Ko e tohi tu‘utu‘uni na‘e fakahoko ‘e Lord Chamberlain Viela K. Tupou kia Sitiveni Halapua fekau‘aki mo e finangalo ‘Ene ‘Afio Tupou VI ki he hingoa ‘‘Utuma‘atu” ko e koloa ma‘ae vaka ‘a e masiva ki he ongo Niua mo Tafahi. Koeni kuou ma'u a e Tuutuuni pea ko e finangalo ke ui a e vaka ko e 'UTUMA'ATU

Background:  Ko e talanoa ki he hingoa na'e folau mai e Tu'i 'Uvea ko Lavelua ki Niuatoputapu pea ne 'omi ai 'ene mata'u nge'esi fingota. 'I he lea 'a Niuatoputapu ko e pa eni ka 'i he lea faka 'Uvea ko e 'utuma'atu. Na'e manako 'a Latu, ko e 'eiki 'o Niuatoputapu, he mata'u 'a Lavelua pea na fetongi hingoa leva. 'I 'Uvea ko e fa'ahinga mata'u ko ia ne ui ia ko e pa pea 'i Niuatoputapu na'e ui ia ko e 'utuma'atu.

Ko e 'eiki 'o Niuatoputapu na'a ne to'o 'e ia 'a e hingoa Ma'atu 'o fetongi'aki hono hingoa ko e Latu pea hokohoko mai aipe hono 'ea hoko 'a e ngaue'aki 'o e Ma'atu kae li'aki e Latu. 'I 'Uvea he hoko 'a e fo'i lea 'utuma'atu ki he mata'u ko e tapu.

Ko Puaka'ilakelo, foha 'o Latumailangi, na'a ne liliu e hingoa fakanofo mei he Latu ki he Ma'atu.

Ko e kau Niua Fo'ou 'oku nau fehokotaki vaofi mo e kau 'Uvea.

Pea ko e fekau'aki 'a e hingoa ko e 'utuma'atu ko e mata'u ko e naunau toutai ke ma'u mo'ui mei ai, ke fefakatau'aki, ke fe'ilongaki mo feohi pea feako'aki he mo'ui.

 

A translation1 of the emailed letter from the Lord Chamberlain Viela K. Tupou to Sitiveni Halapua regarding the wish of His Majesty Tupou VI to name the motor sailing cargo boat for the Niua islands ‘UTUMA‘ATU.

Background: The story of the name [‘UTUMA‘ATU ] was a voyage made by Lavelua the Tu‘i (King of) ‘Uvea2 to Niuatoputapu.

Lavelua brought with him his fishing lure/hook made from shell. In the language of Niuatoputapu this fishing lure/hook was called pa but in the language of ‘Uvea it was called ‘utuma‘atu. Latu the chief of Niuatoputapu liked Lavelua’s fishing lure/hook and they exchanged names.

In ‘Uvea that type of lure/hook was thereafter named pa and in Niuatoputapu it was called ‘utuma‘atu.

The chief of Niuatoputapu, adopted the name Ma’atu to replace Latu and this was continued by his heirs who used the name Ma’atu, thereby abandoning Latu.

In ‘Uvea the word ‘utuma‘atu for fishing lure/hook became tapu.

It was Puaka‘ilakelo, the son of Latumailangi3, who changed the bestowed name/title from Latu to Ma‘atu.

The people of Niuafo’ou have very close connections with the people of ‘Uvea. The connection is in the name ‘utuma‘atu : a fishing tool — a means of livelihood; a means by which to exchange and trade; a means of communication and to meet one another; a means by which to learn from one another in life.

Footnotes:

1. translation and footnotes by Sitiveni Halapua

2. ‘Uvea is now known as the Wallis Islands.

3 Puaka‘ilakelo, son of Latumailanga, was the 3rd Latu of Niuatoputapu. It was Latumailangi who met the Dutch explorers Schouten and Le Maire in April 1616