Humanities and Social Sciences

Anthropology Program

Tongan History Association Newsletter

Vol.8 No.1, May 1997

THA Canberra Conference

The THA conference held in Canberra, January 28-31, marked the tenth anniversary of the workshop on Tongan history held at the Australian National University in 1987, which led to the formation of the association. This year's conference was held in the same room as that first workshop, and although more formally organised, it had the same atmosphere of friendliness and enthusiasm as that first gathering. The conference was dedicated to the memory of the late Rev. Dr. Sione Latukefu, who was instrumental in organising that first workshop and who became the first president of the THA. The theme of this year's conference was "Tonga: World War II to the Present".

The conference was opened by Prince Lavaka-Ata-`Ulukalala, speaking on "Traditions" and pointing out that "traditions are not static". The Prince sat in on some of the conference sessions, as did Princess Nanasipau`u Tuku`aho. The royal couple were also present at the conference dinner, held on January 30, at which a large gathering enjoyed food and entertainment provided by the Tongans of Canberra and Queanbeyan and a recital by Lotte Latukefu (opera singer and daughter of Sione Latukefu) and Marilyn Meier (pianist).

As well as the conference dinner, participants were also treated to an evening of cultural displays by a group from `Atenisi Institute and some Tongans resident in Canberra, including a demonstration of nose flute playing, an excerpt from the royal kava ceremony, a poety reading, and dances from Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti, and Hawai`i. Another feature of the conference was an exhibition set up by Dr Niel Gunson, "Tonga from Early Times to World War II: An Exhibition of Books and Images" which ran for the whole week of the conference.

In all, sixteen papers were presented at the conference, all of which were very well received, as was a panel discussion led by Ewan Maidment on "Preserving the Past: The Archival Question". The conference committee had scheduled plenty of time for discussion of each paper, however the level of interest in every paper meant that even this generous discussion time never seemed to be enough! Following is a list of the papers in order of presentation:

Elizabeth Wood-Ellem: "World War II in Tonga"

Adrienne Kaeppler: "Airplanes and Saxaphones in the Visual and Performing Arts"

Phyllis Herda: "A Changing Sense of Wealth: Koloa in Tongan History"

Siosiua Lafitani: "Tongan Migration and Politics Since the Last Phase of World War II"

Brenda Tu`ifua: "Tongans in Hawai`i Since 1960: An Historical Behavioural Analysis of Faka`apa`apa as a Cultural Value"

Meredith Filihia: "Perceptions of the Past: Changing Interpretations of the Kava Ritual"

Paul Taylor: "Perceptions of the Past: Tongan Myths and Legends - Their Interpretation in Light of Geohistorical Events"

Finau Kolo: "Tongan Transformations and Nationalism: Tradition and Modernity"

John Garrett: "The Churches Since World War II"

Makisi Finau: "The Emergence of the Maamafo`ou Movement from the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga [1970-1978] Led by Rev. Senituli Koloi"

Kerry James: "Analysing the Emergence of a Middle Class - The 1990s"

Helen Morton: "How Tongan is a Tongan? Cultural Authenticity Revisited"

Futa Helu: "Changes to Psychology of Tonga During and Since World War II"

Gareth Grainger: "Tonga and Australia Since World War II"

Geoff Cummins: personal reflections (in session with Gareth Grainger)

'Okusitino Mahina: "Tradition and Modernity: Salote Tupou III vs Taufa`ahau Tupou IV"

Minutes of the General Meeting of the THA, January 31 1997

Financial Report

Account held by H. Morton

Amount transferred by outgoing Treasurer, 1995 $1427

Income during 1995-1997 $ 1568.20

TOTAL $2995.20

Expenditure 1995-1997 $736.12

BALANCE $AUD 2259.08

Funds in other currencies

Tongan account $TOP 958.43

Tongan publications account $TOP 10,174.12

New Zealand account $NZ 279

Some thirty (30) members are not financial: it was decided by the meeting to have personal reminders sent with the May newsletter, and then to cease sending the newsletter to any individuals who do not pay their dues.

Publication

Since the conference proceedings for the Nuku`alofa conference have not yet been published, and papers from some other THA conferences are still awaiting publication, a publishing committee was established to move things along. The committee comprises Futa Helu, Helen Morton, and Phyllis Herda, with Brenda Tu`ifua to investigate the availability of papers from the Hawai`i conference.

Publication of the 1997 conference is to be organised by Deryck Scarr, Niel Gunson, and Ruth Latukefu.

Available abstracts of the 1997 papers are to be placed on the THA homepage.

Next Conference

Tentative plans were made to hold the next conference in Tonga in 1999, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of THA's establishment. Salote Fukofuka to be approached to organise the conference, and Princess Nanasi Tuku`aho has offered to assist.

Suggestions raised were: to use the new conference centre at Kolovai; to time the conference to coincide with Tongan school holidays to enable teachers to attend; to advertise early to enable people to organise leave; and to have the conference close to the King's birthday.

Exhibition

It was suggested that the exhibition organised by Niel Gunson for the THA conference could be taken to Tonga in 1998. Niel, Elizabeth Wood-Ellem and Adrienne Kaeppler are to investigate this possibility.

Preservation of Historical Sites

Futa Helu raised the issue of Sione Latukefu's wish to preserve historical monuments in Tonga. Some action had been taken before Sione's death toward erecting a monument in Kolovai: Futa will investigate further action.

