THE FRIENDLY ISLAND Tonga by Ken, Jordyn, Michelle O.
Jan 06, 2016
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.