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Anthropology ProgramTongan History Association NewsletterVol.15 No.1, February 2004THA Conference 2005The next THA Conference is to be in Sydney in July 2005. The tentative dates are 8-12 July 2005 and the venue the Uniting Church campus at Parramatta. The theme is "God and Tonga are my Inheritance/Ko e 'Otua mo Tonga ko hoku Tofi'a" (the motto that appears on Tonga's coat-of-arms), so put your thinking caps on. On Sunday 10 July, there will be an early morning service followed by a ferry trip on the Parramatta River into the city of Sydney. There will be a call for papers later on, but if you want to book a space, email Besi Wood-Ellem at fihu28[at]optusnet.com.au. While we are talking conference we should place our thanks on record to the organisers, presenters, participants and all who contributed to the very successful 2003 conference in Nuku’alofa. Particular thanks are due to our sponsors and donors, especially the Australian, British and New Zealand High Commissions and the Tongan departments and organisations who made generous financial contributions. Thanks also to the Free Wesleyan Church for making available the facilities at the Church Centre and to Sia’atoutai for providing the driver and bus for the field trip. WELCOME to new members ‘Aioema and ‘Alifeleti ‘Atiola, Judy Bennett, Christian Brann, Bruce Burne, Martin and Diane Daly, Susan Ervin, Heidi Foley, Nelly Gillet, Henk and Elisabeth Groenveld, Colin Hill, George Marcus, ‘Elaona Niumeitolu, Susan Philips, Michael Schirmer, Cathy Small and. John Whyte MEMBERS are reminded that dues are payable by the end of June each year. The membership form attached to the newsletter can be used for both new subscriptions and renewals. A membership list is also attached with the year subscriptions expire. Please advise Fay if you believe your listing is not accurate. Payment of DuesRates agreed at the last General Meeting are: 1 year $10 ($5 for students) 6 years $40 (no reduction for students) Payable in the currency of your country. When sending dues, please make cheques or money orders payable to the Tongan History Association (except in NZ where they should be made payable to Phyllis Herda). Award for Adrienne KaepplerTHA member Adrienne Kaeppler was awarded the Frigate Bird Award by the Pacific Arts Association at their conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, 23-26 June 2003. The Frigate Bird Award is a periodic award given by the Pacific Arts Association for outstanding achievements in promoting and studying the arts of Oceania. It was presented by Soroi Eoe, Director of the National Museum and Art Gallery of Papua New Guinea, citing Adrienne's many publications on the arts of the Pacific and her mentoring of students. ObituariesHONOURABLE MA’ATU (Fatafehi ‘Alaivahamama’o) The second son, third child, of Their Majesties Taufa’ahau Tupou IV and Halaevalu Mata’aho he was appointed to the Ma’atu title in 1979. He died suddenly on the morning of 17 February 2004 in Vaiola Hospital, seemingly of a heart attack. Ma’atu married in 1980 Hemata’ula, without the King’s consent, and was (in accordance with the Constitution) removed from the royal succession. There were no children of that marriage and Heimata’ula died in 1985. In 1989 Ma’atu married Alaileula (granddaughter of the Samoan chief Mälietoa), and they have four children. As a member of Parliament (representing the nobles of the Niuas) Ma’atu voted against the recent media laws and amendments to the Constitution. B W-E ROBERT LANGDON Those of you who were students at the Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, or who attended Tongan History Association conferences in Canberra will mourn the loss of Robert Langdon, who died after a heart attack on 27 September 2003, aged 79. Bob’s formal education was limited, but he was always a voracious reader. At the age of 18 during World War Two he joined the Royal Australian Navy and had his first taste of overseas travel. After the War he travelled (mostly working his way) widely and hence gained his first-hand knowledge of the Pacific Islands and South America. In between these jaunts, Bob worked as a journalist, mostly notably for the Pacific Islands Monthly 1962-67. In 1968 he was headhunted by Harry Maude to be the first executive officer of the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau (PMB) at the ANU. Bob was already familiar with archival holdings in the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand and places beyond. His new job was to select collections of Pacific papers for a massive microfilming project for member libraries. This meant a lot of time travelling with his microfilming camera. After retirement, Bob was appointed a Visiting Fellow at the Division of Asian and Pacific History at ANU. I, like many other others, enjoyed lunches and dinners with Bob and Niel when visiting Canberra. I can remember