Tamahā/en
Mei he Wikipedia
Tamahā is a word from Sāmoan origin: tama sā, meaning holy child. It were the children, but especially the oldest daughter of a Tuʻi Tonga Fefine. Most of them stayed at the small but glorious island of Tungua in Haʻapai, so that, probably, their high rank did not interfere with the matters of state, conducted by the lords on Tongatapu. Their institution was established in the beginning of the 17th century, probably the time that the Tongan ranking system developed into what it is nowadays.
Tradition (see: E.W. Gifford, Tongan society, 1929) names 6 Tamahā, starting with Fonokimoana, an ending with ʻAmelia Fakahikuʻoʻuiha, when the line of the Tuʻi Tonga also collapsed. On the other hand queen Sālote Tupou III (see: E. Bott, Tongan society at the time of Captain Cook's visits, 1982) only recognised 3 Tamahā, crossing off those who were not the oldest child of a Tuʻi Tonga Fefine.
A Tamahā was officially installed. Somewhat unlike their mothers, there was at any given time only one Tamahā, if any, and a potential contestant had to wait until the death of her predecessor before she could get the title.
- D.V. Burley; Sacred child and sacred place; Polynesian paradox, USP 2005; ISBN 982-02-0371-6
