Makeeia Taaguvigi

Makeeia Taaguvigi
Makeeia in 2023
Regent of Freice Designate of the Representative Council in Charge of Office
Tenure	22 December 2023 – present
Maaita	Kaana Tenkel
Maavine consort of Freice
Tenure	30 January 2023 – present
Predecessor	Keloia Lakalou
Born	Makeeia Taaguvigi (1969-03-09) 9 March 1969 Sekaapa, Freice
Spouse	Kaana Tenkel (m. 2018)
Issue	Mevarau Kaana, Tuaa Mula Suvea Kaana
Full name Makeeia Taaguvigi
Father	Jeresije Eranasa
Mother	Taaguvigi Maaiava
Occupation	Historian

This is a Freician name. The last name is matronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Makeeia.

Makeeia Taaguvigi ACB (born 9 March 1969) is a Freician historian and author. Since January 2023 she has served as Maavine of Freice as the wife of Maaita Kaana Tenkel. Makeeia has served as regent for her husband since 22 December 2023.

Background

Makeeia was born in Sekaapa, Freice. She is the youngest of five the five children of Taaguvigi Maaiava (1942-2010) and Jeresije Eranasa (1940-1999). Her father served as a police officer before an in-work injury forced him into early retirement, whilst her mother was a housewife. Due to Jeresije's injury, Taaguvigi had to work as a domestic servant and cleaner, which she continued to do until the end of her life.

She was educated at the Sekaapa School for Girls - the first in her family to be educated out of the home. Having shown an interest in history at an early age, her mother made contact with prominent Freician academics through her work as a domestic servant, and succeeded in getting a scholarship for her daughter to attend a Riamese school. Makeeia subsequently attended the Guri High School, winning another scholarship to enter the Royal University of Nashe.

She received her BA and MSt degrees in 1990 and 1992 respectively, briefly returning to Freice to become a teacher. She then returned to Riamo to study for a PhD at Victoria University, receiving her doctorate in 2001.

Career

In 2002, she became a senior research fellow in Kaldaic studies at Victoria University, becoming a lecturer in Kaldaic studies in 2005. In 2011, she became senior lecturer in history at the Polytechnic School of Sefa and became a full professor in Kaldaic history in 2019.

Makeeia has written three books on Freician and Kaldaic history, and authored or co-authored a number of journal articles. Her first book, A Sea Life: Living and Being in Freice (2003) is recognised as a key work in Freician historical and anthropological writing. Subsequent books, The History of Freice (2009) and The Kaldaic People - Heritage and Memory in the Twenty-First Century (2015), have become important academic works in Kaldaic studies.

In 2015, Makeeia was appointed Chair of the Freice Education Board, serving for two years until her resignation in 2018. She subsequently worked within the Education, Sport, and Culture Committee as an advisor until 2022. She resigned from her position following her husband's arrest. In 2023, shortly after becoming Maavine consort, she became Principal of the Sekaapa Comprehensive High School and College for a two-year term.

Maavine consort

In January 2023, Kaana Tenkel assumed the role of Maaita. As his wife, Makeeia became Maavine consort and moved with him to the Muleptam Maaita. She was present when her husband took the oath as he assumed his new position. As Maavine, she has continued her work as an historian and author, and has begun to give guided tours of the Muleptam as part of the Maaita's "Open House" initiative.

Makeeia undertook her first solo engagement as Maavine on 19 February 2023 when she visited the National Museum of Freice to tour an exhibition on architecture. In June 2023 she was appointed President of the Freice Red Cross and established the Maavine Makeeia Women's Foundation in November 2023 to help promote women in education.

Regent

On 18 December 2023 it was announced that Kaana would take an extended leave over Christmas, staying at his private residence in Pohnpenesia. This came following widely-criticised behaviour during a civic event the previous Saturday, where he was reported to have made inappropriate comments to guests. Makeeia assumed the duties of regent on 22 December, in accordance with the Constitution. She is the first female to possess the powers of Maaita and the first formal regent.

Personal life

Makeeia has been in a relationship with Kaana Tenkel since 2003, marrying in 2018. They have two children together and live together in Sekaapa.

Following Kaana's arrest in 2022, there were reports that Makeeia's resignation as an Education Committee advisor arose from the pressures surrounding her husband. E Tai Seelit reported that Makeeia was "resentful" and "full of animosity" towards her husband. In 2023, following Kaana assuming the Maaitaship, E Tai Seelit further reported that the two lived in different wings of the Muleptam Maaita and maintained "largely separate lives."

Makeeia is a Christian and attends church regularly.

Honours

In 2009, Makeeia was awarded the Community Service Medal for her contributions to Freician history and raising Freice's profile overseas.

See also

• Maaita of Freice
• Kaana Tenkel