attending a Pacific History Association conference in Guam in 1992. Our airlines tickets allowed us an extra leg. Some of us went to Saipan, an unforgettable experience, but Bob and Niel proceeded to an even more remote island in search of an unusual pig. Bob liked to see for himself, and was a model for all of us in that way. B W-E Lakalaka has World Heritage ListingTHA member Adrienne Kaeppler, in conjunction with 'Alipate Tu'ivanuavou Vaea and the Tonga Traditions Committee prepared a "candidature" for the new UNESCO program on "World Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" for possible declaration of the "Tongan Lakalaka: Sung Speeches with Choreographed Movements" as a World Masterpiece. The new UNESCO program, which was held only once before, in 2001, is conceived to complement the 1972 Convention on World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which identifies monuments, sites, and landscapes of outstanding value for the whole of humanity, but did not take into account intangible cultural heritage. The candidature included a written document of some 50 pages, 3 hours of video footage of lakalaka and a 10 minute video that would be shown to the international jury. The candidature package was then sent to an internationally recognised NGO and sent to a referee, who submitted a report. The international jury was convened in November 2003 to consider the various candidatures that had been sent from countries around the world. At this meeting the lakalaka was proclaimed a "World Masterpiece". The following notice was included on the UNESCO website (www.UNESCO.org), with a colour photograph of a lakalaka. The citation includes the following description. “Throughout the South Pacific island kingdom of Tonga, entire communities participate in the traditional dance known as the lakalaka to celebrate the coronation of the monarch, inauguration ceremonies and other significant events. Widely considered the national dance of Tonga, this complex tradition blends oratory skills, legend and lore, musical composition and choreography. “The lakalaka, which means ‘to step briskly or carefully’ in the Tongan tongue, originated in pre-European dances, but fully blossomed only in the twentieth century thanks to the fervent patronage of the royal family. Large groups of men and women – as many as several hundred - participate in these spirited performances. The men, aligned in rows on the audience’s right side, dance in rapid, energetic and often warrior-like movements intended to reflect their virility. On the left side, rows of women perform graceful dance steps coordinated with elegant hand gestures. Both groups sometimes clap and sing while dancing, yet in most performances, a chorus provides the musical accompaniment. The dense polyphony of the vocal music coupled with the swaying in unison of hundreds of dancers offers a truly impressive spectacle. “The creative force behind the performance is the punake, who is poet, composer, choreographer and performance director. According to the tradition, punakes have dwindled in number. This decline can be linked to various factors including competition from contemporary types of entertainment, economic difficulties, and insufficient emphasis in school curricula. Moreover, as the lakalaka tradition is transmitted orally, few publications exist, and the young composers, who do not have access to ancient texts and other traditional cultural sources, recycle the same repertory.” Book ReviewTongans Overseas: between two shores. By Helen Morton Lee. Honolulu, University of Hawai’i Press, 2003. x + 326 pp. illus., appendices, notes, refs, index, ISBN 0-8248-2615-9 (hardcover) $US55 and 0-8248-2654-X (pbk) $US21.05. In Tongans Overseas Lee has picked up where her earlier book, Becoming Tongan, left off. Where Becoming Tongan described the acculturation of children in Tonga itself, Tongans Overseas looks at young Tongans living in Australia, the USA, and New Zealand. By means of interviews, questionnaires, and through the Kava Bowl (a now-defunct Internet chatroom), Lee looked at how the younger generation (under 40) of Tongans are dealing with questions of identity. Some of the participants were born in Tonga, and others born overseas. Their perceptions of Tongan culture vary, as one would expect. The questions Lee asks are: how do these younger people identify with their (Tongan) home country, what do they understand about anga fakatonga, about Tongan culture and tradition, and how do they cope with the demands of their Tongan extended families and the pressures of the Western culture in which they now live? Attitudes of young Tongans vary between “I am proud to be Tongan/Polynesian” and a reluctance to commit wholly to Tongan ways. Many feel that their cultural identity does not depend on following Tongan custom or being fluent Tongan speakers. One of the differences between Tongans and other ethnic groups overseas is