Viliami Tungi Mailefihi

Viliami Tungī Mailefihi (1 November 1887 — 20 July 1941) was an important Tongan chief and consort of Queen Sālote Tupou III.

He was the son of Tukuokinaaho (also see: Lakalaka) who was the son of Tungī Halatuituia. The line of Tungī chiefs from Tatakamotonga was descending from the then defunct Tuokinai Haokinaatakalaua which in that time was more or less seen as an associate of the Tuokinai Tonga. As such they had the following from the people of Muokinaa if not from the whole Hahake district. Concerning his mother's side, Mele Siuokinailikutapu, she was the granddaughter of the Tuokinai Vavaokinau: Fīnau okinaUlukālala (III, Tuapasi).

He was selected by King Siaosi Tupou II to marry his oldest daughter and heir, Sālote, even though she was 12.5 years younger than he. The wedding took place on 19 September (Christian ceremony) and 21 September (Tongan ceremony, the tuokinauvala) 1917, less than a year before Siaosi would die and Sālote would be crowned as queen.

The marriage was a success. Tungī's personality and status did a lot to elevate the esteem of the people towards their queen. Furthermore, their children born would carry the combined bloods of the 3 major Tongan royal dynasties. Tungi would always be remembered as very generous to all his relatives. His death in 1941 was a heavy blow not only to Queen Salote but to all Tungi's relatives and kainga.

Despite the respect he had for his wife, Tungī had many girlfriends everywhere around. But Tulu from his hometown Muʻa was his favourite and he visited her perhaps every week. Also that day when he and Sālote had welcomed a contingent of Australian mariners from the airport. While Sālote returned town with them, he used the opportunity to have a short detour to Muʻa. On this specific occasion he collapsed while with her. [cite journal | author = ʻOkusitino Māhina | title = Psychoanalysis and Tongan Poetry | journal = Literature and Aesthetics: The Journal of the Sydney Society of Literature and Aesthetics | volume = 13 | issue = 1 | pages = pp. 97–106 | id = ISSN|1036-9368 ] [cite book | author = 'I F Helu; I C Campbell; Eve Coxon | chapter = Tatau, potupotutatau and mālie: A realist reflection on the symmetry, harmony and beauty of Queen Sālote’s poetry | title = Polynesian Paradox: Essays in Honour of Professor 'I. Futa Helu | location = Suva, Fiji | publisher = Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific | pages = pp. 168-83 | year = 2005 | id = ISBN 9820203716]

Tungī was educated at Tupou College, Tonga and Newington College, Sydney. He was a loving son of the Methodist Church and was much loved and high respected by all who knew him, especially the people of his estate: Tatakamotonga. Tungī was a CBE and he was also prime minister of Tonga from 1923 until his death.

References

A.L. Kaeppler, M. Taumoefolau, N. Tukuʻaho, E. Wood-Ellem; Songs and poems of Queen Sālote; 2004; ISBN 978-982-213-008-9