‘Akau‘ola
'Akau'ola (born June 27, 1967), also known as Mapa Faletau, is the current Noble (matāpule, or "working chief") of Taunga in Tonga. Taunga is located in the south Vava'u Group in the far north of the country.
Mapa Faletau is the second eldest son of the late Hononorable 'Akau'ola (Inoke Fotu Faletau, 1937–2005) who was appointed the Governor of Vavaʻu in 2002 by His late Majesty King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV after a distinguished career in the civil service, which amongst his many governmental posts, he was the Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the Director of the Commonwealth.[1]
Faletau was educated in the United Kingdom and graduated from high school in Massey, New Zealand. After the death of his father in late 2005, Faletau's official name was changed to 'Akau'ola and he inherited estates in Vava'u which included Taunga and Ngau.[2]
On 2 March 2007, 28 acres (110,000 m2) on Taunga and Ngau were leased by 'Akau'ola to the Warwick International Group of Hotels & Resorts for the construction of a 4 to 5 star hotel resort and spa, which was celebrated as a major achievement for the tourist industry in Tonga. A celebratory lunch was hosted by the people of Taunga, providing succulent roast pigs and an enormous array of seafood.
It is envisioned that this development will provide for the people's livelihood as well as allow them to utilise their natural agricultural, fishing and sea skills. This is seen as an enormous boost to tourism and will provide for the people of Taunga as well as the people of Vava'u and the Kingdom of Tonga as a whole, economic prosperity. This is the first foreign investment by a major international hotel chain within the kingdom. The building of the actual hotel has yet to be confirmed by the Warwick group.