Langi (burial)
Langi are large, artificial hills[1] surrounded by huge slabs of coral rock, usually in three or more tiered layers. These slabs were quarried from several places along the coast of Tongatapu or neighbouring minor islands. The waves of the sea made them over the centuries, by compacting coral sand into layers of 10 to 20 centimetres (3.9 to 7.9 inches) thick. They were only to be dug out and then transported by boat to the building site. The slabs were cut precisely to shape so that they fit along each other with barely any space to spare.
Description
Whatever political power the Tuʻi Tonga yielded to their rivals, they gained in spiritual power, and as a kind of high priest they were perhaps even more awesome than as kings. When a Tuʻi Tonga died he was buried in one of the langi, of which there are still at least two dozen in Lapaha. The Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua were also buried in such tombs, but they are called fale instead.
One of the best-preserved langi is the Paepae-o-Teleʻa, which is even more remarkable as the slabs along the corner really have an 'L' shape.
The story that the slabs were moved by magic means from ʻUvea to Tonga is a myth. ʻUvea is volcanic and is geologically unsuitable. This fact has always been known, as shown, for example by a stanza of the poem named Laveofo from around the 18th century by Tufui.
| Ko e Pangaimotu mo Makahaʻa tuʻu mai ʻa e motu ko Fafā naʻe fai ai e tā maka ʻo uta ki Langi Taetaea mo e ʻotu langi fua ʻo Muʻa |
The islands Pangaimotu and Makahaʻa and standing here the island of Fafā where the cutting of stone was done and taken to the mound Taetaea and the whole row of mounds of Muʻa |
The last Tuʻi Tonga, Laufiltonga, was buried in langi Tuʻofefafa. Having died as a Catholic, his grave is marked with a huge cross.
The langi are still used nowadays as burial sites. When the Kalaniuvalu chief died in 1999 he was buried in the Paepae o Teleʻa. When the Tuʻi Pelehake chief, ʻUluvalu and his wife Kaimana died in 2006, they were buried in langi Nā Moala.
The remaining groundworks of an old, deserted fort remain on the border of Talasiu and Lapaha.
List
According to the matāpule Makalangahiva (variations by other informants)
- Langi Tuʻo teau
- Langi Kātoa
- Langi Fanakava ki langi
- Langi Tuʻo fefafa
- Langi Tau ʻa tonga
- Langi Malu ʻa tonga
- Langi Leka
- Langi Sinai
- Langi Taetaea
- Langi Faʻapite
- Langi Tōfā ua
- Langi Nukulau ʻuluaki
- Langi Nukulau ua
- Langi Foʻou
- Langi Hahake
- Langi ʻo Luani
- Langi Tauhala
- Langi Paepae ʻo Teleʻa (or Paepae o Teleʻa)
- Langi Nā Moala
- Langi Hēhēa
- Langi ʻEsi ʻa e kona
- Langi Malomaloaʻa
- Langi Nakuli ki langi
- Fale Loʻāmanu
- Fale Fakauō
- Fale Tui(nga)papai
- Fale Pulemālō
- Fale Tauhakeleva
References
- ↑ Clark, Geoffrey; Parton, Phillip (2020-09-28). "Stone architecture of the ancient Tongan state on Tongatapu Island, Kingdom of Tonga". In Hermann, Aymeric; Valentin, Frédérique; Sand, Christophe; Nolet, Emilie (eds.). Networks and Monumentality in the Pacific: Proceedings of the XVIII UISPP World Congress (4-9 June 2018, Paris, France) Volume 7 Session XXXVIII. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. doi:10.2307/jj.15135889.8. ISBN 978-1-78969-716-2.