletuʻapiko and Papahaʻamea, the daughter of the Tuʻi Haʻamea. Mataelehaʻamea went to war with his father in law, the eighth Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua Vaea to establish the Tuʻi Kanokupolu's control in central Tongan Empire. At this time, a number of social factors began to change: the Tuʻi Kanokupolu began to have power over the Tuʻi Haʻa Takalaua. The daughter of the Tuʻi Kanokupolu became the Moheofo (principal wife) of the Tuʻi Tonga (for example, Halaevalu and Tongotea wed Tuʻi Tonga). The Haʻa Tuʻi Kanokupolu became known as Haamoheofo: means 'clan' and means 'principal wife of the Tongan king'. Mataelehaʻamea's son, Tuituiohu, formed the Haʻa Ngata Tupu clan in Vavaʻu. This clan became powerful in the time of Tuituiohu's son, 'Finau ʻUlukalala I, ruler of Vavaʻu and Haʻapai.
Chiefs of the Haʻa Ngata Tupu clan ʻUlukalala (ʻulu) Tuʻiʻoemoana Kapetaua Mapakaitolo Fakaʻiloatonga
Vuna Tuʻi oe Tau, 5th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Vuna Tuʻi 'oe Tau was the second son of Mataeletuʻapiko. He lost the support of the and left to Vavaʻu to established his own chiefdom. Vuna Tuʻi oe Tau was also challenged by his nephew Tuituiohu.
Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga, 6th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga was the eldest son of Mataelehaamea and Papa Haʻamea. The children of Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga formed the Haʻa Maʻafu clan. Haʻa Maʻafu include the descendants of the who do not belong to any other clan and the present day princes of the royal household. This community lives in the Kolomotuʻa (old settlement) and Kolofoʻou (new settlement) of Nukuʻalofa. His eldest son was Ngalumoetutulu by his wife Ate Fiunoa and Ngalumoetutulu was installed .
Tupoulahi, 7th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Tupoulahi was the son of Maafuotuitonga. He built a fort in Nukuʻalofa. He later resigned from the because of a lack of support from other clans.
Maealiuaki, 8th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Maealiuaki was the son of Maʻafu ʻo Tuʻi Tonga. Maealiuaki retired at an advanced age and became the fifteenth . He lived in Muʻa.
Captain Cook's observations Captain James Cook visited Maealiuaki in 1777. Cook wrote: We now heard, that there were other great men of the island, whom we had not as yet seen. Otago and Toobou, in particular mentioned a person named Mareewagee, who, they said, was of the first consequence in the place, and held in great veneration. The three voyages of Captain James Cook around the world, volume 5, page 342, Cook, Capt James (1821) Cook also wrote about "Feenou" (Finau ʻUlukalala of Vavaʻu); "Toobou", chief of "Annamouka" (Tupou chief of Nomuka); "Tooboueitoa", king of the surrounding islands of "Kottoo" (Tupoutoʻa, high chief of Kotu and the surrounding islands of Haʻapai); "Poulaho" (Paulaho the Tuʻi Tonga) and his son, "Fattafaihe" (Fatafehi) who was about twelve years old at the time; and "Toobou" (most likely the Tuʻi Kanokupolu of the time, as they were addressed as Tupou). While Cook described Maealiuaki as "old and in retirement", he also noted that the Tupou was younger and going blind from an eye problem; that Maealiuaki and Tupou were brothers; that there was a peaceful interaction between all the chiefs; and that respect was paid to the Tuʻi Tonga Paulaho and his son, Fatafehi. Finau Tukuʻaho, left Vavaʻu to gather provisions for Cook. When Cook told Finau Tukuʻaho that he would follow him to Vavaʻu, Finau Tukuʻaho refused and advised Cook there was no safe anchorage in Vavaʻu. In fact, Vavaʻu has a good anchorage, which Finau did not wish to reveal to Cook.
Tuʻi Halafatai, 9th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Tuʻi Halafatai was the son of Tupoulahi muʻa.
