The era of King Tupou IV

Reign and shine

When His Majesty King

Taufa’ahau Tupou IV ascend ed the Tongan throne on July 4, 1967, Tongan leaders hailed the event as the dawn of a new era. And, 30 years later, his reign is judged on the inno vative projects implemented to encourage tourism and foreign investment, the establish ment of a small industries centre, explorations for oil and underwater minerals, the free movement of regional and international telecommunications and the acquisition of more land in the region for Tongan farmers.

King Tupou IV, 79, is a direct descendent of the late King George Tupou I, who was styled by histo rians as the founder of modem Tonga.

Bom on July 4, 1918, King Tupou IV was the eldest son of Queen Salote Tupou and Prince Viliami Tunigi Mailefihi.

He was educated at a special primary school

established by the Free Wesleyan Church in Nuku’alofa. In 1927, he entered Tupou College at Nafualu, the first secondary school to be established in the South Pacific - in 1866. The col lege was also run by the Free Wesleyan Church. During his years at Tupou College, the current head of the world’s smallest island kingdom, was an outstanding student and sportsman.

After completing his early education, he went to Australia to Newinghton College in Sydney. The next step was the University of Sydney where he became the first Tongan to receive a univer sity degree - a Bachelor of Arts and LLB.

Being the keen mathematician that he is, the king is a member of the International Mathematics Association. But his his inter ests also lie in music and, while he was the minister for education in the mid-40s, he wrote a booklet on reading the English musi cal notation and its translation into the Tongan notation system.

On his 78th birthday last year, the king was presented the World Peace Award, recognising him as a human cultural asset and member of peace.

Tonga’s three ancient lines of kings, the Tu’i Tonga, Tu’i Ha’atakalaua and the Tu’i Kanokupolu have been united in Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, making him the country’s paramount tra ditional leader. Tracing back through the royal genealogy shows his grandfather, Tupou 11, married Lavenia of the Tu’i Tonga line, with their daughter, Salote, who became Tupou 111, uniting the Tu’i Tonga and Tu’i Kanokupolu lines.

Queen Salote Tupou 111 married the highest chief of the Ha’atakaloua so that her children brought together all three lin eages.

The royal couple have four children; the eldest, the Crown Prince Tupouto’a, followed by their only daughter and two other sons. ■

The king sets the pace for health & fitness in Tonga -Pictures: Courtesy of TCSP