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Anthropology ProgramTongan History Association NewsletterVol.4 No.1, January 1993Letter from the PresidentDear Friends, Warmest greetings from Canberra! I am sure everyone of you who attended would agree that our 5th Conference was quite unique in many ways and obviously the best we have had so far. Grateful and sincere thanks are hereby given to Dr. Eric Shumway and Rev. Langi Fine and the members of the organizing committee for the fantastic job they did in arranging such a wonderful conference. I also want to thank Her Royal Highness Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita, the Patron of THA, for her magnificent opening address, which set the tone of the conference, as well as the other participants for the important contribution you all made to the success of this Conference.One of the highlights of the occasion was the growing involvement of Tongans in the conference. There was a significant increase in the numbers of Tongan participants, both men and women, and the quality of their presentations was excellent. It is to be hoped that this trend will continue in the future. In addition, the enthusiastic support given to the conference by the Tongan community in Hawaii, through the most enjoyable musical evening provided by choirs from different churches and others, and also the dancing and feast at the closing ceremony, which made this such a memorable occasion. Undoubtedly, the presence of Her Royal Highness heightened the degree of enthusiasm and excitement; nevertheless, members of the conference have been very appreciative and deeply thankful for sharing the enjoyment of the generosity of the wider Tongan community and our sincere thanks are extended to everyone of them. At the impressive welcome ceremony provided by the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), the President, Dr. Lester Moore, presented a sizable donation, which was to be used to pay for some activity in the Center in the name of Her Royal Highness. In addition, a check for U.S.$1,OOO was also presented as a personal gift to Her Royal Highness. In response, Princess Pilolevu conferred on the President a matapule title from her paternal grandfather's tofia of Talakamotonga, giving President Moore the title of Mafi Fakapotu; and then she presented the $1 ,OOO gift, which had been given to her, as a donation to the THA. We are grateful to Her Royal Highness for such a generous gesture. At our last general meeting it was decided that membership fees should be U.S.$1 0.00 for everyone except those in Tonga, who would pay 10 pa'an~a. Since then it has been pointed out that this decision would be quite burdensome to those members from countries with weaker currencies, such as New Zealand. I am sure you will agree that this is a valid concern, and I therefore suggest that membership fees should be $10.00 of the currency of the country in which a member resides. We will discuss means of collecting fees for 1993 at the next conference.I believe that our Organizing Committee, led by 'Eseta Fusitu'a and Afuha'amango Taumoepeau and including other Executive Committee members in Tonga, is well ahead with planning our next conference to be held in Tonga next year. Let us hope it will be as successful and enjoyable as our last one. May I wish everyone a happy new year,'Ofa atu, Sione Latukefu Call for Papers for the 6th THA Conference in Nuku'alofa, TongaThe next THA Conference is scheduled for June 23rd to 30th at the Tongan National Centre in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Its theme is "Koe Kalauni 'o e Tonga," which means literally "The Crown of Tong a" and figuratively "In recognition and perpetuation of the sublimity of Tonga's Cultural Heritage." It is being organized by Mrs. 'Eseta Fulivai Fusitu'a, Deputy Secretary to Government, Prime Minister's Office, with the assistance of Mr. Afu Taumoepeau, Director, Tongan National Centre, and Secretary of the Conference. Those who wish to be included on the program should send a title and a brief description of their paper to Afu Taumoepeau Paper presentations will last 20 minutes. Members of the Tongan History Association will receive conference brochures in the mail sent directly by the conference organizers from Tonga. If, for some reason, you do not receive the information you need, contact Afu Taumoepeau at the above address (or by phone or fax). The registration fee is T$50. During the conference, morning and afternoon tea will be served, as well as lunch. While there will be no central conference accommodation, the conference organizers are currently negotiating two discount hotel/motel rates for those attending the conference and will inform THA members of these options once they have been established.Dr. Adrienne Kaeppler will prepare an exhibit for the royal katoanga at the Tongan National Centre, and she requests that participants in the conference bring with them to Tong a prints of two photographs (B&W or color) that bear on Tongan culture and history. She requests that these be printed at a size of 8x10 inches or 3larger, for purposes of display. She