ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku, known as Fusipala, (26 July 1912 – 21 April 1933) was a Princess of

Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in the southern Pacific Ocean. accordin ...

and daughter of King George Tupou II and Queen ʻAnaseini Takipō.

Life

Born on 26 July 1912, she was the second of two daughters born to King George Tupou II and his second wife Queen ʻAnaseini Takipō. She was named after her grandmother ʻElisiva Fusipala Taukiʻonetuku and her elder sister who died of convulsion shortly after her birth. Since her mother was unable to give birth to a male heir, Princess Fusipala's elder half-sister from her father's first marriage would succeed their father as Queen Sālote Tupou III in 1918. In 1918, her mother Queen Dowager Takipō died as a result of the

1918 flu pandemic The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, H1N1 subtype of the influenz ...

which killed eight percent of the population of Tonga. After her mother's death, Sālote assumed the guardianship of her half-sister Princess Fusipala. In 1920, she was sent abroad to be educated at the Anglican Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland and later continued her education at the Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne. She became noted as an accomplished pianist at school. Back home in Tonga, a rival court centered around her claim to the throne was set up by her maternal relatives against her sister, reviving the old rivalries between the family of Queen Sālote's mother Lavinia Veiongo and the family of Fusipala's mother. Many suitors from the chiefly lines of Tonga were forwarded to enhance her rank including Haʻamea ʻUlukālala, Lala Veikune, Havea Tuʻihaʻateiho, and Semisi Kalaniuvalu. Her health deteriorated during the on-and-off engagements and coercion from her aunt Muimui. When her aunt forced her into an engagement with Haʻamea, she refused to be married, with her sister supporting her wish. A proposal was considered to marry her to George Cakobau, a chief from

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

before her death. While in Australia for a health trip, Fusipala died on 21 April 1933 from tubercular

peritonitis Peritonitis is inflammation of the localized or generalized peritoneum, the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and covering of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One pa ...

at the Burwood Private Hospital, in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

. At her deathbed was her brother-in-law Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, who brought her embalmed remains back to Tonga where she was buried in the royal burial grounds at Malaʻekula,

Nukuʻalofa Nukualofa ( , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the country's southernmost island group. History First western records of Nukualofa On 10 June 1777, British ...

.; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

References

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fusipala Tongan princesses Tongan royalty 1912 births 1933 deaths Deaths from peritonitis People from Nukuʻalofa 20th-century Tongan people 20th-century Tongan women Daughters of kings