Malo e lelei! That’s the Tongan way of saying “hello.” My name is Sinamoni, which means “cinnamon”
in my language.
Welcome to Tonga, a nation few people have heard of and even fewer can find on a map! Tonga
is an island nation, and those of us who live here enjoy warm weather, sandy beaches, and beautiful
blue water year round. That doesn’t sound too bad, does it?
Officially, about 170 islands make up my country, but fewer than 50 of them have people living on
them. Most of the people live on Tongatapu, my home island. Our king and his family live there too.
You will quickly notice that life in Tonga is slow and relaxed. There are no skyscrapers and no traffic
jams. Our lives center on our families, and we are responsible to take care of each other. While you
are here, I might even introduce you to some of my fifth or sixth cousins!
I have lots of things planned for you during your visit. You can watch people spearfish or dive. We
might even explore an underwater cave. Or you can stand on the sandy beach and watch surfers
in the distance. Humpback whales migrate here from June to November, so you have come at just
the right time!
Tonga has many interesting things to see and do, but you can’t leave without going with the Son
Island team for a children’s outreach. Missionaries Ricky and Cherie Herrera lead Son Island,
and they do a great job using clowns and puppets and all kinds of activities to tell children in
Tonga about Jesus. I am sure that by the time you leave my wonderful country you will say
there is no place like it!
National Girls Ministries.www.ngm.ag.org
©2012 Gospel Publishing House. Springfield, MO 65802. All Rights Reserved
The Country
;;Tonga lies in the western Pacific Ocean. Its
nearest neighbors are Fiji to the west and
Samoa to the northeast.
;;Tonga
is located south of the equator. Its
seasons are opposite those in the United
States, which means the country is in its hot
and rainy season.
;;Temperatures
in Tonga are always warm.
The rainy season is from November to April;
the dry season is from May to October.
Humidity is high year round.
;;Earthquakes
and cyclones are not
uncommon in Tonga. Although some of the
earthquakes are quite strong, they rarely
cause massive damage because multistory
buildings are rare.
;;Since
Tonga lies in the “Ring of Fire” that
circles the Pacific Ocean, it is susceptible
to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Tsunamis cause the greatest concern,
especially for the smallest islands.
;;Tonga
has a few species of plants and
animals that are not found anywhere else in
the world. They include a scaly-toed gecko,
a fish called the swallowtail fangblenny, two
species of jumping spiders, and a recently
discovered type of orchid.
;;The name Tonga means “south.”
;;The capital of Tonga is Nuku’alofa.
;;Fishing and farming are the main industries
in Tonga, although tourism is growing.
;;Squash,
pumpkins, bananas, vanilla, and
copra (dried coconut meat) are important
crops. Pigs and chickens are the most
common farm animals.
;;Tonga’s flag is red with a white square in the
upper left corner. Inside the white square is
a red cross.
;;Tongan currency is called the pa’anga.
;;Tonga is ruled by a king. He is in charge of
both the nation and the government.
The People
;;Tonga’s
entire population is about 106,000
people, which is about the size of Fargo,
North Dakota. Two-thirds of the people live
on Tongatapu where the capital is located.
;;The population of Nuku’alofa, the capital, is
about 24,000.
;;About
40 percent of the population is 15
years old or younger.
;;Tongan
and
languages.
;;Families
English
are
both
official
are extremely important in Tonga.
Relatives often come from far away to
attend a family member’s funeral. The cost
of showing respect for the loved one who
died and feeding all the guests who attend
the service can be quite expensive. Some
people even call a funeral fakamasiva—
“an occasion that leads to poverty.”
;;
Tongan
society has three main levels:
royalty, nobles, and commoners. People
in Tonga are born into a specific rank and
status. They cannot change their place in
society, and the people they marry must be
at the same level.
;;Children from 6 to 14 are required to go to
school. Students who go to college often
choose universities outside Tonga. Many of
these students get jobs in other places and
send money back to their families to help
support them.
;;Clothing
styles in Tonga are the same as
they are in the United States. However, it is
not uncommon to see people dressed in a
tupenu, or wraparound skirt. A man wears
a knee-length tupenu topped with a T-shirt
or button-down shirt. A woman wears an
ankle-length tupenu with a blouse. For
special occasions, both men and women
wear a ta’ovala, or woven mat, on top of
the tupenu.
;;
Most
homes in Tongan cities are made
of wood, tin, or brick. In some villages,
houses are made of reeds and topped with
sugarcane or coconut leaves.
;;Tongans catch or grow much of what they
eat. They eat fruits, vegetables, fish, and
pork. In cities, most Tongans have gas or
electric stoves. In villages, however, people
still cook over open fires.
;;All businesses must close on Sunday. People
who break this law face a fine or even
imprisonment.
