Kolonga

Tongan village
the locality in Australia
Kolonga is a village and the most populated settlement located on the northeast coast of Tongatapu in the Hahake District, Kingdom of Tonga. Kolonga is a hereditary estate of Lord Nuku. The current population of Kolonga was recorded in the Tonga 2006 Census as 1,199. Many people have left to go overseas for better opportunities. Many lands have been deserted or they leave it to the care of their relatives, sending money support back home. The majority of the residents owned two lands: one in town where they reside and one agricultural land in the bush. Nearly 99% of the population are agricultural farmers, out of that population only 60% own some level of qualification to a degree. Only a few have government jobs, while the rest make money out of their farming supplies at Nuku'alofa, the capital city of Tonga.

The name Kolonga did not exist till later on, there were two names that were known; Ualako (old residence home of Lord Nuku) and the name Mesimasi.

Kolonga village has always been the home and land of Lord Nuku and his people since the installation of Ngata, Tu'i Kanokupolu. In 1875, when King Tupou I declared the Tongan Constitution, Lord Nuku was elevated from being an ancient chiefly titleholder to established hereditary noble. The title, Nuku, has always been passed from the oldest brother to the youngest, not from father to son. Before King Tupou I left for war to Fiji, he entrusted, Lord Nuku Momoiangaha, to be the King’s Guard at the Royal Palace. When he returned, he was very upset to hear that Moimoiangaha had granted permission for a catholic church in his land. Therefore the title was stripped off. The title landed among the children of Finauvalevale Finefeuiaki, the youngest brother. His son, Fatanitavake Finefeuiaki, was called to the title but he refused. He along with his sister, Tu’inavu Finefeuiaki, journeyed with Prince Henele Ma'afu 'o Tu'i Tonga to Lau Islands, Fiji. Than the title was bestowed to his brother, Lord Nuku Nehasi Finefeuiaki, since then the title went from father to son. Lord Nuku Nehasi Finefeuiaki died leaving no male heir. Than the title went to his brother, Lord Nuku Sosaia Finefeuiaki and his son, Lord Nuku Pulu Finefeuiaki. After he died, the title returned to the descendant of Lord Nuku Nehasi Finefeuiaki. Not long after the matter was taken to court. The investigation revealed, Lord Nuku Makoni Kailahi, was a descendant through the female line in three generations. The Tongan Constitution ruled him out and the title reverted to the descendants of Lord Nuku Sosaia Finefeuiaki. There was also a dispute over the title during the time of Lord Nuku Penisimani Katavake Naufahu Finefeuiaki. Sione Vao (Illegitimate descendant of Fatanitavake Finefeuiaki) and his relatives arrive from Fiji to claim the title. The Tongan Constitution already ruled them out, due to his ancestor, Fatanitavake, signed away his birthright.

One historical interpretation is that Kolonga was, at one time, a collection of huts. Kolonga got its name during the battle between the people from the Hahake and Hihifo District of Tongatapu during the Tu'i Tonga Empire. As the Hihifo people were winning the battle, the Hahake people retreated and escaped to the middle of the Hahake District. The Hihifo District people found the large hut, the people hiding in it and they burnt the hut down. As the people were crying, a Chief’s Representative (Talking Chief) Nifofa was coming from Nautoka and he asked a person, “What is that sound coming from?” the person answered, “Koe kolo ‘oku nga, ‘uhinga koe kolo ‘oku tangi”, translating “The town is weeping meaning the town is crying”. Once the large hut was burned down, the battle was over and everyone return to the villages where they came from. Therefore, the village was named Kolonga. It is also said; the name Kolonga also had its origin from the Kanokupolu village, Hihifo District of Tongatapu and the Three Heads (‘Ulutolu). When Ngata was first crowned Tu’i Kanokupolu by the rebel people, he sat on the sia beneath the koka tree in the middle and both Niukapu and Nuku sat on the ground known as Kolonga.

The metaphoric reference to Kolonga is Lotopoha, Sialehaevala and 'Utulongoa'a. Sialehaevale (gardenia; torn clothes), originated when Tu'i Tonga Fefine arrived in Kolonga and climbed up the gardenia tree. As she climbed up the tree to pick a flower, her clothes torn apart, this gave rise to the name. 'Utulongoa'a (shore/cliff; noisy) Kolonga was that loud and noisy during the night, the Tu'i Tonga Fefine couldn’t sleep. She grew tired of the noise that it turned out, the sound of the waves keep on crashing against the cliffs. This is another possible reason, the capital Heketa was moved to Mu'a by Tu'i Tonga at a later date.

The word Kolonga features in the Tongan proverb, Ala i sia ala i Kolonga (Mahina 2004), translated as, skillful at the mound, skillful at the hut. This indigenous proverb derived its meaning from the pigeon trappers’ practice of heu lupe, the snaring of pigeons. The mound on which the pigeons were trapped was called sia, and the temporary huts where the men resided and stored the captured pigeons were called kolonga. The proverb in vernacular language would be written as, Ala 'i sia, ala 'i kolonga. The meaning thus paid tribute to the trapper who was not merely skillful in snaring pigeons, but also skillful at storing and preserving the birds. The proverb referred to individuals who possessed the ability to successfully function in multiple contexts, a trait held in high regard by early Tongans. Relevant to the village characteristic of Kolonga and present day descendants, the proverb captured an element of wisdom known to the early Tongans. That is, humans have greater success at surviving if they are adaptable, skillful and functional in more than one environment.

According to Tonga 2006 Census, the most common way of getting to work at Nuku'alofa and back, was by car (87%) and public transport (13%).

There's one private college known as Mo'unga'olive College, is run and owned by the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. And one government school known as Kolonga Government Public School (GPS).

Lord Nuku's bloodline had descended into more than twenty traditional chiefly titleholders, eventually reaching to Tu'i Tonga Laufilitonga, Tu'i Pelehake Filiaipulotu, Tui Lau and Tui Nayau of Fiji and the House of Tupou.