Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe

HM Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho (b. 29 May 1926)[1] is the Queen Mother of the present King of Tonga, George Tupou V. She was Queen Consort of the late king, Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who died in 2006.[2]

Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe was born on 29 May 1926, the oldest daughter of ‘Ahome’e (Manu-‘o-pangai) and his wife, Heu'ifanga, a great granddaughter of the last King of the Tuʻi Tonga Empire.[1][3][4] The Queen Mother is a descendent of Ma'afu.[4] Halaevalu Mata'aho married her husband, Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, on June 10, 1947.[4] Taufa'ahau Tupou IV died in 2006.

The Queen Mother celebrated her 85th birthday in 2011 with a five day celebration held in May.[3] The celebrations began with a Garden Party for more than one hundred Tongan women held at the home of the President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, Rev. Dr. ‘Ahio.[3] The Queen Mother attended a Catholic mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in Ma'ufanga with King Siaosi Tupou V on May 26, 2011.[3] The Tongan Ministry of Education, Women Affairs and Culture held a student celebration for her birthday on May 27, with of primary school students from Pangai Lahi to Teufaiva Park, including presenting the Queen Mother with birthday gifts.[3] A private party was held in Ha'avakatolo the next day, followed by a church service held at Centennial Church on Sunday, May 29, with a royal luncheon at the Royal Palace in Nukuʻalofa.[3]

The Queen Mother embarked on a two week trip to the U.S. state of Utah in July and August 2011.[5] Specifically, the Queen Mother came to visit the Tongan United Methodist Church in West Valley City, Utah, whose congregation had raised approximately $500,000 in less than a year to pay off the mortgage on the building.[5]

The Mayor of West Valley City, Mike Winder, awarded the Queen Mother the key to the city on July 27, 2011.[5] She met with Utah Governor Gary Herbert the next day.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "A week of celebration underway for the Queen's 85th Birthday". Ministry of Information and Communications. 2011-05-25. http://www.pmo.gov.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2575:a-week-of-celebration-underway-for-the-queens-birthday. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  2. ^ Reigning Royal Families: Tonga International Who's Who, retrieved 6 January 2011
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Queen Mother celebrates 85th birthday". Taimi Media Network. 2011-05-31. http://www.taimionline.com/articles/3931. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  4. ^ a b c "The Royal Family". Tongan Royal Family. http://www.palaceoffice.gov.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=21&Itemid=50. Retrieved 2011-09-14. 
  5. ^ a b c d Farmer, Molly (2011-07-30). "Queen Mother of Tonga celebrates with West Valley congregation". Deseret News. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705388457/Queen-Mother-of-Tonga-celebrates-with-West-Valley-congregation.html. Retrieved 2011-09-14.