Semisi Fatafehi Fonua (1911 – 5 January 1968) was a Tongan

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

and politician. He held the titles of Kalaniuvalu and Fotofili, and was a member of the Legislative Assembly between 1936 and his death in 1968, serving as Speaker from 1951 until 1958.

Biography

Born in 1911 to Fotofili Siosiua and Afa,Elizabeth Wood-Ellem (2001
''Queen Salote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900-1965''
p309 Fonua was educated at primary school in

Niuafoʻou Niuafoou (meaning ''many new coconuts'') is the northernmost island in the kingdom of Tonga. One of the Niua Islands, it is located in the southern Pacific Ocean between Fiji and Samoa, north of Tongatapu island group and northwest of Vavaʻu. ...

and

Tupou College Tupou College is a Methodist boys' secondary boarding school in Toloa on the island of Tongatapu, Tonga. It is located on the Eastern District of Tongatapu near the village of Malapo. The school is owned by the Free Weslyan Church of Tonga. Estab ...

.Hon. Kalanivalu-Fotofili
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', February 1968, p154 He was a suitor of Fusipala, but

Queen Salote Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

refused to allow them to marry despite the two being engaged.Wood-Ellem, pp148–149 Shortly afterwards he was told to marry Sisilia Tuʻitavake, with the wedding takig place in June 1932. He became Kalaniuvalu in 1935 and took his father's Fotofili title in 1955. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

as one of the Noble representatives for the Tongatapu constituency. He was re-elected in every election until his death in January 1968, also serving as Speaker and vice-president of the Privy Council between 1951 and 1958. One of his sons, Sosi'ua Ngalumoetutulu, later also served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fonua, Semisi Tongan nobles Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga 1911 births 1968 deaths