the hegemony still exercised by Tonga over its overseas “colonies”, which, in practical terms, means the passing of money from overseas Tongans to their extended family, the church, and the aristocracy in Tonga. This hegemony ties their parents to the home country, but will being Tongan mean the same to those who may never have visited the home country, or to those who have been sent there by their parents to be “straightened out”? There are distinct signs that the younger overseas generations are redefining what it means to be Tongan. Anga fakatonga does not, for them, mean uncritical compliance with the hierarchical rules of a conformist society. How far they will influence the future of Tonga – or even if they are interested in doing so– remains to be seen. Tongans who live overseas, young and old, will recognise the commonality of their experiences from this excellent book. News from the NiuasThe devastation cause to Niue by cyclone Heta was well reported in the media. Not so well known was that on 6 January, prior to hitting Niue, Heta passed across Tongas northern islands. The Asia-Pacific Centre for Emergency and Development Information reported “Niuatoputapu and Tafahi are fortunate in that the eyewall passed offshore about 50km to the east. Therefore while they received very severe and damaging squalls, gales and tidal surge, it was not at the catastrophic levels that were noted in Niue, which received a direct hit from the eyewall.” It was, however, reported that there had been “damage and destruction of traditional houses”, confirmed on 7 January to be near 100% on Tafahi and above 75% on Niuatoputapu and near 100% crop damage for both islands with 50% crop damage on Niuafo’ou. Melbourne Chapter of the THAThere are about a dozen members of the THA living in Melbourne, and they plan a meeting in the new future. Some of these members are keen to work on a genealogy project. THA 2003 ConferenceFor the interest of members who did not get to the conference last year, or for those who would like to be reminded of the papers that were presented, the programme, listing all the papers, followed by the Minutes of the General Meeting. TENTH TONGAN HISTORY ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE 8-11 July 2003 Venue: Moulton Hall Free Wesleyan Church Centre Nuku’alofa Theme: TONGA FROM STONE AGE TO SPACE AGE TUESDAY 8 JULY (session 1 chaired by Professor Futa Helu) David Burley (keynote speaker): Tonga’s Place in Polynesian Origins Filipe Tohi: Lotomotu’a: Insideout Malia Talakai: Art and Intellectual Property: the work of Tongan artist Filipe Tohi on kupesi and lalava Bus trip to archaeological sites (guided by David Burley). WEDNESDAY 9 JULY ‘Okusitino Mahina: Towards a General ta-va, ‘ta-va’ Theory of Nature, Mind, and Society. Melenaite Taumoefolau: Issues in Translating Queen Sälote’s Poetry into English Futa Helu: A Short History of Tongan Values (session 2 chaired by Luisa Latukefu) Elizabeth Wood-Ellem: Tupou II: his place in Tongan History. Adrienne Kaeppler: Some Contributions of Tupou II to Tongan Art and Society (session 3 chaired by Helen Morton Lee) Anapesi L. Kai'li: Kainga Tonga 'i he Vahaope: Tongans in cyberspace. Fane Tali & Moana Hansen: American Standards of Beauty and its Effects on Pacific Islander Women 'Umu Kisia Tukuafu: Serving as a Student Leader (session 4 chaired by Salote Fukofuka) ‘Ofa Falepapalangi, Angeles Havili & Nativa Cazeau: Does Religion Advocate Tongan Cultural Traditions?: a comparative look at the Mormon and Methodist faiths in Utah Kopelani Pei and Mataele Finau: Retention in Higher Education: a comparative look at Tongan retention THURSDAY 10 JULY (session 1 chaired by Elizabeth Wood-Ellem) Afu’alo Matoto: Work development. John Spurway: Tongans in Vanuatu: Ma`afu and the 1829 sandalwood expedition to New Hebrides Natalie Hunt: Not One Or The Other: the struggle Of Polynesian Americans in discovering their identity (session 2 chaired by Fay Yule) Teimumu Tapueluelu: Domestic Violence: the legal remedy Eugenie Laracy: The Legal Remedy in New Zealand (session 3 chaired by Hugh Laracy) Hilary Scothorn: The Influence of Tongan Ngatu on Samoan Siapo Design Helen Morton Lee: Transnational Tonga: hope for the future? Kilifi Mafile’o: The Development of the Tongan Defence Forces. FRIDAY 11 JULY (session 1 chaired by Fahina Tavake-Pasi) Kolokesa U. Mahina: Koloa tukufakaholo: Issues and Challenges Involving the Management of Tonga's Cultural Heritage Heather Young Leslie: Researching a Social History of Medicine in Tonga: sources and preliminary results Michael R. Malohifo'ou: Wellness Plan for the Contemporary Tongan. (session 2 chaired by Heather Young Leslie) Luisa Mailei Latukefu. Deconstructing Sexual and Reproductive Health within the boundaries of Culture , Gender and Religion: a Canberra case study. Barbara Burns McGrath: Project Talanoa:: a teen health program in the USA (session 3 chaired by Barbara Burns McGrath) Paul Taylor: A Preliminary Report of Volcanic Ash Falls in the Kingdom of Tonga: probable effects on the developing communities Judith Bennett, Paying for damages: US compensation in wartime Tonga (session 4 chaired by Fay Yule) Hugh Laracy: The Parker Brothers’ Sheep Station on ‘Eua Meredith Filihia: Pulotu and the Female in the ‘Inasi Futa Helu. Brief Reflections on the Tongan History Association and the 2003 conference. CONFERENCE DINNER AT COCO’S Minutes for the General Meeting of the Tongan History AssociationHeld in Moulton Hall, Free Wesleyan Church Centre, Nuku’alofa, 4:15 p.m.10 July 2003 1. Opening of Meeting The meeting was chaired by Dr Elizabeth Wood-Ellem (Besi Wood), Vice-President of the Tongan History Association. 