also asks those who have film footage concerning Tongan culture and history to bring this film with them. It will be possible to show films formatted for USA as well as for nonUSA equipment at the conference, so bring what you have!Those attending the conference may also want to bring books and reprints of materials they have written on Tongan history and culture to show and possibly to sell.This next THA Conference will begin directly prior to the celebration of His Majesty's 75th birthday, together with the jubilee celebration of his reign. Those attending the conference will want to stay on through July 4, 1993, His Majesty's 75th birthday. Since the next THA Conference will coincide with the royal katoanga, participants are advised to book their flights and their accommodations well in advance. Her Royal Highness Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita Arrives in USAHer Royal Highness, Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita, the only daughter of His Majesty and the Patroness of the Tongan History Association, arrived in the San Francisco area in the northern fall for a twoyear tour of duty with her husband, Consulate General Captain MA UPE Kotofa Tuita. In December 1992, Her Royal Highness and her husband were the guests of honor at a special Tong an American buffet that addressed the issue of diabetes among TonganAmericans and, according to the Times of San Mateo County, "aimed at showing that Tongans don't have to sacrifice their cultural values for their health." According to Melieni FalamakaTalakal, a registered nurse who has lived in the USA for 10 years, girth is a sign of wealth for Tongans; and this means that Tongan Americans not only carry excess weight but are unusually prone to diabetes. The evening event the Princess and her husband attended included a banquet that demonstrated healthy ways of eating that did not violate Tongan values. Non-Tongan sugarless dishes were served, along with Tongan specialties that were prepared with a coconut cream substitute and served in small portions. Speaking to a group of health professionals, their TonganAmerican diabetes patients, and the families of these at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Her Royal Highness said: "I'd like to join you in this kind of sensible eating." According to the newspaper article, there are an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 TonganAmericans in the San Francisco Bay Area. 5th THA Conference held at Byuhawai'l [main events] [summary of the business meeting]The fifth Tongan History Association meeting was held at Brigham Young University in Hawai'i. In attendance and honoring the occasion was Her Highness Princess Salote Pilolevu Tuita. Main Events The conference proceedings themselves began with a welcome by Dr. Eric Shumway, Academic Vice President, BYUHawaii, and a presentation by Her Royal Highness called "Kuini:Profile of a Beloved Grandmother." Her Royal Highness's presentation will appear in a future issue of Pacific Studies . Subsequent presentations included: Sione Latukefu, "How and Why I Became the First TongaBorn Professional Historian"; Ian Campbell, "History Policy for Tonga"; "Wendy E. Cowling," View from the Ground: Mangoes and Not Much Else"; Fololini 'Ulu'ave Havea, "Forgotten on Tin Can Island1947"; Afuha'amango Taumoepeau, "Prearranged Marriages: The Quintessence of Tongan Creations (Fa'u)"; Henry Ivarature, "Family Planning and Contraception in Tonga: 1958 to 1990"; Barbara Burns McGrath, "Swimming from Island to island: Illness, Knowledge and Practice"; 'Opeti M. Taliai, "A Remark on Mehekitan~a and Mana": Edgar Tuinukuafe, "PIERC 19761992: The Tongan Contribution"; 'Okusitino Mahina, "The Tongan Traditional History, Talaefonua: A Vernacular EcologyCentered Historico Cultural Concept"; Phyllis Herda, "'Ulukalala and Vuanirewa"; Adrienne Kaeppler, "The Installation of 'Ulukalala: An Historic Moment"; Niel Gunson, "Tu'i Tonga: The Case for Dynastic Sequence"; 'Eseta Fusitu'a, "Tongan Perspectives"; R. Lanier Britsch, "Mormon Intruders in Tonga: The Passport Act of 1922"; Kerry James, "Women in Public Service and the Civil Service in the Twentieth Century in Tonga": Mahe 'Uli'uli Tupouniua, "Queen Salote's Reign, 19181965: Cultural Preservation and Development"; Elizabeth Wood Ellem, "Tongan Society at the Time of Queen Salote"; Male Fa'onelua Taumoepeau, "Proverbial Reflections"; 'Inoke Funaki, "On Being Tongan: A Psychological Perspective"; Jehanne TeilhetFisk, "Clothed in Tradition: The Ta'ovala and Kiekie as Social Text and Aesthetic Markers of Custom and identity in Contemporary Tongan Society"; Paul van der Grijp, "Perspectives on Production and Change in Tonga"; Siosiua Lafitani, "Sephardic Tongans in Australia: Conflict of Values, Behaviors, and Perceptions"; Tupou Hopoate, "My Life in Three Cultures"; Debbie HippoliteWright, "The Pacific Islanders in America Research Project"; Paul Spickard, "Tongans Perceiving and Perceived Ethnic Images and Social Distance among Pacific islanders in Hawaii"; Wendy Pond, "An Introduction to Tonga's Natural History"; Kik VeIt, "Astronomy in Tonga: An Astronomical