Royal Palace of Uvea


The Royal Palace of Uvea is the seat of the Lavelua, the customary king of Uvea, on the island of Wallis. It is located in Mata-Utu, the capital of the overseas territory of Wallis and Futuna.
Built in 1876, it is a highly important political site, where most official and traditional ceremonies take place.

Location

The palace stands in front of the Sagato Soane Square, not far from the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption cathedral, in the heart of the village of Mata-Utu. The land on which it is built is called Mala'evaka.

Celebrations

The royal palace hosts most official and traditional ceremonies, such as the enthronement of a new Lavelua, the territorial feast day, the July 14th ceremony, and so on. During customary ceremonies such as the katoaga, the various territorial authorities are seated in front of the royal palace.

History

Construction

Construction of the building began under the direction of French resident Jean-Joseph David and was completed during the reign of Amelia Tokagahau Aliki. Indeed, in 1876, Bishop Pierre Bataillon convinced the customary authorities to have the palace built thanks to village chores. The aim of the palace was:
The work was entrusted to architect Charles Bonneval, who drew inspiration from Tongan architecture to build this royal residence. This was the first time a house was built on stilts in Wallis. Built of stone, the palace has one floor and a sunroom.
The royal palace was rebuilt while Count Dodun de Kéroman was resident in France.
Since its construction, the palace has undergone minor modernization.

Court cases

On two occasions, Lavelua Tomasi Kulimoetoke II opened the doors of the royal palace to relatives convicted by the French justice system, so that they could escape from the gendarmes:
  • In 1998, a legal-political affair implicated a high-ranking Wallisian woman, elected to the territorial assembly and close to Lavelua. She was accused of embezzlement and sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Nouméa court. The Lavelua played an important role in this affair, taking the woman's side entirely and opening the doors of the royal palace to her, where the gendarmes coming to get her did not dare enter.
  • In June 2005, a customary crisis erupted when the grandson of the Lavelua was convicted of manslaughter after killing a motorcyclist while driving drunk. The grandson took refuge in the Royal Palace of Uvea to protect himself from the police. This choice divides the aristocratic families, divided between customary support and loyalty to the French tutelary power. Two camps emerged: on the one hand, supporters of the king and, on the other, “renovators” who wanted to see custom evolve. For Frédéric Angleviel, the Kulimoetoke family, from which many members of the Grand Chieftaincy descended, refused to relinquish power after so many years.