2. Committee Nominations Meredith Filihia had previously indicated to the executive that she was no longer able to continue as Secretary/Treasurer (overseas). Elizabeth said that there had been one nomination for this position, namely Fay Yule. She then called for other nominations, but as there were no others, Fay was elected with acclamation. Nominations were then called for all other committee positions. Hilary Scothorn nominated the current holders of other committee positions to continue. Passed. The question was raised and discussed about area representatives also being members of the executive. Passed. Representatives are to forward quarterly financial reports with a list of new members to the Overseas Secretary/Treasurer (now Fay Yule). 3. Financial reports from Salote Fukofuka and Meredith Filihia See attached. 4. Should the THA be registered as a non-profit organisation in the USA? Fahina Tavake Pasi explained that it would be advantageous for the THA, because being a 501C3 would broaden the possibilities for funding. Hilary Scothorn asked if it would be based in Utah. Fahina replied yes, and it would need the approval of the National Tongan American Society (which at present acts as area representative for the USA) in order to be able to use the same address. 5. Invitation for people from all disciplines to join the THA and the question of whether to change the name of the Tongan History Association Elizabeth noted that the proposal for a change of name had come up from time to time. There is a sentimental attachment to the name Tongan History Association, but Tongan Studies Association would more accurately reflect the membership. John Whyte stated that the work of the THA was broadly recognised, and that Tongan History Association as a name would be more appealing to Tongan students in order to differentiate it from their Tongan Studies subject. Helen Morton Lee said that a name such as the Tongan Studies Association would more accurately reflect the diversity of membership. THA doesn’t reflect current membership or the contribution of non-historians. A vote was taken later in the meeting with the result that the Tongan History Association name will be kept (11 votes to 10). People were requested to take membership forms for the THA and give them to friends when inviting them to join the THA. 6. Filipe Tohi’s exhibition The executive of the THA had decided to underwrite the cost of the exhibition. Two free tickets were donated by Royal Tongan Airlines for Filipe, the New Zealand High Commission donated $2000. Some expenses need to be approved. $1280 to be paid to Filipe for expenses and some to Queen Salote College for space and security, afternoon tea at the opening of the exhibition by HRH Princess Nanasipau’u. The THA will pay just over $200. 7. Publication of papers We need an editor – there is still $10,000 (plus interest) in the Tongan bank account that was donated for this purpose in 1993. Salote Fukufuka suggested that we set a date by which papers would be received and then publish without editing. Fay Yule reported that the first volume of conference papers (1987) still sells well. Heather Young Leslie said that the academics need a commitment that papers will be published expediently, and John Spurway noted that academics tend to prefer academic journals. Fay said that she has already typed up the 1993 papers, and Helen Morton Lee volunteered to edit them for consistency, but would need two readers. It was decided that Helen, Fay, and Elizabeth would work to get the 1993 papers published. Fay said that the authors’ permission would need to be sought again after such a long time lapse. 8. THA support for publication of a collection of Jehanne Teilhet-Fisk’s papers on Tonga Hilary Scothorn spoke to the proposal that the THA gives its support to a publication of Jehanne Teilhet-Fisk’s papers on Tonga. Elizabeth noted that financial support is not required at this stage, and that Jehanne’s daughter (Samantha) is willing for the publication, but that she wants to select the papers to be included. Heather Young Leslie and Ping-Ann Addo said that they are currently working on a volume for ASAO, which is intended to be a festschrift for Jehanne, and that the family was aware that it was being prepared. The first proposal will be looked at in more detail. 