Constitution

The Constitution was voted in as is, unanimously. [See final copy attached]

Election of Committee Members

All present office bearers were re-elected for the next period by unanimous vote. Non-office bearing committee members were nominated: Edgar Tu`inukuafe, `Eseta Fusitu`a, Adrienne Kaeppler, and Meredith Filihia. Adrienne declined her nomination. The remaining three were voted in, pending acceptance by Edgar and `Eseta, who were not present at the meeting. [N.B. `Eseta has since accepted but no word from Edgar]

Conferences and Events

"Featuring Paradise: Representations of the Pacific in Film" is the title of the University of Hawai`i's Center for Pacific Islands Studies annual conference. It will be held in Honolulu, 11-13 November 1997 and will therefore coincide with the Hawai`i International Film Festival. Five panels are planned for the conference, to focus on the themes of paradise, gender, race and class, violence, and indigenous filmmaking. For information contact Letitia Hickson <ctisha@hawaii.edu> at the CPIS, School of Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Studies, University of Hawai`i at Manoa, 1890 East-West Rd, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96822. Fax: (808) 956-7053

"Islands in the Pacific Century" is the theme of the Pacific Science Inter-Congress to be held at the University of the South Pacific 13-19 July 1997. For information contact VIII Pacific Science Association Inter-Congress Secretariat, c/o School of Pure and Applied Sciences, USP, Suva, Fiji. Fax: (679) 314007.

The Pacific History Association's conference will be held in July 1998 in Honiara, Solomon Islands. For informations contact Max Quanchi, School of Humanities, Queensland University of Technology, Beams Rd, Carseldine, Queensland, Australia 4034. Email <m.quanchi@qut.edu.au> Fax: 61-7-38644719.

[Information on the above three conferences drawn from Pacific News from Manoa, newsletter of the Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai`i]

The third conference of The European Society for Oceanists (ESFO) was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, 13-15 December 1996, with the theme "Pacific Peoples in the Pacific Century". THA member Thomas Malm reported as follows:

It was perhaps the biggest and most diverse conference of Oceania which has ever been held in Europe. Over 250 scholars from all over the world attended and over 100 papers were presented. The following papers were of particular relevance for people interested in Tonga:

Roger Cowell [THA]: "Mataapule - Two Orators; Two Styles: Place and Identity in Village Tonga"

Francoise Douaire-Marsaudon [THA]: "Gender, Identity and the Gift in Western Polynesia"

Sina Emde: "Living Different Lives: Gender and Identity of Female Students at the University of the South Pacific"

Paul van der Grijp [THA]: "Tongan Culture, Agriculture and Development"

Thomas Malm [THA]: "Harvesting the Coral Gardens' An Ethnobiological Study of Marine Gathering in the Tongan Islands, Polynesia"

Jeff Marck: "On Modelling the Demise of a Common Language Between Tonga and Samoa"

Ute Meiser [THA]: "Coping with Contradictions in the Tongan Health System"

Avigail Morris [THA]: "Playing to a New Rhythm: Competition Between Tradition and Modernization on the Playing Field"

Thomas reported that THA members Marie-Claire Bataille-Benguigui and Ian Campbell also attended, and Ian presented a paper on PNG. Tamar Gordon, Siaosi `Ilaiu [THA] and 'Okusitino Mahina [THA] were all scheduled to present papers but were unable to attend.

Keynote speakers included Epeli Hau`ofa, speaking about "The Ocean in Us"; Margie Falanruw (Yap); Malama Meleisea (W.Samoa/New Zealand), Ralph Regenvanu (Vanuatu) and Marshall Sahlins. (USA). The paper presented by Sahlins was presented at the end of the conference, in a hall filled to capacity, and was entitled "The End of Sentimental Pessimism: Reflections on Epeli Hau`ofa's 'Our Sea of Islands'".

For reasons of space Thomas's report has been edited down but the final paragraph needs to be left as is:

"On the Monday after the conference, some participants joined Professor Jonathan Friedman and me on the 45 minute ride by ferry across to Sweden where we were going to have a whole day seminar on 'Globalization and Ethnic Mobilization in Hawaii and the Pacific' at the University of Lund. On Tuesday, Epeli Hau`ofa was lecturing on 'Our Sea of Islands' at the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Lund, and during the following Christmas lunch he received a silver pendant, a copy of the ancient god Thor's hammer, and was appointed an honorary Viking. On our drive in the countryside along the southernmost coast of Sweden, the following day, we stopped at a little shop and museum for amber and amber jewellry. When the man who was working with amber heard that Epeli was from Tonga, he asked us to come out with him in his back yard. He pulled aside a covering layer of thick plastic and under it we found an outrigger canoe from somewhere in Oceania. The amazing thing was that this canoe had come floating right up to the beach where this man was living! He had found out that a ship, some years before, had sunk in the strait between Sweden and Denmark, and that a Swedish captain had lost all his South Sea collections with the ship. The captain had now passed away, and this amber jeweller kept the canoe which obviously must have been floating around in the sea for some years. With that greeting from Oceania, the conference was finally over!"

The annual conference of the Association for Social Anthropology in Oceania (ASAO) was held in San Diego, USA, 18-22 February 1997. A number of THA members and other scholars of Tonga attended.

Barbara Burns McGrath (THA), presented papers on "`Some peoples, if you marry, you marry to everybody': a Tongan story narration", and "Seattle Fa`a Samoa" and Helen Morton (THA) gave a paper "How Tongan is a Tongan? Cultural authenticity revisited".

THA members Phyllis Herda, Jehanne Teilhet-Fisk and Nancy Pollock all had papers in a symposium entitled "Weaving the World: 'Cloth' in Oceania, however they were unable to attend the conference. The session was organised by Heather Young Leslie, who presented a paper on Tonga, "Like a mat being woven". Adrienne Kaeppler (THA) acted as discussant for this session.

Three papers on Tonga were presented in the session on "Engendered Wealth and the Cross-Sibling Dyad", including a paper by Phyllis Herda, presented in absentia, one by Adrienne Kaeppler, and another by Heather Young Leslie.

In a session on "Sustaining Islanders: Economy, Ecology, and People in Pacific Islands States" the organisers both presented papers on Tonga. Mike Evans gave a paper "Is Tonga's MIRAB economy sustainable? A view from the village, and view without it" and the paper presented by Charlie Stevens was entitled "The yen for soil: sustainability and the hidden costs of squash production in the kingdom of Tonga".

Mike Evans, Charlie Stevens and Heather Young Leslie also organised an informal session on "Regarding Hierarchy" which had a good attendance although somewhat biased towards Tonga since three others working on Tonga were also present: Helen Morton, Susan Philips and Ernest Olson.

