Maui rock at Kala’au was marked as one of the Historical sites in Tongatapu earlier this week.
It was marked in a special program attended by the delegation from the Parliament of Japan who visited Nuku’alofa earlier this week.
Speaking to Radio and Television Tonga News, Sione Moala Mafi of the Ministry of Tourism says, this was after a survey conducted by students from the University of Japan revealed the significance of the stone.
He says, according to the survey that’s been carried out, the large coral boulder or this stone is a tsunami rock.
It is believed that this tsunami rock was brought 100 meters inland from the surrounding reefs by a massive tsunami that hit Tonga thousand years ago.
The survey also revealed that this tsunami rock is believed to be the largest tsunami rock in the world.
Despite this, Tonga’s legend recounts the story of demi-God Maui Kisikisi, who was angrily awoken by the crowning of his father’s rooster that he tried to kill him.
According to the myth, the frightened fowl escaped from ‘Eua to Tongatapu but Maui Kisikisi kept hurling rocks at him, and this boulder at Kala’au was the largest rock he used to hurl at the rooster.
Attending the program was the Deputy Prime Minister – Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, Ambassador of Japan to Tonga – H.E Yukio Numata, leader of the delegation from Japan who’s the Secretary General of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party – Toshihiro Nikai, Former Minister of Finance and National Planning whose also People’s rep. of Tongatapu 5 to Parliament – Dr. ‘Aisake Eke, CEO’s from government Ministries and many guests.