8. Membership dues Meredith said that many students want only one-year membership, and that this option should remain available. An option of a six-year membership (instead of five) was introduced at the cost of $40, with no student reduction on it. 9. Reports on websites ‘Anapesi Ka’ili (Planet-Tonga) said it depends on what is wanted on the website – give her ideas of what you would like, what you’re working on, there is a forum for your website. Ping-Ann Addo suggested that abstracts could be published, and ‘Anapesi said that this was possible and people could pay to download. Helen Morton Lee said that she manages the THA website by default, but doesn’t have time to make it what it could be. Does anyone want to take over? The other site is the online bibliography, which is now quite extensive. She asked for information to be sent to her and noted that it is a great place to get resources. 10. & 11. Venue for next conference, and the alternation of the conference. Sydney was the first choice from five options that were named. It was decided to continue to alternate the conference between Tonga and overseas locations for the time being. 12. Any other business Elizabeth said that it is up to the people where the conference was being held to advertise, and that this had been done in the Tonga Chronicle and on TV and radio. Kerry James suggested that low attendances by locals could be due to the fact that the conference was being held on weekdays. Could we try to locate it in the school holidays or go onto a Saturday? Mahe‘uli’uli Tupouniua said that it seems that the conference hadn’t been well publicised. Is it possible to have the constitution printed up and sold because we must do everything we can to publicise the existence of the organisation and its work. · The British High Commission was thanked for its generous donation towards the conference costs and the New Zealand High Commission was thanked for their donation toward the THA-sponsored exhibition of Filipe Tohi’s work. Filipe was also thanked for his donation of two pieces of his art to the Tonga National Museum. The generosity of support given by a number of Tongan Government and Church agencies was also acknowledged. · Elizabeth thanked Meredith for her work during the five years she was Secretary/Treasurer (Overseas) of the THA. Also the Utah delegation for the party they gave for delegates and invited guests on Thursday evening at the Kahana Lagoon Resort. To Vava’u Press for taking registration and memberships on behalf of the THA. Meredith Filihia thanked the organising committee for their work. Fahina Pasi thanked the organisation for their support Signed Meredith Filihia (retiring sec/treas overseas). Elizabeth Wood-Ellem, Vice-President Tongan History Association Financial Report for the Period 1 July 2001 - 30 June 2003From Overseas Secretary/Treasurer Meredith Filihia Opening balance $2236.67 Receipts Interest $ 5.06 Total receipts $659.34 Expenditure Stationery $168.19 Postage $847.50 Bank Fees $ 92.52 Total Payments $1364.46 Closing Balance $1531.55 Report from Sec/Treas Tonga: to come THA MembersPATRON: HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita EXECUTIVE Vice-President: Elizabeth Wood-Ellem: fihu28@optusnet.com.au Sec/Treas (Tonga) Salote Fukofuka (Tonga): fukofuka_s@usp.ac.fj Sec/Treas (O/seas) Fay Yule: sandyfay@optusnet.com.au HRH Princess Nanasipau’u Tuku’ako Dr Elizabeth Bott Spillius Dr Ruth Latukefu REPS TO WHOM SUBS SHOULD BE PAID Fahina Tavake Pasi USA Fay Yule Australia Salote Fukofuka: Tonga. No one for Europe yet. SEE BELOW FOR ADDRESSES Tongan History Association Membership Application FormI wish to apply for membership/renew my membership of the Tongan History Association. I enclose$10 for one year ($5 for a student) or $40 for six years (no student reduction). This subscription is in my own currency or a currency acceptable to the representative I am paying, viz. New Zealand Phyllis Herda, Women’s Studies, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, NZ. USA and Canada National Tongan American Society, c/-Fahina Tavake Pasi: 4528 South Wellington Street, Holladay, UTAH 84117, USA. Australia Fay Yule, 2406 Wills Tower, 22-40 Wills St, Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia Tonga Salote Fukofuka USP Centre, PO Box 278, Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Europe no rep at the moment. AMOUNT PAID:…………. NAME……………………………………………………………………… ADDRESS…………………………………………………………………. PHONE NUMBER (at work)…………………(at home)……………… PREFERRED EMAIL ADDRESS WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR NEWSLETTER BY EMAIL OR BY POST? SPECIFIC AREAS OF INTEREST (note that many of our members belong to disciplines other than history) Content Approved by: Head of School
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