Following the precedent established last year, a dinner for those working on Tonga was held, and it was attended by all mentioned above who were present at the conference with the exception of Adrienne Kaeppler, who was unable to attend, and with the addition of Niko Besnier. Both the conference and the dinner provided ample opportunity to discuss our work, exchange ideas and - of course - gossip!!

People

Rory Ewins has been awarded a Research Scholar Award to work at the Macmillan Brown Centre for three months this year to revise his doctoral thesis for publication.

Steven Francis was awarded a scholarship for his doctoral studies and has taken up a place at the University of Melbourne. Steven plans to research Tongan migration and hopes to carry out fieldwork in Tonga in 1998. His address is Anthropology Programme, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville Victoria 3052, Australia. Fax: 61-3-9349 4218.

Freya Higgins Desbiolles is working on her PhD at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. Her work is on responsible tourism in the Pacific, including a case study of Tonga. She writes: "The concept is promoting a tourism development that is owned and planned and controlled by the host community and which aims at sustainability socially, economically, and enviromentally." Freya invites any suggestions, comments and assistance that any THA members may be able to provide. Her email address is:

<freya.higgins-desbiolles@flinders.edu.au>

`Alopi Latukefu has left his position at the National Centre for Development Studies in Canberra to become the Publications and Media Officer for the Sydney University Post-Graduate Representative Association. He will continue his work on the SPIN site (see "internet" below). 'Alopi can be contacted at SUPRA Publications and Media, Building LO2B, Sydney University, NSW 2006, Aust. Email: <alatukef@mail.usyd.edu.au>

Thomas Malm is researching, among other things, the importance of marine organisms in Tongan culture, both in the past and present. He is requesting that any THA member with information on the palolo or balolo worm (a polychaet worm, Eunice Viridis) occuring in Tonga. He is keen to know on which islands the worm is harvested, how the worms are obtained and eaten, if there are any legends about them, any special terminology, special festivities, etc. Any information from personal observations to references to published or unpublished works will be welcome. Please contact Thomas at the University of Lund, Department of Social Anthropology, PO Box 114, S-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Fax: 46 46-222 4794. Email: <Thomas.Malm@soc.lu.se>

Melenaite Taumoefolau is now the Honorary Secretary of the Polynesian Society in New Zealand.

New Members

Emiliania Afeaki, 4 Garland Place, Spence ACT 2615, Australia. Phone: (06) 259-1821

Rev. Makisi Finau, Pacific Theological College, Private Bag, Suva, Fiji.

Sione Fonua, 69 Vermont St, Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand.

John Garrett, 32/2 Dalton Rd, Mosman NSW 2088, Australia. Tel/Fax: 61-2-9969 5194

Shirley Hughes PO Box 943, Bowral NSW 2576. Phone: (048) 61-4849. Shirley has been researching the "riddle of the Portland" an American ship seized in Tonga in 1802 which escaped with only a few crewmen then disappeared. She is particularly interested in Elizabeth Morey, a young white woman who survived the seizure of the Portland and remained in Tonga for two years, as no account of her experiences has ever been published. (See "Publications and Resources" below for Shirley's article on this.)

Siaosi L. Ilaiu, 564 Gt South Rd, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand.

Finau Kolo, Centre for Development Studies, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. Phone: (09) 3737599 ext 6928. Email: <F.Kolo@auckland.ac.nz>

Siosiua Lafitani, PhD student at the Australian National University. 13 Julia Flynn Avenue, Isaacs ACT 2607, Australia. Phone: (06) 2866714.

`Alopi Latukefu (see note above)

Dr `Okusitino Mahina, 35 Edenvale Cres., Mt Eden, Auckland, New Zealand. Phone: (09) 6233348.

Jesse Makani Markham, of 525 Kilauea Avenue, Apt. 201, Hilo, Hawai`i 96720. Makani's interest in Tonga stems from socialising with Tongas while studying in Los Angeles and finding their culture "similar yet quite different" from the Hawaiian culture in which Makani grew up. Currently Makani is applying to the graduate school of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa in geography and Pacific Island Studies.

Vere McLeod is a psychology student, of 59 Cobram St, Berrigan NSW 2712. Phone: (03) 58-852-164.

Peter Nightingale of St Paul's College, 183 Richmond Rd, Auckland 2, New Zealand. Some of you may remember Peter from the "Linking Our Sea of Islands" conference in Auckland.

Rev. `Opeti `Ofamo`oni, 21/148 Howe St, Auckland 1, New Zealand. Phone: (09) 3769345.

Guy Powles, Faculty of Law, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168. Ph: (03) 9905 3361, Fax: (03) 9905 5305.

Dr Max Rimoldi of the Anthropology Department, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. Phone: (09) 6307812.

Deryck Scarr, Department of Pacific and Asian History, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia. Fax: (06) 2495525.

Mele and `Opeti Taliai, 323 Postman Rd, RD4 Albany, Auckland, New Zealand.

Cadet James Taumoepeau PO Box 3618, West Point, NY 10997, USA. Email: <x74724a2@cadet1.usma.edu>

Brenda Tu`ifua has been doing some research at the University of Hawai`i, looking at the dynamics of change and adaptation for immigrant Tongans. Brenda works at Brigham Young University as a Scholarships and Awards Analyst. Her address is BYU, Box 1753, Laie, Hawai`i 96762. Email: <tuifuab@byuh.edu> Fax: (808) 293-3645

Sione Tu`itahi, 16 Glastron Place, Glenfield, Auckland, New Zealand.

Phillip Tukia is an attorney practising business and corporate litigation in California, USA. Phillip immigrated to California with his family in 1971 and completed a law degree at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science at California State University, Northridge. His address is 7959 Jamieson Ave, Reseda, California 91335-2220.

