lote Tupou III
QUEEN TONGABeyond her wisdom and abilities there was always her strong affection for her people, young and old. Her love for them was heartily reciprocated. Now, many years after her death, the Tongans still speak of her as “Our Beloved Queen.”
—DR. A. H. WOOD
Royal families from all over the world came to attend the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, but Queen S
lote Tupou III was startlingly different from the rest. This strong, passionate leader wore a traditional Tongan ta’ovala (a ceremonial matting worn around the waist) along with her European-style clothing. Rain poured down on London the day of the coronation ceremony, but Queen Slote insisted on riding in an open carriage. She waved to the huge crowds lining the streets, and they cheered enthusiastically.
By the end of the journey, Queen Slote was soaked! When the astonished royalty asked why she had not allowed the carriage’s hood to be raised, she smiled and charmingly explained that she thought it only fair to endure the rain just like the British citizens who had watched the procession through the downpour. She also told them that she was following an ancient Tongan tradition that one could not cover oneself when a higher-ranked ruler—in this case, the queen of England—was present. Queen Slote’s preservation of tradition and her love for the people characterized her entire reign as ruler of Tonga.
Queen Salote was over six feet tall!
Slote Mafile’o Pilolevu was born into the ruling family of Tonga, an island nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean, on March 13, 1900. When she was nine, she traveled to New Zealand to be educated. She returned to Tonga and got married when she was seventeen.
Slote’s father died the next year, and she became queen of Tonga at the age of eighteen. She was officially crowned Slote Tupou III on October 11, 1918. At the coronation, she wore a ta’ovala that was handed down from her ancestors. The six-hundred-year-old ta’ovala was a symbol of the ancient gods.
At the time, Tonga was a British protectorate: an independent kingdom protected and influenced by England. During Queen Slote’s rule, England’s power over Tonga was decreased. However, Tonga’s ties to England were still strong, and Queen Slote was often honored by the British government. In return, Tonga provided troops and support for England during World War II.
Queen Slote was greatly loved by her people because she worked hard to improve the country. She promoted agricultural development, health reform, and better living conditions as well as education for all Tongan people. She was especially interested in improving the welfare of women. The queen promoted education for girls, and she was active in the Pan-Pacific and South-East Asia Women’s Association.
Queen Slote loved the ancient traditions of her country, and she advocated the preservation of Tongan culture. She formed and presided over an organization that encouraged the creation of traditional Tongan crafts for personal use and for sale to tourists. The queen formed the Tonga Traditions Committee in 1954.
Queen Slote believed in having a strong connection with her people. She sent gifts to people in need, and her palace was open to everyone. Queen Slote celebrated Tongan culture through poetry and song. She wrote poems about history, tradition, nature, and everyday Tongan life. The poems were then set to music that she composed.
Dr. A. H. Wood, a friend of Queen Slote, wrote this about her:
In a procession three kilometres long 10,000 children were allowed to enter the Palace grounds and wave to the Queen as she sat on the verandah. Obviously in poor health, she nevertheless . . . received their greetings with undisguised delight. It was the last occasion on which the Tongan people saw their Queen.14
December 16, 1965, was a sad day for the Tongan people. Early in the morning, their beloved Queen Slote died. A ruler for forty-seven years, Queen Slote enjoyed the longest reign in Tonga’s history and will forever be remembered as a wise, gracious, and caring queen.