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| Customary Kings of Wallis and Futuna | |
|---|---|
| (wls + fud) Hau et Sau | |
 Flag of Wallis and Futuna. Three of the white triangles represent the customary kings, while the last one represents the High Administrator. | |
| Profile | |
| Country | Wallis and Futuna |
| Ethnicity | Wallisian, Futunan, Tongan |
| Chief | |
 | |
| Eufenio Takala (Sigave) Lino Leleivai (Alo) Patalione Kanimoa (Uvea) | |
The customary kings of Wallis and Futuna are the leaders of the three traditional kingdoms of Uvea, Alo, and Sigave, which form part of the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna, located in Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. Wallis and Futuna coexist with the Oceanian monarchies of Samoa and Tonga. The authority and powers of the customary kings are recognized by the 1961 statute of Wallis and Futuna, which thus constitutes the last three active monarchies recognized by the French state on French territory.[Note 1] Additionally, the customary kings receive financial compensation from the state.
Following the settlement of the three islands of Wallis, Futuna, and Alofi by Austronesian populations of Lapita culture, who subsequently became Polynesian, several distinct chieftaincies were established. From the 15th century onwards, the Wallisian monarchy came under significant Tongan influence. Throughout history, the number of kingdoms fluctuated until it was fixed in the 19th century by missionaries, particularly in Futuna, which was divided between Alo and Sigave.
The kings of this region are referred to as Sau and Hau in the local languages, Futunan and Wallisian, respectively. However, anthropologists consider the French term "king" an inadequate translation. These sovereigns play an indispensable role in the social and political life of the three kingdoms. They bear responsibility for maintaining social order and the well-being of the inhabitants, administering customary justice—particularly in matters about land—and overseeing environmental and natural resources. They are supported by a chieftaincy in managing these various local affairs. In these profoundly religious societies, the kings are regarded as intermediaries between God and humans, bestowing upon the sovereigns considerable symbolic importance, with the honorific language used to address them.
The Wallisian and Futunan monarchy is an aristocratic system, with the royal roles rotating among the kingdom's noble families (or 'aliki). The role is not hereditary; rather, it is selected by the royal families following negotiations that can span several months and occasionally result in succession crises (such as the customary crisis affecting Uvea since 2005). In general, reigns last only a few years. The royal role is primarily male, although the Kingdom of Uvea has seen four women assume the supreme role.
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