Taniela Vao, c/- Allan Thomas, School of Music, Victoria University, Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. Phone: (04) 4721000

Interest in THA is growing as more people find out about us via our homepage. In the past couple of months thirteen more individuals have filled in the registration form provided on the homepage, and while not all will necessarily go on to pay their dues and become members, this is an indication of a very healthy upsurge in interest in our association.

Publications and Other Resources

Burley, David 1996 "Sport, status, and field monuments in the Polynesian Chiefdom of Tonga: The pigeon snaring mounds of Northern Ha`apai" Journal of Field Archeology 23 (4):421

Ernst, Manfred 1994 Winds of Change: Rapidly Growing Religious Groups in the Pacific Islands. Suva: Pacific Conference of Churches. (Foreword by Sione Latukefu)

Fanua, Tupou Posesi, with Lois Wimberg Webster 1997 Malo Tupou: An Oral History. Auckland: Pasifika Press. Distributed by University of Hawai`i Press, Honolulu, outside the South Pacific.

Helu, 'I. Futa 1995. Herakleitos of Ephesos. Nuku'alofa: 'Atenisi University.

Hughes, Shirley 1996 "The riddle of the Portland lost in the South Pacific - 1802. The American Neptune 56 (1):7-17.

Luders, David 1996 "Legend and history: Did the Vanuatu-Tonga kava trade cease in A.D. 1447?" The Journal of the Polynesian Society 105 (3):287

Macintosh, June 1994 Worlds Apart: Tonga/Australia. Springwood, NSW: Butterfly Books. (Foreword by HRH Prince Tu`ipelehake)

Matavalea, Claudia N.d [1995] Fieldguide to Landbirds of Tonga. Nuku`alofa: Friendly Islands Bookshop

Ottovar, Annagrethe 1994 Kato Tu`aniu: Baskets of Tonga. Suva and Nuku`alofa: Tourism Council of the South Pacific

Pasikale, Ana 1996 Seen But not Heard: Voices of Pacific Islands Learners. Education and Training Support Agency, Wellington, New Zealand. [looks at learning experiences of students of Pacific Islander background in NZ]

1997 Pacific Islands Education and Training, a Selected Annotated Bibiliography. Education and Training Support Agency, Wellington, NZ.

Sanft, Dick 1996 "How did the steel guitar travel to Tonga?" in Lorene Ruymar (ed.) The Hawaiian Steel Guitar and Its Great Hawaiian Musicians pp.44-45. Anaheim Hills, CA:Centerstream Publishing

Vaiola Hospital Board of Visitors 1994 The Tastes of Tonga: A Guide to Living and Cooking in Tongatapu. Nuku`alofa

UBD Tonga Business and Trade Directory 1995 [Order from UBD - The Business Information Company, Private Bag 56-902 Dominion Rd, Auckland, NZ]

Walsh, A. Crosbie 1994 "A scatter of islands: reminiscences from Tonga, Rarotonga, Niue, and Fiji" in Eric Waddell and Patrick Nunn (eds) The Margin Fades: Geographical Itineraries in a World of Islands pp.103-120. Suva: Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific.

Whitbeck, Sally 1997 "About hospitality the Tongan way" Islands: An International Magazine 17 (2):170

Video

Pacific Passages is "an upclose look at the islands and peoples of the Pacific" which includes contemporary footage as well as material from the collections of the Honolulu Academy of Art and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. The video was produced and directed by Caroline Yacoe, Wendy Arbeit, and GB Hajim. THA member Wendy Arbeit reports that the video was crafted for the Hawai`i state-mandated seventh-grade Pacific Island Studies class but has also received wide acclaim from older audiences. She adds that it includes plenty of footage of Tonga! Pacific Passages is available from Pacific Pathways/Palm Frond Productions, PO Box 23296, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96823. Phone/fax: (808) 396-3326. Email: <cyacoepp@aol.com>. It costs $75 NTSC and $85 PAL.

Uiaki Fono: Resolving the Future is a documentary on democracy in Tonga available from Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), 1221 Kapi`olani Boulevard, Suite 6A-4, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96814. Email <piccom@aloha.net> Fax: (808) 591-1114. PIC also has a video catalogue available and a web site (see "internet" below)

Microfilm

The letterbooks of the former Premier of Tonga, Shirley Baker, 1884-1890, were microfilmed by the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau in August 1996.

Archives

Those researching Tongan history may be interested to know of the journal of Rev. Matthew Wilson [b.1808, d.1876], which is kept in the Mortlock Library in Adelaide. Wilson was a missionary in Tonga from 1836-1854, living mainly in Hihifo and Mu`a. Kay Hinnrichsen of Western Australia contacted me about this journal, written by her great great grandfather, and is interested to know if anyone has further information on Wilson, his wife Maria and their children (all born in Tonga). Her email address is <kayhin@southwest.com.au>

Theses

Bernardo, Giovanni 1996 A Computational Approach to Spatial Cognition: Representing Spatial Relationships in Tongan Language and Culture. PhD, University of Illinois.

Stevens, Charles 1996 The Political Ecology of a Tongan Village. PhD, University of Arizona

A useful resource recently published is:

Pacific Islands Dissertations and Theses from the University of Hawai`i 1923-1996. Compiled by Lynette Furuhashi. The Center for Pacific Islands Studies Occasional Paper 39. [Available from University of Hawai`i at Manoa, Center for Pacific Islands Studies, 1890 East-West Rd, Moore 215, Honolulu, Hawai`i 96822, USA]

Thomas Malm has contributed a third part of his compilation of theses on Tonga:

THESES ON TONGA: Part III

The first two parts of this bibliography were published in the Tongan History Association Newsletter Vol. 5, No. 1 and 2, 1994 (the second one in co-operation with Paul van der Grijp). The bibliography only includes theses on Tongan culture and history, i.e. theses on natural history have been excluded. It is published in the hope that the readership may be able to contribute information to make the bibliography more complete.

Ake, M.H. 1986. Tuberculosis Control in the Kingdom of Tonga. Singapore:National University of Singapore. M.Sc.thesis.

Baker, K.D. 1975. High School Education in Tonga: Relevance and Endpoints; An Investigation. Palmerston North: Massey University. Dip.Ed.thesis.

