''Haamonga a Maui'' ("The Burden of

Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...

") is a stone

trilithon A trilithon or trilith is a structure consisting of two large vertical stones (posts) supporting a third stone set horizontally across the top ( lintel). It is commonly used in the context of megalithic monuments. The most famous trilithons a ...

located in

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 ...

, on the eastern part of the island of

Tongatapu Tongatapu is the main island of Tonga and the site of its capital, Nukuʻalofa, Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with 74,611 residents (2016), 70.5% o ...

, in the village of Niutōua, in Heketā. It was built in the 13th century by King Tuitātui in honor of his two sons. The monument is sometimes called the "

Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric Megalith, megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around high, wide, and weighing around 25 tons, to ...

of the Pacific".

Etymology

The word ''haamonga'' means "a stick with loads on both ends, carried over the shoulder".

is a cultural hero in Polynesian mythology.

Description

''Ha'amonga 'a Maui'' is constructed from three coral limestone slabs. It is 5.2m high, 1.4m wide, and 5.8m long. The weight of the visible part of each upright stone is approximately 30–40 tons. Deep mortises are cut into the top of each upright stone to fit the

lintel A lintel or lintol is a type of beam (a horizontal structural element) that spans openings such as portals, doors, windows and fireplaces. It can be a decorative architectural element, or a combined ornamented/structural item. In the case ...

. Near the trilithon is a stone throne called the ''Esi maka faakinanga'' ("stone to lean against"). It was believed that when the king was seated with his back against the throne, he was safe from assassins who may sneak up behind him, and with his long stick he could hit every potential foe from the front on his knees.

History

According to traditional accounts, the monument was made by the folk hero

, as the stones were thought to be too large for mortals to handle. Maui was supposed to have obtained the stones from Uvea Island, and carried them to Tonga in a giant canoe. Historical analysis places its creation around 1200 AD, under Tuitātui, the eleventh Tui Tonga (King of Tonga) and his high chief Loʻau, most likely as a gateway to Heketā, or the royal compound. It was built in honor of the king's two sons, who are represented by the two upright stones, and their bond represented by the lintel stone on top. The monument and its surrounding areas were declared a protected national park in 1972. Some believe it's a marking to point the direction of pulotu the place of the gods in ancient Tongan legends.

Astronomical significance

In 1967, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV came to believe that ''Ha'amonga 'a Maui'' had an astronomical significance, telling the position of sunrise at

solstice A solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its most northerly or southerly sun path, excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around 20–22 June and 20–22 December. In many countries ...

s and

equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun appears directly above the equator, rather than to its north or south. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise directly east and set directly west. This occurs twice each year, arou ...

es. This theory is supported by the research of Tongan historian Tevita Fale.Fale, Tevita H. 1990. Tongan Astronomy. Nuku‘alofa, Tonga: Polynesian Eyes Foundation. According to Tevita Fale, there is a V-shaped mark on top of the lintel that aligns with the rising of the sun during the solstices and equinoxes. C F Velt, an astronomer at 'Atenisi Institute, disagrees with the findings of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV and Tevita Fale. Velt argues that the V on top is an arrow directed along the main axis of the lintel (about ESE, 117°5 E of N), only 10 cm long, too short to be a reliable indicator of any direction.

Gallery

Maka faakinanga.jpg, ''Maka faakinanga'' stone throne Front view of Ha'amonga 'a Maui, Mua, Tonga, c. 1880 to 1889.jpg, Photograph from the 1880s, front view side view of Ha'amonga 'a Maui, Mua, Tonga, c. 1880 to 1889.jpg, Photograph from the 1880s, side view Ha'amonga 'a Maui2.jpg Ha'amonga 'a Maui1.jpg

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ha'amonga 'a Maui Buildings and structures completed in the 13th century Monuments and memorials in Tonga Megalithic monuments Tongatapu