Tonga is located in the beautiful waters of the South Pacific. It is set between New Zealand and Australia.
Like all other cultures, the cultural identity of the Tongan is constructed and reconstructed. Tradition and culture is invented and reinvented in response to the different yet continuous encounters with other cultures. Migrants do not build their own ethnic identity from scratch; they bring in their own version of it. It then evolves to fit their new home. As is such the case in the Tongan culture. Many migrants, coming in and leaving, bring or leave their ideas of culture. So there is not really a set culture in Tonga, but a variety. There is still the influence of the old ways or Anga Fakatonga.
Anga Fakatonga is a fluid, manipulable, yet powerful concept. It is translated to mean culture or tradition. It is said to hold all that is Tongan in values and behavior. The main points of Anga Fakatonga that have stayed strong throughout the generations are song, dance, gender roles and the most central point is respect.
Although Anga Fakatonga is still present, the daily life of the Tongans revolves primarily around church. There are both morning and afternoon services on Sundays, both lasting up to two hours. There is a break between the services. Food and beverages are supplied and the people have a time to socialize. There is also a service on Wednesday along with bible study and choir practice. On Fridays, there is a youth group for the adolescents. The church is not simply a place for worship but a place for social interactions. Migrant and natives come together to discuss the Tongan Way.
Even though the majority of the Tongans daily lives are consumed with church they still have time for arts and crafts. Mat making, woodcarving, basket making, jewelry, tapa products are all different examples of the Tongan artistry. Other important roles of Tongan daily are feasting, which can consist of up to thirty different dishes: steamed pork, suckling pig, fish, crayfish, beef, octopus, and a variety of tropical fruits. All of this is spread out on a long tray called a pola. A feast would not be complete in the Tongan culture if singing and dancing did not follow it. The lakalaka is the traditional Tongan dance, telling a new story each time.
Kava is called the official drink of the Pacific. It is the key cultural phenomenon. Kava is made from the ground roots of a native pepper plant. It is a part of the formal ceremonies. Kava has been around for over two thousand years. Tongans have formed the Kava Circle. It is the setting for conflict resolutions. Instead of drinking alcohol, which is violence-prone, Tongans enjoy Kava. Kava is not just a drink to the Tongans, but the essential ingredient of social life and culture.
References:
Helen, Morton. Creating Their Own Culture: Diasporic Tongans. The Contemporary Pacific. 10(1998): 1-30
Welcome to the Royal Kingdom of Tonga, Kingdom of Tonga Culture.
http://www.vacations.tvb.gov.to/culture2.htm
Written by Sarah Neff