Bloomfield, P.S. 1975. The Role of Education in Rural Development with Special Reference to the Kingdom of Tonga. London: Institute of Education, University of London. M.A.thesis.

Brook, B.A. 1980. An Information System for planning Agriculture Development in the Kingdom of Tonga. Christchurch: Lincoln College, University of Canterbury. M.A.thesis.

Chapman, B.A. 1972. Adaptation and Maintenance in the Extended Family of Tongan Immigrants: Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City: University of Utah. M.A.thesis.

Christensen, G.K. 1974. An Evaluation of Mariner's Account of the Tongan Islands as an Historical Document. Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Clark, W.F. 1975.Population, Agriculture and Urbanization in the Kingdom of Tonga. Chicago: University of Michigan. Ph.D.thesis.

Collocott, E.E.V. 1928. Tales and Poems of Tonga. Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin 46. Submitted as a D.Litt. thesis to the University of Melbourne.

Connan, J. M. 1985. A Study of Authority and Power in the Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga, 1977-1982. Pasadena: Fuller Theol. Seminar. M.Th.thesis.

Coxon, E. 1988. A Critical Education: The 'Atenisi Alternative.Auckland:University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Dillon, R.A. 1983. Hala-'o-vave: A Study of Settlement in a low lying Marsh Area of Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Armidale: University of New England. Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning thesis.

Donald, S.L. 1994. In Some Sense the Work of an Individual: Alfred Willis and the Tongan Anglican Mission 1902-1920. Hibiscus Coast (New Zealand): ColCom Press. (Based on a Diploma Scholar thesis, New Zealand Joint Board of Theological Studies.)

Drilon, M.L. 1988. Effects of Sources of Income on Consumption Behaviour: Evidence from the Kingdom of Tonga. Armidale: University of New England. M.Ec.thesis.

Dye, T.S. 1987. Social and Cultural Change in the Prehistory of the Ancestral Polynesian Homeland. New Haven: Yale University. Ph.D.thesis.

Ewins, R. 1995. Tradition, Politics and Change in Contemporary Fij and Tonga. Canberra: Australian National University. Ph.D. thesis.

Fahina, P.N. 1985. Aspects of Internal Migration in Tonga: A Survey of Outer Island Migrants in three Settlements in Nuku'alofa.Auckland:University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Fakahua, S.A. 1968. John Wesley and Workshops in the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Falau, S. 1975. A Study of the Role of the Minister in the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Faletau, M. 1985. Economic Impact of the Vanilla Development Project on the Vava'u Region, Tonga.Armidale: University of New England. M.A.thesis.

Finau, M. 1986. The Emergence of the Maamafo'ou Movement from the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Finau, S.T. 1975. Pastoral Visiting: An Aspect of Pastoral Care; A Critical Assesment of Pastoral Visiting in Tongan Wesleyan Village. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Finau, S.T. 1979. Marriage and Family Life in Tonga: Strategies to strengthen Marriages and Family Life in Tongan Villages. Faculty of the School of Theology at Claremont. D.Min.thesis.

Francis, S. 1990. Class Formation in the Pacific Islands of Tonga: An Investigation of different Conceptualisations of Class within a Hierarchical Society. Victoria: Monash University. M.A.thesis.

Furneaux, M. 1973. Pacific Islands Students at Auckland University: An Exploratory Survey of the Problems of Learning and Adjustment of Undergraduates from Tonga, Cook Islands and Western Samoa. Auckland:University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Fusitu'a, E.F. 1976. King George Tupou II and the Government of Tonga. Canberra:Australian National University. M.A.thesis.

Halapua, S. 1980. Structural Change and Economic Development: The Case of Small Scale Fisheries in Tonga. Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Halapua, W. 1971. The Comparison of the Book of Proverbs with Tongan Proverbs. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Ha'angana, S. 1979. Lotu and Christianity: A Tongan Experience.Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Herda, P. 1983. A Translation and Annotation of the Journals of the Malaspina Expedition during their Stay on Vava'u, Tonga, 1793. (Abridged version: Vava'u Journals of Alexandro Malaspina - 1793.) Auckland:University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Hingano, 'A. S. 1987. Educational Philosophy in the Kingdom of Tonga 1866 to 1984.Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Hook,H. 1936. Christianity in Polynesia with particular reference to the Work of the Anglican Church. Otago: University of New Zealand. B.A. Hons.thesis.

Kaea, T. 1980. Tongan Diaspora. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Kautoke, B.S. 1985. Application to the Primary Health Care Concept of Tonga. Hobart: University of Tasmania. M.Sc.thesis.

Lafitani, S. 1992. Tongan Diaspora: Perceptions, Values and Behaviour of Tongans in Canberra. Canberra: Australian National University. Master of Letters thesis.

Lavaka, P. 1983. The Limits of Advice: Britain and the Kingdom of Tonga 1900-1970. Canberra: Australian National University. Ph.D.thesis.

Lavulo, T.P. 1988. Development Planning: The Tongan Experience 1965-1985. Armidale: University of New England. M.Ec.thesis.

Lokotui, F. 1981. Tongan Identity and Christianity. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Luckock, J.L. 1990. Thomas of Tonga, 1797-1881: The Unlikely Pioneer. Open University. Published by Methodist Publishing House, Peterborough. Ph.D.thesis.

Lutui, S.M. 1984. Monarchical Perspectives (Israel and Tonga). Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Macilree, J. 1980. The Aristocratic Revolution in Tonga, 1799-1810. Otago: University of Otago. B.A.thesis.

Mackenzie, M. 1971. The Concept of Civilisation: European Evaluations of the Tongans, 1616-1824. Chicago: University of Chicago. M.A.thesis.

Mafi, T.F. 1978. Sunday School in the Church in Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

McGrath, B.B. 1993. Making Meaning of Illness, Dying and Death in the Kingdom of Tonga. Seattle: University of Washington. Ph.D. thesis.

McRae, C.J. 1973. Teacher Training in Tonga and the Cook Islands: A Comparative Study. Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.

