Talietumu

Talietumu or Kolo Nui^[1] is an archaeological site in Wallis and Futuna in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean.

Site

Talietumu is situated about 9 km (5.6 mi) southwest of the capital of

Wallis Island (Uvea).^[2]

The site was a fortified Tongan settlement called Kolo Nui and the whole fortress is surrounded by a strong defensive wall build of basalt with several entrances.^[3] Inside the fort there are a few preserved buildings and structures, lawns and the central elevated platform called Talietumu (a Marae or Mala´e, "Sacred Place"). The platform is of circular prolonged shape upon a circular stockade base.^[1] Raised walkways paved in stone start from the mala'e and radiate outward from within the fort.

History

The fort, built around 1450 during the expansion of the
Tu'i Tonga Empire
, was the last holdout of the Tongans on Uvea until they were defeated.
French archaeologists Daniel Frimigacci, Jean-Pierre Siorat and Maurice Hardy of the French CNRS (
Centre national de la recherche scientifique) spent several years restoring the central platform using original techniques and completed that work around 1997. The platform now measures about 5 meters in height and about 80 m in length.^[1]

Today the ruins of the fortress are a popular tourist attraction.[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Christophe Sand (2004). "The input of francophone archaeological research in the Pacific: A short summary" (PDF). The Journal of Pacific Studies. 27 (1): 1–12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-05-21. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

^ Wallis & Futuna. Overview Lonely Planet Archived 17 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine

^ "Talietumu". Alluring World. Retrieved 16 April 2022.

^ "15th Century Tongan Fortress Is Tourist Attraction In Wallis". Pacific Islands Report. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

13°17′17″S 176°12′21″W / 13.28806°S 176.20583°W / -13.28806; -176.20583

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talietumu&oldid=1212851002"

[Sand2004-1] Christophe Sand (2004). "The input of francophone archaeological research in the Pacific: A short summary" (PDF). The Journal of Pacific Studies. 27 (1): 1–12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-05-21. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

[2] Wallis & Futuna. Overview Lonely Planet Archived 17 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine

[3] "Talietumu". Alluring World. Retrieved 16 April 2022.

[4] "15th Century Tongan Fortress Is Tourist Attraction In Wallis". Pacific Islands Report. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2021.

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