The Friendly Island

THE FRIENDLY ISLANDTonga by Ken, Jordyn, Michelle O.

BACKGROUND

• Inhabitants of the island originally existed as a warring tribal entities with no unified leader until 1831

• 1875 constitution was established

• June 4th, 1970 Tonga became an independent country

• Dancing wasn’t always embraced by Tongan culture.

• Dance was considered a heathen practice(Methodism)

• Dance was influenced by growth of political interest

• Land area: 277 sq mi (717 sq km); total area: 289 sq mi (748 sq km)

• Population: 106,146 people

• birth rate: 24.7/1000• infant mortality rate:

13.21/1000• life expectancy: 75.38• Capital and largest city

is Nuku'alofa with 24,500 people

• Tauhi Vaha’a helps prevent outside influences and maintain family valuas

• Tauhi Vaha’a is challenge America’s notion of community, individualism, family exclusiveness, privacy and isolationism.

• Many families adopted the way of American cultures

• Tauhi Vaha’a is a vow to hold families together.

• Families are most important thing in their culture

• Young Tongans leave high school to find employment which the rates is 2 in 1, according to Salt Lake Board of Education

• Universities now encourage young Tongans to graduate and go to college because without education they have limitation in jobs

• This give the stereotype of them being stupid.

Family Values

MAKO

Dance

• Traditional dance

• Comprised of young men

• Collective until modern time became performance due to immigration

• Preparatory for village’s warriors

• Meant to incite fear

Costumes• Traditional dress Tupenu

(cloth skirt/wrap)

• Kafa with banana leafs tied to it

• White feather on the top of their heads

• Lei of flowers around neck

Movements• Fast paced

• Fast rhythm on drum or tin can

• Wild gestures involving entire body movement

• Men point at various direction

• They run, sit, roll, lay down, stomp and clap

• Have wide stances to show dominance

TAU’OLUNGA• Flowing knee-length dresses

• Flower in hair and on wrist and ankles

• Body covered in coconut oil to draw attention to their skin

• Must smile genuinely

• Must keep knees together

• Performed at government and village functions for birthday of influential people and visit by dignitaries

• Brides perform at weddings to display charms

• Very gentle dancing

• Sensual movements

HIKO• Danced alone or in group

• Traditional custom:

• Performed by young virgin girls

• Shows happiness of gathering together

• The girls sitting have “tuittiui” fruits

• Queen salute performed the dance

• Sensual movements

LAKALAKA

• Lakalaka “walking briskly”

• Performed for special occasion

• Performed with men and women

• Can last 20 minutes to an hour

• Dance in rows• Men on right• Women on left

• None sexual

• collective

•Black/white tupenu•Tongan dress•Chicken feathers

Clothing

OPPRESSION/ SUPPRESSION

• When the missionaries came in Tonga, Tongan culture was lost.

• Dance was embraced because of the missionaries

• Dancing became performance based

• Tourism

• Religion

• education

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• English was a required when American culture came in

• Anga fakatonga emphasizes as highly importance of family

• Tonga makes up .3% of Utah’s population

• Tongan immigrants increased after joining the LDS church

• This encouraged Tongan families to settle in Salt Lake City, Utah (Mormon Church headquarters) so they could raise their children in the LDS church.