McRae, C.J. 1986. Problems of Educational Development in the Kingdom of Tonga. London: University of London. Ph.D.thesis.

Meiser, U. 1995. Sie leben mit den Ahnen: Krankheit, Adoption und Tabukonflikt in der polynesisch-tonganischen Kultur. Frankfurt am Main: Brandes und Apsel; Schriften zur Ethnopsychoanalyse. (Book based on a Ph.D. thesis.)

Moala, S. 1983. The Impact of Westernization on Faka'apa'apa in the Tongan Api. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Mone, A. 1974. A Study of the Adolescence in the Changing Tongan Social Situation and its Implications for Christian Education. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Mone, A. 1979. Adult Christian Education for the Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga. Claremont: School of Theology. D.Min.thesis.

Mone, F.H. 1991. A Historical Comparison of Fijian and Tongan Methodism: Why is one divided and the other united? Suva: Pacific Theological College. M.Th.thesis.

Mone, H.F.T. 1978. Development - an Aspect of the Church Role: The Role of the Free Wesleyan Church in Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Niu, S.T. 1986. An Experiment comparing Tongan Students taught in their Native Language with Tongan Students taught in English. Laie, Hawaii: Brigham Young University. Ed.D.thesis.

Oldofredi, A. 1975. Das Sudsee-Konigreich Tonga: Versuch einer Darstellung aus volkerkundlicher Sicht. Freiburg: Universitat Freiburg. Dr.Phil.thesis.

Parsons, C.D.F. 1981. Sickness Experience and Languages: Aspects of Tongan and Western Accounting. Waikato: University of Waikato. Ph.D.thesis.

Pinson, W.J. 1970. The Diocese of Polynesia 1868-1910. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Priestley, J.R. 1975. Anglo-Tongan Relations, 1899-1905. Newcastle: University of Newcastle. B.A.Hons.thesis.

Puloka, T.T. 1979. Toward Contextualization: An Attempt at Conceptualizing Theology for the Tongan Church. Claremont: School of Theology. D.Min.thesis.

Ritchie, B. 1983. A Sense of Place in Society: The Role and Significance of the House in Tonga.Christchurch:University of Cambridge. M.A.thesis.

Ritterbush, S.D. 1985. The Effects of the Constitutional Monarchy on Development Trends in the Kingdom of Tonga. Honolulu: University of Hawaii. M.A./Ph.D.thesis.

Sefanaia, S. 1982. Smallholder Intercropping under Coconuts in Tonga: An Analysis using MULBUD. Canberra: Australian National University. M.Ag.thesis.

Stanton, G.N. 1961. The Bishop of Dunedin, the Anglican Church and Polynesia. Otago: University of Otago. B.A. Hons.thesis.

Struck, M 1988. Der Papalangi und seine Welt in der Vorstellung tonganischer Jugendlicher. M.A., University of Hamburg. [ "The papalangi and his world in the imagination of Tongan teenagers/youth"]

Tafea, M. 1969. Church and Polities in Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Tafuna, M. 1988. A Comparative Study of the Patriarch of Israel and the 'Ulumotu'a in Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Taliai, 'O. M. 1989. Social Differentiation of Language Levels in Tonga. Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Taufa, T. 1980. The Tongan Graduate: A Descriptive Study. Palmerston North: Massey University. M.A.thesis.

Taufe'ulungaki, 'A.M. 1988. Implications of Language Attitudes to Language Planning in a Bilingual Situation. Birmingham: University of Birmingham. Ph.D. thesis.

Thaman, K.H. 1988. Ako and Faiako: Educational Concepts, Cultural Values, and Teacher Role Perceptions in Tonga. Suva: University of the South Pacific. Ph.D.thesis.

Tohi, V.T. 1972. A Study in the Nature of the Church as seen in the Anglican Church of Tonga. Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Townsend, A.H. 1974. Exchange Patterns and Trading in Tonga and Tahiti at the Time of Contact with the Explorers: An Ethnohistory of Culture Contact Situation.Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Tupouniua, P. 1970. Persistence and Change: A Study of a Village in Tonga. Auckland: University of Auckland. M.A.thesis.

Vaha'i, S. 1988. Hospital Chaplaincy (NGU Hospital - Vava'u) from the Perspective of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga.Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Vea, S.M. 1981. A Theology of Tongan Culture with special reference to Kava and Ta'ovala.Suva: Pacific Theological College. B.D.thesis.

Arne Aleksej Perminow, author of The Long Way Home: Dilemmas of Everyday Life in a Tongan Village (1993) has completed his PhD thesis at the University of Oslo in Norway. The thesis is entitled Moving Things of Love. An Ethnography of Constitutive Motions on Kotu Island in Tonga. Alex was due to publicly defend his thesis in March, however at the time of writing no news had been received from him about the outcome.

Reader Contributions

What did Radcliffe-Brown do in Tonga?

Thomas Malm

In his book "Islanders of the South" (KITLV Press, Leiden 1993, p.1), Paul van der Grijp states that "(t)he first and best-known anthropologist to have set foot on Tongan soil was Radcliffe-Brown", but that "the famous anthropologist did not carry out any research there".

In a way, one could say that Sir Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa) was the very first anthropologist to visit Tonga, as he and his wife passed through the islands on their way to Niue in 1912, meeting Tupou II and the future husband of Queen Salote. However, this was before his employment at the Bishop Museum. He was still a practicing physician at that time, and he states that he "had time to absorb only a little of the Tongan atmosphere" (Buck, "Vikings of the Sunrise", Whitcombe & Tombs, Christchurch 1938, pp.297-298).

