councillors elected by the people of each island. In 1979 the central government reformed the Council of Chiefs of each island. From the late 18th century the two Paramount Chiefs of Niutao were leaders of the districts of Teitieva and Malaefono. Following the changes to the role of the Council of Chiefs, the Paramount Chiefs of the districts of Teitieva and Malaefono unanimously agreed that: “There should be one Paramount Chief elected from the two domains. Each domain should then elect two other members. These five members would form the new Council of Chiefs.” The Council of Chiefs works with the Falekaupule on the management of communal activities. The Council of Chiefs maintains its right, in accordance with traditions and customs, to exercise power in matters affecting the social life of the community. In 2016 Mauatu Teponga was elected chief. General election, 2019 The 2019 general election was held on 9 September 2019. Samuelu Teo was re-elected to parliament and Katepu Laoi was elected to represent Niutao in the parliament. Notable people Sir Fiatau Penitala Teo (1911–1986), Appointed Chief in the House of Chiefs of Niutao in 1945; appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu on independence from Great Britain on 1 October 1978; reappointed as a Chief on 29 June 1997. Sir Tomu Sione, (1941– 2016) former Governor General of Tuvalu and subsequently Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu; he represented the constituency in the parliament until the 2010 Tuvaluan general election. Tavau Teii, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources in the Government of Tuvalu, he represented the constituency in the parliament until the 2010 Tuvaluan general election. See also '''References Publications Christensen, Dieter, Old Musical Styles in the Ellice Islands, Western Polynesia, Ethnomusicology, 8:1 (1964), 34–40 Christensen, Dieter and Gerd Koch, Die Musik der Ellice-Inseln, Berlin: Museum fur Volkerkunde (1964) Koch, Gerd, Songs of Tuvalu (translated by Guy Slatter), Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific (2000) Koch, Gerd, Die Materielle Kulture der Ellice-Inseln, Berlin: Museum fur Volkerkunde 1965) The English translation by Guy Slatter, was published as The Material Culture of Tuvalu, University of the South Pacific in Suva (1981) ASIN B0000EE805 Pulekai A. Sogivalu, Brief History of Niutao'', A, (1992) Published by the Institute of Pacific Studies. Atolls of Tuvalu