Ha'afeva (Ha'apai)
Encyclopedia
Haafeva is a small island in the Haapai
Ha'apai
Haapai is a group of islands, islets, reefs and shoals in the central part of the Kingdom of Tonga, with the Tongatapu group to the south and the Vavau group to the north. Seventeen of the Haapai islands are populated....

 group 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...

, but still the main island of the Lulunga archipelago. Kolongatata is the name commonly given to the village on Ha'afeva and is a reference to Ha'afeva's exposure to strong winds. The inhabited area of Ha'afeva can be divided into Hahake, Hihifo, Tu'a kolo, Loto Kolo and Uta. The Island has a population of about 300 people.

Geography

Ha’afeva is located 42 km southwest of Pangai in the Ha’apai group of islands at Latitude (DMS) 19° 56' 60 S and Longitude (DMS) 174° 43' 0 W.

History

It is the home estate of chiefly line of Tuuhetoka, (now merged with Lasike). It was Moatunu, one of their ancestors who once saved Tāufaāhau I from losing a decisive battle and even death at the Battle of Velata in 1826. When Tāufaāhau had come to Haafeva to ask the chief for help with his war against Laufilitonga
Laufilitonga
Fatafehi Laufilitonga was the 39th and last Tui Tonga, a dynasty of kings in Tonga during the Tui Tonga Empire.-Biography:Only little is known about Laufilitonga's life....

, the last 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...

 to be, initially the chief did not want to help him, having his allegiance with the other. But when his sister threatened to go instead, he switched loyalty, and fought close to Tāufaāhau. Then the latter was hit on the head by several attackers and lay unconscious on the ground. The Haafeva chief fought off all the enemies until Tāufaāhau became conscious again. Later this warrior was named "Tuu-he-toka" meaning "Standing while the chief is sleeping". Interesting note: if Tāufaāhau would have been a commoner instead of a chief, the proper term would be tuu-he-mohe; if he would already have been king, tuu-he-tōfā would have to be used.

It is also of note that the area around the island was the site of the 1789 Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the Bounty was a mutiny that occurred aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty on 28 April 1789, and has been commemorated by several books, films, and popular songs, many of which take considerable liberties with the facts. The mutiny was led by Fletcher Christian against the...

.

Archaeology

Ha'afeva is home to an excavation site dubbed 'Mele Havea' site after Mele Havea whose house is nearby. Hundreds of pieces of early Eastern Lapita pottery were unearthed at this site in 1996 and 1997 along with various other artifacts of early settlement of the Island. Carbon dating places these artifacts at approximately 2690 to 2490 years BP.

Recent events

Ha'afeva was to have been the destination of the ill-fated MV Princess Ashika, an inter-island ferry which sank on 5 August 2009 tragically claiming many lives. Most of those who were killed were women and children as it is usual in Tonga for men to sleep outside on the deck of the boats while the children and women are sheltered inside.
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