The Friendly Island

1. The Friendly Island Tonga by Ken, Jordyn, Michelle O.

2. Background • Inhabitants of the island originally existed as a warring tribal entities with no unified leader until 1831 • 1875 constitution was established • June 4th, 1970 Tonga became an independent country • Dancing wasn’t always embraced by Tongan culture. • Dance was considered a heathen practice(Methodism) • Dance was influenced by growth of political interest • Land area: 277 sq mi (717 sq km); total area: 289 sq mi (748 sq km) • Population: 106,146 people • birth rate: 24.7/1000 • infant mortality rate: 13.21/1000 • life expectancy: 75.38 • Capital and largest city is Nuku'alofa with 24,500 people

3. Family Values • Tauhi Vaha’a helps prevent outside influences and maintain family valuas • Tauhi Vaha’a is challenge America’s notion of community, individualism, family exclusiveness, privacy and isolationism. • Many families adopted the way of American cultures • Tauhi Vaha’a is a vow to hold families together. • Families are most important thing in their culture • Young Tongans leave high school to find employment which the rates is 2 in 1, according to Salt Lake Board of Education • Universities now encourage young Tongans to graduate and go to college because without education they have limitation in jobs • This give the stereotype of them being stupid.

4. Mako Costumes Movements Dance Traditional dance Comprised of young men Collective until modern time became performance due to immigration Preparatory for village’s warriors Meant to incite fear Traditional dress Tupenu(cloth skirt/wrap) Kafa with banana leafs tied to it White feather on the top of their heads Lei of flowers around neck Fast paced Fast rhythm on drum or tin can Wild gestures involving entire body movement Men point at various direction They run, sit, roll, lay down, stomp and clap Have wide stances to show dominance

5. Tau’olunga • Flowing knee-length dresses • Flower in hair and on wrist and ankles • Body covered in coconut oil to draw attention to their skin • Must smile genuinely • Must keep knees together • Performed at government and village functions for birthday of influential people and visit by dignitaries • Brides perform at weddings to display charms • Very gentle dancing • Sensual movements

7. Hiko • Danced alone or in group • Traditional custom: • Performed by young virgin girls • Shows happiness of gathering together • The girls sitting have “tuittiui” fruits • Queen salute performed the dance • Sensual movements

9. Clothing Lakalaka • Lakalaka “walking briskly” • Performed for special occasion • Performed with men and women • Can last 20 minutes to an hour • Dance in rows • Men on right • Women on left • None sexual • collective • Black/white tupenu • Tongan dress • Chicken feathers

11. Oppression/ Suppression • When the missionaries came in Tonga, Tongan culture was lost. • Dance was embraced because of the missionaries • Dancing became performance based • Tourism • Religion • education

12. Additional information • English was a required when American culture came in • Angafakatonga emphasizes as highly importance of family • Tonga makes up .3% of Utah’s population • Tongan immigrants increased after joining the LDS church • This encouraged Tongan families to settle in Salt Lake City, Utah (Mormon Church headquarters) so they could raise their children in the LDS church.