Viewpoint"; Leilani Perkins, "Socratic Querying in a Tongan Tu'a University: Preparation for Negotiating Revolution and Change"; K. Pota Uaine, "History of Criminal Offences Committed in the Tongan Kingdom"; Tomui Kaloni, "Tongan Architecture as Cultural Expression"; Lewis Kramer, "Lalava: NonFunction Emblems of the Past." On the evening of the first day of the conference, there was a pohiva featuring multiple Tongan choirs, who presented three categories of Tongan songs: "hiva kalala ta'engaue'aki ha me'a lea" (including texts written by Queen Salote, Sofele, and Tuila mo Kavapele); "early religious hymns composed by Tongans"; "anitema or religious anthems"; a formal reply by the President of THA, Dr. Sione Latukefu; and a most enjoyable entertainment provided by the PCC entertainers. Choirs performing included: Taulanga Mata'itofe, Mosimosi, Methodist Honolulu Boys, BYUHawaii Tongan Club, Catholic Church Singers, Honolulu Methodist Choir, Tongan Mormon Choir of O'ahu, Combined Mormon and Methodist Choirs, Tongan Mormon Choir of O'ahu, Combined LDS and Methodist Choir of Laie and Kahuku, Catholic Church Choir, and the Honolulu Methodist Choir. In mid-afternoon on May 22nd, after the last paper, a gala welcome of Her Royal Highness began. Her Royal Highness received a royal reception on May 22,1992, at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The gala event opened with the transportation of royal and other honored guests in a fleet of canoes. Seated in the lead canoe was Her Highness, Elder John H. Grosberge, Jeanie Moore, Drs. Sione and Ruth Latukefu, Reverend Langi and Mrs. Fine, Harry and Kalo Soukop, Alton and Diana Wade, Eric and Carolyn Shumway, Litia Potele, 'Eseta Fusitu'a, Mahe Tupouniua, and Afa Manu Mataele. The canoes traveled on the waterway at the Polynesian Cultural Center until they arrived at the Tongan Islands. As Her Highness disembarked, the Tong an National Anthem was played. Once Her Royal Highness was seated, a formal presentation of gifts was made to her. These included kava and pig and gifts that were presented by each island group. Receiving for Her Royal Highness was the King's matapule, Takapu. Formal giftgiving was followed by the performance of several dances (lakalaka, tau'olunga , and me'etupaki). The evening was taken up with a festive dinner, more dance performances, and a formal welcoming speech by Lester Moore, the President of the Polynesian Cultural Center. The last day of the conference the Association held a business meeting; and at the noon hour a Tongan Festival was held.Of the proceedings, Dr. Shumway reports as follows: "Planning the logistics of the conference was a huge undertaking made easy by the excellent organization of our Continuing Education administrator, Theresa Bigbie, and her staff. The accompanying activities of the concert of Tongan choirs, the royal reception of Princess Pilolevu at the PCC, and the luau and arts festival on Saturday were all accomplished through long and careful cultivation of the many Tongan church congregations, particularly the Catholic, Methodist, and LDS congregations in Hawaii. These accompanying activities to the scholarly presentations were truly magnificent." Summary of the Business MeetingThe following officers were elected unopposed: President, S. Latukefu, Vice President, F. Helu; Secretary/Treasurer: A. Biersack; Assistant Treasurer in Tonga, S. Fukofuka; committee members: I. Campbell, N. Gunson, E. Shumway, A. Taumoepeau. The following members agreed to be the Association's correspondents: P. van der Grijp (Netherlands/Europe), M. Tupouniua (New Zealand), E. Wood Ellem (Australia), S. Fukofuka (Tonga); E. Wolfgramm (Hawaii).There was some discussion of organizing some essay contests. Plans for these essay contests will be finalized at the Nuku'alofa conference in June 1993. At that time as well final decisions will be taken on how to collect member dues and how to coordinate the offices of the SecretaryTreasurer and the Assistant Treasurer. (Prepared with the assistance of Wendy Cowling) PeopleKurt During was in Western Samoa, where he was Chairman of the Scientific Study for the Pacific Islands. He has been working on "The Neutral Zone: Tonga and Samoa 1855-1900." The book depicts with historical photographs how the free enterprise system was introduced into the Pacific Islands (Tonga, Samoa, Hawaii). Presently he may be reached at 35 Chatham Ave., Mt. Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. Kerry James finished her term as a Rockefeller Fellow with the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and took up a Research Fellowship with the Pacific Islands Development Program at the EastWest Center. Helen Kavapalu is now holding a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Melbourne, where she is working on Associate Professor Patricia Grimshaw's project "Colonial Representations of Aboriginal and Polynesian Women in Nineteenth Century Australasia and the Pacific." The project aims to look at how 19th century EuroAmericans perceived gender relations in Polynesian and Aboriginal societies, and how this influenced colonial racial policies and the construction of race into the twentieth century.' Okusitino Mahina has successfully defended his thesis at the Australian National University. Congratulations 'Okusi! New MembersDr. Leialoha A. Perkins' research interests include Pacific religion, folklore, mythology (especially Tongan and Hawaiian), education (Tongan and Hawaiian), and her languages include Tongan, Hawaiian, and English as a Second Language. Her current research is on mythology (legends) and archaeology (Hawaiian); South Pacific contemporary literature; and education. Recent publications include: "'Aumakua [Spirit Guardians]" in Literature for Hawai'i's Children, the Department of English, University of Hawai'i (Honolulu, Hawai'i) (1992); Those who wish to correspond with Dr. Perkins can reach her (along with her husband Roland F. Perkins) at 85 175 Farrington, #B303, Makaha, Hawai'i, USA 96792. Barbara Burns McGrath is finishing a dissertation on healing systems and knowledge of illness in Tonga at the University of Washington. She can be reached at Department of Anthropology DH05, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195. Conferences and AssociationsThe Pacific History Association held its 9th conference in Christchurch on December 15, 1992. Relevant scheduled papers are Nancy Pollock, "The Lomipeau Canoe and Other Traditional Links between 'Uvea and Tonga," and Wendy Pond, "Oceanic Poetry: Texts of Historical Discourse." The Asian and Pacific Development Centre held a conference in Brisbane, Australia, on the Future of Asia Pacific Economics: Pacific Islands at the Crossroads?, on November 10-12, 1992. For information contact c/o Faculty of Asian and International Studies, Nathan Campus, Kessels Road, Brisbane Qld Australia. The Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Nijmegen hosted a conference on "Transformation and Tradition in the South Pacific" at Nijmegen University from December 1719, 1992. Relevant papers included: Christine Loytved, "Midwives in Between: Some Thoughts on the Training of Traditional Birth Attendants in Samoa, Tonga and Fiji" and THA member Paul van der Grijp, "The Making of a Modern ChiefdomState: the Case of Tonga." The Association of Social Anthropologists of Oceania will have their next annual meeting from Wednesday, March 24, 1992, to Sunday, March 28,1993, at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel on the Big island of Hawai'i. Accommodations cost US$90 per night single and $45 per night double. THA members who will be attending are Aletta Biersack, Kerry James, Barbara McGrath, and Jehanne TeilhetFisk. Epeli Hau'ofa will give the keynote address. For further information contact Miriam Kahn, Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA, or Dr. Juliana Flinn, Secretary/Treasurer, ASAO, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204, USA. " Art. Performance and Society is the theme of the 5th international Symposium of the Pacific Arts Association, to be held at the South Australian Museum 1217 April, 1993. UNESCO has declared 1993 as the Year of Indigenous People within the Decade of World Cultural Development. The PAA's 5th International Symposium. Art. Performance and Society, is proposed as an Australian contribution which recognises the significance of this UNESCO initiative. Further details are available from: Susan Cochrane Simons, PAA Coordinator, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000; ph: (8) 207 7383; FAX: (8) 207 7390." (from "The Centre for South Pacific Studies Newsletter," October 1992). " The Australian Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific (AFSP), with over a quarter century experience in NGO development in the South Pacific, is holding a conference on Health in Countries of the Pacific and Pacific Rim, from 19 to 23 April at the Manly Pacific Park Royal Hotel, Sydney. Associates of AFSP around the Pacific and the UK are expected to attend. Persons interested in attending and/or participating should contact: Mr. Harold Webber, ph: 994236; The First International Conference on Oceanic Linguistics (FICOL) will be held at the Vanuatu Complex of the University of the South Pacific from 59 July, 1993. FiCOL will be concerned with the languages of the Oceanic subgroup of Austronesian. Papers are solicited in any of the following areas: descriptive studies, sociolinguistics studies, historical and comparative studies, contact between Oceanic and other (Oceanic or nonOceanic) languages, applied studies (e.g., dictionaries, language teaching, translation), other areas which fit in the focus of the conference. Further information is available from: John Lynch, ph: (678) 22748 The Pacific Science Association is pleased to announce the VII Pacific Science lnterCongress to be held in Okinawa, Japan from 27 June to 3 July 1993. The theme is "The Pacific: Crossroads for Culture and Nature." This international interdisciplinary meeting is sponsored by the Organising Committee in cooperation with the Science Council of Japan. "Scientists, scholars, administrators, government officials and members of the business community who are interested in issues which affect the