Very little seems to be known about what the next arriving anthropologist, Alfred R. Radcliffe-Brown (1881-1955), did in Tonga. The following is a quotation from the preface by Meyer Fortes (ed.) to "Social Structure: Studies presented to A.R. Radcliffe-Brown" (Clarendon Press, Oxford 1949, p. IX):

The outbreak of the First World War found Radcliffe-Brown in Australia again [he had been in Western Australia 1910-12, comment by T.M.], where he had gone with the British Association for their 1914 meeting. The war was a set-back though not altogether barren. For from 1916 to 1919 he served as Director of Education in the Kingdom of Tonga (Friendly Islands). Apart from its ethnological value this experience of administration in what corresponded to colonial conditions was the source of Radcliffe-Brown's later interest in applied social anthropology. Invalided out of Tonga, he took advantage of personal connexions to visit South Africa. After a trip to Basutoland he took up an appointment as Ethnologist to the Transvaal Museum at Pretoria.

Considering that Radcliffe-Brown was in Tonga for such a long period - when, among other events, king Tupou II died and Salote Tupou III got coronated and married to Tungi Mailefihi - it must come as a surprise to contemporary scholars that he did not write much about the islands and their people. Actually, although he is one of the greatest names among anthropologists of all time, he was not particularly prolific as a writer. The following quotation is from the foreword by E.E. Evans-Pritchard and F. Eggan to a collection of Radcliffe-Brown's papers ("Structure and Function in Primitive Society", Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, reprint 1971, pp.V-VI): "Professor Radcliffe-Brown has never had much regard for what he calls 'the odd things that I have written from time to time'; his major interest has been in conveying ideas directly to students and colleagues by personal contacts.." After mentioning that he taught social anthropology at Cambridge, London,

Birmingham, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Sydney, Yenching, Chicago, Oxford, Sao Paolo, Alexandria, Manchester and Grahamstown, they state the following: "An examination of the essays in this volume will suggest that his writings have been just as influential as his personal contacts. He has not, considering that he has been engaged in teaching and research in social anthropology for almost fifty years, written as much as most persons of his academic eminence."

Although he does mention Tonga, very briefly, here and there in some of his writings (e.g. in "On joking relationships", which is included in the mentioned collection of his papers and where he mentions Tonga, on pp. 97, as an example of a society in which one finds the custom of priviliged disrespect to the mother's brother), he only wrote one article in which Tongan society is discussed to a major extent: "The Mother's Brother in South Africa", originally published in "South African Journal of Science", vol. XXI, pp. 542-555, 1924 (included in "Structure and Function in Primitive Society").

Due to its title, this article is perhaps less known among Pacific scholars than it deserves. Actually, it includes discussions about two totally different Tongas: the Tongan islands are here mainly mentioned as the "Friendly Islands" while a people in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi is called the BaThonga. Among both peoples, curiously enough, the sister's son has certain special rights over the property of his mother's brother (a relationship known as fahu in Tonga). Radcliffe-Brown refutes the theory that this custom could be regarded as evidence that the peoples in question had, in the past, been matrilineal.

His comparisons with Tongan society show that he must have had considerable knowledge about Tonga. In his introduction to "Structure and Function in Primitive Society" (p. 13-14) he states the following concerning the paper just mentioned: "My own observations on this institution were made in Tonga and Fiji, but as the paper was addressed to a South African audience it seemed preferable to refer to a single South African example, since a wider comparative discussion would have called for a much longer essay. (...) If I were to rewrite the paper after thirty years I should certainly modify and expand it."

His statement about observations and the possibility of expanding the paper makes one wonder what other material he may have had among his notes and, possibly, unpublished manuscripts. He did, however, contribute information to works by other scholars. In "Tongan Society" (B.P. Bishop Mus. Bull. 61, 1929), E.W.Gifford (p. 24) quotes a letter written by Radcliffe-Brown in 1923, concerning the behaviour pattern of mother's brother and sister's son. Another scholar who referred to him was E.E.V. Collocott. In his "Tales and Poems of Tonga" (B.P.Bishop Mus.Bull.46, 1928), Collocott has included the well known tale about the Samoan and Tongan who cheated each other by exchanging an owl and a coconut with only the husk remaining instead of a fowl and a complete coconut (p. 61). In a note (p. 132), Collocott states: "I heard this story told by Professor A.R. Brown, now of Sydney University." We do not know exactly when Collocott heard the story, but the two men must have met in Tonga, as Collocott was stationed there as a Wesleyan missionary and principal of Tupou College between 1911 and 1924. This is also clear from the following statement by Collocott in an article entitled "The Speech of Niua Fo'ou" (Jour. Polyn. Soc., vol. 31, 1922, p.189): "On the general passage of ti into tchi in Tongan, Mr. A.R. Brown suggested in conversation that the change arose through palatalisation of the syllable in Tongan, which seems to be indubitably the correct explanation." In Collocott's "Supplementary Tongan Vocabulary" (JPS vol. 34:148) it is stated that "(t)hrough the inspiration, and under the guidance, of Mr A.R. Brown and the Hon. William Tungi, a committee was formed in 1918

to compile a dictionary, but, for various reasons, ceased to function after a few meetings." Gifford was in Tonga after Radcliffe-Brown had left, in 1920-21, but met Collocott who may have influenced him and contributed considerable information. During his time in Tonga, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown seems to have been known as A.R. Brown only, and this may be a reason why later scholars have not noticed the presence of his named when it was referred to by others.

One has to conclude that Radcliffe-Brown, while in Tonga, made observations on social structure, recorded tales and was interested in the language. What we do not know is to what extent he spent his time documenting what he saw and heard, as he had done previously in the Andaman Islands in 1906-08. It is hard to imagine that the post as Director of Education would not have left him with enough spare time to do some research. In fact, according to a statement made to me in Tonga and Fiji, and which I have not been able to confirm, he was rather bored on his post, and if such was the case it would of course be even more surprising if he did not carry out some research or, at least, took many notes.

If he left any written material at the Department of Education or other archives in countries where he was working, including Tonga, it may be signed A.R. Brown, A.R. Radcliffe-Brown or Director of Education. His name may also be found in the unpublished notes and manuscripts of Collocott (a collection of manuscripts should be available at Mitchell Library, Sydney: Uncat. MSS. Sets 206-7)and, possibly, Gifford (the latter was working at the University of California, Berkeley and held the position as Director of the university's Museum of Anthropology). To locate such matherial would not only throw some light upon Radcliffe-Brown as an anthropologist. It would also be of importance to Tongan scholarship and, indeed, the documentation of the rise of modern social anthropology, as he was a very influential teacher. The question about what he did in Tonga is a most intriguing one. Who can solve this mystery?

