Nukuʻalofa

Nukualofa is the capital of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southernmost island group of Tonga.HistoryFirst western records of NukualofaOn 10 June 1777, British captain James Cook wrote of his arrival at their anchorage place. His description of the place confirmed, with his map, that this was the bay of Nukualofa.At length, about two in the afternoon, we arrived at our intended station. It was a very snug place, formed by the shore of Tongataboo on the South East, and two small islands on the East and North East. Here we anchored in ten fathoms water, over a bottom of oozy sand; distant from the shore one-third of a mile." Cook never used the name Nukualofa or any other spelling for the reports of this voyage, but he mentioned the island of Pangaimodoo (Pangaimotu) which was to the east of his anchorage position. Captain Cook also wrote that he travelled by canoes to visit Mooa (The first written record for Nuku'alofa is stated in the first dedicated book for Tonga by George Vason which was published in 1810. George Vason was an English missionary from the London Missionary Society, who arrived in Tonga in 1797. George Vason wrote of their arrival that:Before we could well come to an anchor, the ship was surrounded by the natives, who flocked to us from every adjacent Island. The place, before which we anchored, was called Noogollefa: it was near an Island, named Bonghy-moddoo; on which former navigators pitched their tents, as a convenient spot, on account of its separation from the main Island, to preserve themselves from being too much incommoded by the natives. That was the first mention of Nuku'alofa, spelled as Noogoollefa. Pangaimotu was spelled as Bongy-Moddoo by George Vason since Tongan writing and alphabet would be developed in 1826-27. The second oldest book dedicated to Tonga was by William Mariner, adopted son of Finau 'Ulukalala, which was published in 1817. Mariner described his experiences during the years he was the adopted son of 'Ulukalala (1806–1810). He described the civil war and the siege of the Fort of Nuku'alofa, which fell to 'Ulukalala and his warriors.