Vaimalo

Vaimalō, is a village in the western district of Vavaʻu in Tonga. Before the passage of the Vavaʻu Land Acts (V.L.A) of 1881 and 1914 that effectively placed Vaimalō under government control, the whole of Vaimalō was the single residential estate of Naufahu Mapilitoa and his family. Naufahu Mapilitoa was the only child of Luseane ʻI-fanga-Hihifo to Finau Fisi. Naufahu Mapilitoa married Tulukava of Taoa and they had one child, a son they named Avala-ʻae-tau. Upon Naufahu Mapilitoaʻs passing, Vaimalō became home to Avala-ʻae-tau and a few relatives. ʻAvala-ʻae-tau married ʻAlilia Funakitoutai and they had 4 children;

(1)Tevita Taʻofi-kae-tau Tapueluelu (2)Lesieli Afu Haʻapai (3)Lavinia Sialehaehae (4)Salesi Mataele-ʻo-Haʻamea.

When the V.L.A went into effect in 1881, His Majesty Siaosi Taufaʻahau Tupou I cleverly persuaded countless lords or “ʻEiki” of Vavaʻu whose land the government took over to abide with the new V.L.A by appointing them to various government positions with fancy titles. Such was His Majesty's appointment of Tevita Taʻofi-kae-tau Tapueluelu to become the first Mayor of the bustling new town of Neiafu. This appointment is viewed by many as a clever measure to appease a very influential and sometimes unruly Tapueluelu. The prestigious position and title with its implied significance did just that, Tapueluelu permanently moved out of Vaimalō and made Neiafu his new home. Tapuelueluʻs new position and title came with a hereditary estate that Tapueluelu named Sailoame. Tevita was not the only child of Avala-ʻae-tau that moved out of Vaimalō, earlier in 1878, Lesieli Afu Haʻapai married Siaosi ʻUlu-ki-vaiola who was the 6th Tuita, and made ʻUtungake, Vavaʻu her new home.

When the two eldest children of Avala-ʻae-tau moved out of Vaimalō, the two remaining; Lavinia Sialehaehae and Salesi Matele-ʻo-Haʻamea decided to divide Vaimalō into two separate residences for themselves. Lavinia Sialehaehae made the whole oceanfront part of Vaimalō her home and named it MUILELEU. Salesi Mataele-ʻo-Haʻamea took over the inland part of Vaimalō and named his home MOHE-MO-LANGA.

Lavinia Sialehaehae was barren and didn't have any children so upon her passing, Salesi Mataele-ʻo-Haʻamea became the sole “hereditary occupant” of Vaimalō. Soon thereafter, he decided to give up his home of Mohe-mo-langa to a relative and moved in to Laviniaʻs oceanfront home of Muileleu. Salesi married another Lavinia, this time a daughter of Kolotesi from Faleloa, Haʻapai. They had one child, a son they named Salesi Kato-ki-moʻunga Tuʻipulotu whose grandchildren are the current occupants of Muileleu, Mohe-mo-langa, and most of Vaimalō today.

Vaimalō's current general population is made up mainly of Naufahu Mapilitoaʻs family, relatives, and friends from Niue, Fiji, Samoa, and the Solomons.

Vaimalōʻs nickname is "Funga Mapitoa". Mapitoa is a massive rock that protrude out of the ocean and is only five meters or so away from the tail end of Vaimalōʻs landmass right in front of Muileleu. This rock was so named “Mapitoa”, short for “Mapilitoa” by His Majesty Siaosi Taufaʻahau Tupou I, as a tribute to Vaimalōʻs original renowned resident Naufahu Mapilitoa.