When the Mata-Utu was developed into a town from a small native village by the French who built most of Wallis and Futuna's major facilities here. Historically, pigs, poultry, yams, bananas, and coconut were available to arriving boats. During World War II, the Free French sloop ''Chevreuil'' landed a detachment of French Marines at Mata-Utu. A small battle took place here after which they captured Vichy French dissidents and took the island's radio communication centre. Francis Fox Parry of the 1st Battalion of the 11th Marines also landed here.