peoples and environments of the Pacific are encouraged to attend. individuals or organisations wishing to hold sessions in association with the interCongress should contact the Secretariat of the interCongress immediately. All business correspondence should be addressed to: VII Pacific Science interCongress Secretariat, ph (8198) 8952221, ext. 2126, 2027 (from "The Centre for South Pacific Studies Newsletter," October 1992) " The Scandinavian Association for Pacific Research (SAPR) is a network of researchers primarily from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway with a common interest in Pacific Societies. . . . Research results and work in progress are circulated and discussed in meetings and workshops held throughout the year. The network includes practically all anthropologists and other social scioentists from Scandinavia working in the Pacific region. . . . For further information, please contact Dr. Jonathan Friedman, (FAX 46 46 10 47 94)...." (From ASAO Newsletter, October 1992) 9 New PublicationsIan Campbell. 1992a. "A Historical Perspective on Aid and Dependency: The Example of Tonga." Pacific Studies 15: 5976. ____________ Island Kingdom: Tonga Ancient and Modern. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press. Canterbury University Press has sent the following information: "This is the story of Tongan society since its foundation by potterymaking, seafaring colonists about 1500 B.C. The Tongans developed the most elaborately hierarchical society in ancient Polynesia, an their navigators carried their name to distant islands. The book shows how European imperialism, far from oppressing these people, merely set them new challenges to which they repsonded through assimilating Christianity and by political innovation. Looking at the late twentieth century, the book also shows how rapid modernization has presented new social, political and economic changes, which the Tongans have met with characteristic creativity under the imaginative but controversial leadership of King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV." Note that this book will be reviewed In the next issue. During, Kurt. 1992. "Pathways to the Tongan Present'Uuni Hala ki Tonga he Kuonga ni." Nuku'alofa. ___________The Neutral Zone: Tonga and Samoa 1855-1900. Forthcoming. Gordon, Tamar. 1992. Review of C. Gailey's Kinship to Kingship (1987). American Ethnologist 19:601604. Paul van der Grijp, 1991a. "The Significance of Coconuts in the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga." Zeitschrift fur die Landwirtschaft in den Tropen and Subtropen 92: 145152. ____________ "Giftenverkeer, ruilhandel en wapengekletter. Eerste contacten tussen Europa en Polynesie." Tijdschrift voor zeegeschiedeenis. 10:101115. ___________. 1992. "The island Kingdom of Tonga." Standpoints 5(3):48. Hills, Rodney C. 1991. "Tonga's Constitution and the Changing State." Discussion Paper No. 4, Regime Change and Regime Maintenance in Asia and the Pacific. Department of Political and Social Change, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Kerry James. 1992. "Tongan Rank Revisited: Religious Hierarchy, Social Stratification and Gender in the Ancient Tongan Polity." Social Analysis 31. ____________ 1991. "Migration and Remittances." Pacific Viewpoint 32:123. Luckcock, Janet Lousia. 1990. Thomas of Tonga. 1797-1881: The Unlikely Pioneer. Peterborough: Methodist Publishing House. Note that this book will be reviewed in the next Issue. 10 Milne, Simon. 1990. "The Economic Impact of Tourism in Tonga." Pacific Viewpoint 31:2443. Note from the EditorI was sorry to have missed you in Hawai'i. Dr. Shumway chose a date that conflicted with something I had a prior commitment to here in Oregon, and both he and President Latukefu knew in advance of the May 1992 meeting that I would not be able to come. For those of you who have agreed to be correspondents, you represent a considerable geographical expanse, and it would be wonderful to report on events happening in Europe, Australia, Tonga, and the USA in this Newsletter; but I would need your assistance to do so. You are the eyes and ears of THA. If anything bearing on Tonga and its culture and history occurs within your "domain," please do send me a notice of the event; and I will carry word of it here. If you see any publications or films that you think the members should know about, let me know and I'll report it here. The membership at large is invited to send in information on individual research projects, presentations, and publications. I read certain journals but not others; I browse in certain bookstores but not in others; so my knowledge is limited. Let me know what you find. Let me know what news you have about you. My address is: Department of Anthropology, FAX: 15033462040. A whole year has passed since the last newsletter. I don't expect that to happen again. The next newsletter will be out sometime in May of this year. A list of budget accommodation in Tonga is enclosed. See you in Tonga! Respectfully yours, Return to Newsletter Index Content Approved by: Head of School
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