Ko e fasi ʻo e tuʻi ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga

"Ko e fasi ʻo e tuʻi ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga" (pronounced [ko e fasi ʔo e tuʔi ʔo e ʔotu toŋa]; alternatively "Ko e fasi ʻo e kuini ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga" when the Tongan monarch is female) is the national anthem of Tonga. The title literally means "song of the king of the Tonga Islands" or "song of the queen of the Tonga Islands" (when the monarch is female) in the Tongan language but is in daily life better known as "Fasi fakafonua", which translates to "National Song". The lyrics of the anthem were written by Tongan Prince Uelingatoni Ngū Tupoumalohi, with the music by German-born New Zealand composer Carl Gustav Schmitt. It was first used in 1874.

Ko e fasi ʻo e tuʻi ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga
English: Song of the King of the Tongan Islands

National anthem of Tonga
Also known asFasi fakafonua (English: National Song)
Ko e fasi ʻo e kuini ʻo e ʻOtu Tonga
(when the monarch is female) (English: Song of the Queen of the Tongan Islands)
LyricsUelingatoni Ngū Tupoumalohi
MusicCarl Gustav Schmitt
Adopted1874
Audio sample
A cappella choral vocal recording (1961)

Lyrics

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Tongan lyrics (modern spelling)[1] IPA transcription[a] Literal English translation English lyrics

ʻE ʻOtua māfimafi
Ko homau ʻeiki koe
Ko koe ko e falalaʻanga
Mo e ʻofa ki Tonga;
ʻAfio hifo ʻemau lotu
ʻAia ʻoku mau faí ni
Mo ke tali homau loto
ʻO maluʻi ʻa Tupou.

[ʔe ʔo.tu.a maː.fi.ma.fi]
[ko ho.mau̯ ʔei̯.ki ko.e]
[ko koe̯ ko‿e fa.la.la.ʔa.ŋa]
[mo e ʔo.fa ki to.ŋa]
[ʔa.fio̯ hi.fo ʔe.mau̯ lo.tu]
[ʔai̯.a ʔo.ku mau̯ fai̯ ni]
[mo ke ta.li ho.mau̯ lo.to]
[ʔo ma.lu.ʔi ʔa tu.pou̯]

Oh, almighty God!
You are our Lord,
It is You, the pillar
And the love to Tonga.
Look down on our prayer
That is what we do now
And may You answer our wish
To protect Tupou.

Oh almighty God above
Thou art our lord and sure defense
As your people, we trust thee
And our Tonga thou dost love
Hear our prayer for thou unseen
We know that thou hast blessed our land
Grant our earnest supplication
Guard and save Tupou, our king (queen).

Music notation

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The music in Western music notation and the tuʻungafasi, or Tongan music notation:

   

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "National Anthem of Tonga Act" (PDF). Legislation of Tonga. 1988. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
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