Tupoulahisiʻi, 10th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Tupoulahisiʻi was the son of Tuʻi Halafatai.
Mulikihaʻamea, 11th Tuʻi Kanokupolu Mulikihaʻamea was the son of Maealiuaki. He resigned and following his father, became the 16th and lived in Muʻa. In 1797, Mulikhaʻamea received George Vason. In the same year, London Missionary Society (LMS) missionaries arrived.
Observations of George Vason Vason wrote: "The house of Mulkaamair, with whom I resided, was very spacious; its length was fifty feet. It was of an oval form. One large and lofty post was fixed in the centre; and round it, in an oval circle, were placed less posts, at equal distances, which formed the sides of the habitation. Upon these posts layers were fixed, to which rafters were fastened, that extended to the pillar in the middle, and united the whole building with it. The inside of the roof was ornamented with warm beautiful matting, which was sheltered on the outside with a skilful inter texture of the branches of the plantain tree. In rainy weather, screens of matting, called Takkabou, made of branches of the cocoa-nut-tree, were fastened to the side posts, which almost reached the eaves, and left only the door-way open, which was never closed, night nor day." "Such spacious habitations are necessary for the chiefs, whose household, in general, is large, as composed of many attendants. But there are generally small apartments contiguous to the house, in which his wives and children lodge. One of his wives, however, for the most part, slept with him in the same room, in a space, separated from the rest by inclosures of Takkabou, or matting, three feet high, fitted up to the beams, that went across to the centre post, to keep it upright." "The household of Mulkaamair was considerable. He had at different times from four to eight wives, eight sons and five daughters, besides many attendants. The children were all in great subjection to him, and of different rank and dignity, according to the rank of their respective mothers. For family dignity, in Tongataboo, descends not from the father, but the mother, owing, it is probable, to the frequency of divorce, and of illicit intercourse. "When the day declined, about seven o'clock, if they were not disposed to dance, they would retire to bed, or, more properly, to recline on their matting." "But when they had retired, the most social employment of the day took place. As they lay reclining at their ease, Mulkaamair and his numerous household, that lay round him, would commence conversations, that amused them till they all fell asleep." "I have been delighted, for hours, in listening to these nocturnal confabulations, and often very much surprised and improved, by the shrewdness of their observations, and the good sense of their reasonings. When they were all lain down, the chief would say, "Tou tellanoa". "Let us have some conversation." Another would answer, "Tou Tellanoa gee aha," i. e. " What shall we talk about." A third would reply, " Tou Tellanoa ge papa langee." " Let us talk of the men of the sky." They called us " the men of the sky," because, observing that the sky appeared to touch the ocean, in the distant horizon, and knowing that we came from an immense distance, they concluded that we must have come through the sky to arrive at Tongataboo." "I have heard them for hours talking of us, our articles, dress, and customs, and entertaining each other with conjectures respecting the distance of the country, whence we came, the nature of it, its productions, and so on and so on." "Their patriarchal mode of life, in which the younger and inferior part always surround the chief, as the father of one large family, is calculated much to refine and improve their mental faculties, and to polish their language and behaviour." "The social intercourse and the ceremonious carriage, which were constantly kept up in the families of the chiefs, produced a refinement of ideas, a polish of language and expression, and an elegant gracefulness of manner, in a degree, as superior and distinct from those of the lower and laborious classes, as the man of letters, or the polished courtier differs from the clown. The lower orders used terms of a much meaner and coarser import: the higher orders were so much refined, as often, for amusement, to take off the vulgar by imitating their expressions and pronunciations. The family of Duatonga, if they spoke to any of the domestics, or visitors, would always be answered, " Ahee," " Yes Sire", but most others were answered with, " Cohou", Yes Sir; this latter term, if pronounced as it is spelt, would be a polite reply, but if spoken as if it was spelt Cohaa, it would be very vulgar, and signify our broad expression " What", and if spoken to a chief, the man would be struck down for his rudeness."