Internet

The THA homepage, for those of you who have not looked at it yet, is located at http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/region/spin/PACASSOC/TONGHIST/tonghist.htm and was created by THA member `Alopi Sione Latukefu.

For anyone who has been awaiting the appearance of abstracts of the papers presented at the THA conference in Canberra in January, my apologies: I have been having difficulty accessing the site. Keep looking: they will appear as soon as possible!

The THA Discussion Forum has moved servers and is now on the following address:

http://www.pacificforum.com/tongahistory

Thanks to Taholo Kami for his continuing assistance with this forum. For those of you who have not had a look at it yet, the forum has seen a number of issues discussed, queries raised, as well as providing a place for people to send greetings and seek to contact friends and relations. The topics covered have been diverse: just to give some indication these include the jailing of Tongan journalists and closure of Parliament, questions about ngatu, three-wheeled taxis, sand on graves, and mixed marriages.

Other useful web sites on Tonga and the Pacific:

The Kavabowl continues to be a very popular site, and now has live "chat rooms" where you can chat live with others, using passwords for privacy. The Kavabowl has recently changed servers and can be found at: http://www.pacificforum.com/kavabowl/

http://www.candw.to - Kalianet is Tonga's new site, mainly for linking people in Tonga with the email system but also providing some information about Tonga. For further information: <info@candw.to>

http://www.tongatapu.net.to - this is a new site about Tonga, still in development but already packed with information including lists of published works about Tonga and those by Tongans; general information about the islands; and information about the media in Tonga. Readers are invited to subscribe to Island Snapshot, a newsletter published through email summarising current events in Tonga. To subscribe, or for information on this site, contact Samiuela Loni Vea Taufa at <staufa@tongatapu.net.to>

http://sunsite.anu.edu.au/spin/ - this is The South Pacific Information Network's home page, developed by THA member `Alopi Latukefu. The site has a Pacific Directory, details of conferences, publications and discussion groups, and links to the Pacific Virtual Library. SPIN has recently expanded to include the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau and the Pacific Islands Liaison Centre.

http://www.joensuu.fi/esfo - The European Society for Oceanists (ESFO formerly ESO) has developed a web site with abstracts from papers presented at the Copenhagen conference in December 1996, links to previous conference reports, links to related web sites, etc. There is an Australian mirror site at http://coombs.anu.edu.au/~marck/esfo/esfo.htm however when I tried this site I could not access anything. ESFO have also lunched an email discussion list. To subscribe send an email to LISTSERV@SEGATE.SUNET.SE with the message subscribe ESFO-L First-Name Last-Name and you will receive a message about how it all works. For further information on the ESFO site or discussion list email Jeff Marck <jeff.marck@anu.edu.au>

http://acij.uts.edu.au/cafepacific/ - compiled by David Robie this site is terrific for getting updates on Pacific news.

http://www.ak.planet.gen.nz/pasifika - the Pacifika Press and Books Pacifika page.

http://acij.uts.edu.au/PJR/ - Pacific Journalism Review

http://www2.hawaii.edu/oceanic/film - a listing of films and videos on the Pacific with around 1100 entries.

http://planet-hawaii.com/~pacislanders - the site for information on Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC).

http://microstate.com - the Microstate network, with information on small countries and islands.

Possible Virtual Library of Tonga

The establishment of a "virtual library" on Tonga is a strong possibility and could be designed so that people anywhere in the world could post entries. This would mean that no one person ended up responsible for entering all the data! It would require some initial work by a group of people willing to get the library started - if all THA members were to put an hour or two into entering data we could have a huge collection of data very quickly. If you are willing to put a little time aside to help in this worthwhile project, please let me know.

THA Executive

President: Professor Futa Helu, Director, `Atenisi Institute, PO Box 90, Nuku`alofa, Tonga

Vice-President: Dr Elizabeth Wood-Ellem, 28 View St, Alphington 3078, Victoria, Australia

Secretary-Treasurer (Tonga): Ms Salote Fukofuka, USP Centre, PO Box 278, Nuku`alofa, Tonga

Secretary-Treasurer (Overseas) / Newsletter Editor: Dr Helen Morton, School of Sociology, Politics and Anthropology, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3083, Victoria, Australia.

Committee member: Mrs 'Eseta Fusitu`a, Prime Minister's Office, PO Box 62, Nuku`alofa, Tonga.

Committee member: Mrs Meredith Filihia, 4/9 Burton St, Chadstone 3148, Victoria, Australia.

PAYMENT OF DUES: When sending dues please address checks or money orders to the Tongan History Association, except for those sending to the USA rep., in which case send payable to Adrienne Kaeppler. Dues are $10 per year or $35 per five years for salaried members, and $5 per year and $18 per five years for students/unsalaried members (all amounts in the currency of your country). The financial year runs from July to June. Dues can be sent to any of the following THA representatives:

Tonga: Salote Fukofuka (see above)

New Zealand: Edgar Tu'inukuafe, 36 Sequoia Place, Sunnynook, Auckland 1310, New Zealand.

USA: Dr Adrienne Kaeppler, Department of Anthopology, National Museum of Natural History MRC 112, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560.

Europe: Dr Paul van der Grijp, Weezenhof 67-55, 6536 BG Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Australia: Helen Morton (see above)

Call for Contributors

Many thanks to all those who sent in information for this newsletter. Readers are invited to contribute to the next newsletter, planned for October 1997. Brief book reviews, news of current research, details of recent published or unpublished material on Tonga or Tongans overseas, requests for information, or any other relevant item will be most welcome. Please send these items to Helen Morton - see mail address above, or by email <Helen_M@sociology.resfss.latrobe.edu.au>, or fax: (03) 9749-2705.

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