Sione Tuione Pulotu of the Hauula 3rd Ward, Laie Hawaii Stake, recently had a proud part in the 70th birthday celebration of Tongan King Taufaahau Tupou IV.
Pulotu and his family traveled to Nuku'alofa, Tonga, to present his own special gift - a new, ornately carved royal throne, a labor of love that required three years of work during his spare time to complete. Pulotu was delighted the follwing day to see that the king had the throne moved outside, and was sitting on it to watch a parade.Pulotu not only carved the throne, but also bought the wood, and would take no recompense; nor indeed was any offered. "In Tonga, if the queen asks us to do something, it is considered an honor," he said. "And besides, she is my second cousin."
Raised in Tonga and educated at the Liahona High School, Pulotu came to Hawaii in 1960 on a Church building mission, and was assigned to the Polynesian Cultural Center. And though he never thought of himself as an artist, he developed great skill in wood carving, largely being self-taught.
While working at the center he met Queen Mata-Aho of Tonga, who asked him to do some sculpture for her - cast concrete cougars for the front entry to her daughter's home in Tonga.
When they were unveiled, the queen asked him to come to the palace and take a look at the throne. After many years of use and exposure to tropical humidity, it needed to be replaced.
After considerable research, he came up with a design combining both South Sea island and European motifs, with the royal shield on the back and intricate designs with stars and olive leaves. Working from a single piece of monkey pod wood, six feet in diameter and eight feet high, he produced a throne seven feet tall (eight feet counting the crown). The upholstery is in red crushed velvet.
