The mother of Queen Nanasipau'u, Baroness Tuputupu ‘o Pulotu Vaea of Houma, was laid to rest at the Kolomanatau Cemetery, Houma, Tongatapu, this morning, 2 August 2021.

Baroness Vaea (Tuputupu) passed away at her home, ‘Talikiha‘apai’, Houma on 29 July, 2021 at the age of 90 years.

She was the wife of a former Prime Minister of Tonga, the late Baron Vaea.

Tuputupu was a daughter of Sosaia Lausi‘i Ma’afu from the villages of Vaini and Tokomololo, Tongatapu, and his wife, ‘Anau-ki he-Sina Mafile’o, from Kolomotu’a, Tongatapu; Neiafu, and Vaimalo, Vava’u.

After her father passed away when she was young, Tuputupu was raised by her father's sister Meleane Nakao. She was educated in Tonga and New Zealand.

In 1969 Tuputupu and her family went to the United Kingdom where Baron Vaea was Tonga’s first High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1969-72, and later became Tonga’s Prime Minister from 1991 to 1999. He passed away in 2009. They had six children and one adopted daughter, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Dowager Lady Luani (Luseane Fakaolaifanga Vaea) presented the eulogy for her mother.