;;Rugby is the favorite sport in Tonga.
Did you know?
;;Captain
James Cook, a British explorer,
visited Tonga in the 1770s and called it the
Friendly Islands. According to tradition, he
arrived during a festival and was impressed
by the hospitality of the people. However,
some now believe the people were friendly
because they were secretly planning to kill
and eat Cook but changed their minds at
the last minute.
;;Tonga’s
first king was named Tupou
Maeakafaua
Ngininginiofolanga.
Talk
about a difficult name to learn to spell!
;;Men often drink kava from a coconut shell.
A dark, spicy beverage made from the
kava plant, it relaxes the body and causes
strange side effects, such as hallucinations.
Women generally never drink kava.
;;
On
some of Tonga’s islands, people
celebrate Christmas by lining up coconut
husks along the beach and setting them on
fire. The tradition is called tutukupakanava,
and people say that from a distance, the
fires looks like twinkling Christmas light.
;;A
large number of Tongans have moved
away and found jobs in other countries.
The money they send back to their relatives
helps the Tongan economy.
;;Because
of its location along the
International Date Line, Tonga is always one
of the first nations to ring in the new year.
The Assemblies of God
in Tonga
In late 1972, the first Assemblies of God
missionaries went to live in Tonga. Since then
the number of churches has grown to more
than 40, and a Bible school is preparing
students to lead even more ministries to reach
people with the gospel. Children’s ministries
led by Ricky and Cherie Herrera are sharing
Jesus’ love with boys and girls.
7.Place
powdered sugar in a small paper
bag. Add several warm pani keke at a time
and shake to coat.
8.Serve warm.
Watermelon Otai
You will need:
;;1 ripe, seedless watermelon
;;One 20-ounce can crushed pineapple with
juice
;;½ cup shredded coconut
;;1 can evaporated milk
;;½ cup sugar
;;Water
;;Juice from ½ fresh lime
;;Ice
What to do:
1. Cut watermelon into chunks; mash chunks
into pulp.
2.Add
crushed pineapple, coconut, and
evaporated milk.
3.Using
the evaporated milk can, add two
cans water.
4.Stir mixture completely.
5.Add sugar and lime juice. (Add more sugar
if you want a sweeter drink.)
Foods from Tonga
Here are two recipes of Tongan foods that
could go together to make a tasty dessert.
Pani Keke
You will need:
;;3½ cups flour
6.Serve in glasses over ice.
Tongan words
English is taught in Tongan schools, but people
are still proud of the Tongan language. Here
are some common words and phrases in
Tongan.
;;3½ teaspoons baking powder
;;1 cup sugar
;;1 egg
;;1 cup milk
;;Water
;;½ cup or more powdered sugar
;;Oil for frying
English: Tongan
What to do:
1. Combine flour, baking powder, and sugar in
a bowl.
Thank you: Malo
Hello: Malo e lelei
Goodbye: ’Alu a (if someone else is leaving);
Nofo a (if you are leaving)
What’s your name?: Ko hai ho hingoa?
Yes: ’Io
No: Ikai
You’re Welcome: ’lo malo
2.Add egg and milk and stir until a soft dough
How are you?: Fefe hake?
3.If mixture is too thick, add ¼ cup water at
Two: ua
forms.
a time to get the right consistency. If the
mixture is too thin, add ¼ cup flour at a time.
4.Over
medium heat, pour oil into a large
skillet. Oil should be about 3 inches deep.
5.Drop
tablespoonfuls of dough into the hot
oil. Fry until each side is lightly browned.
6.Remove pani keke to drain on paper towels.
One: taha
Three: tolu
Four: fã
Five: nima
Six: ono
Seven: fitu
Eight: valu
Nine: hiva
Girls-Only Juggling
Tongan girls, especially those who live
in villages, are known as expert jugglers.
Some girls can juggle up to 10 items! They
probably learned to juggle because
other toys and games are not readily
available. The skill is now passed down
through generations. Boys do not juggle;
it is an activity strictly for girls.
You will need:
;;Several round items about the size of
tennis balls
;;A pineapple or coconut
What to do:
1. Take turns practicing juggling with your
friends.
2.
See which girl can juggle the most
objects or keep juggling for the longest
time.
3.Award the winner with a pineapple or
coconut.
Terrific Tapa Cloth
As part of their traditional dress, Tongans
wear a ta’ovala, or mat, on top of their
skirt. Sometimes this ta’ovala is made of
tapa cloth, which is tree bark pounded
very thin. Try this easier version to make
your own tapa cloth to decorate.
You will need:
;;10- by 12-inch rectangle torn or cut
from a paper bag
;;Pencil
;;Crayons
;;Newspapers
;;Watercolors, water, and a paintbrush
What to do:
1. Crumple the rectangle and flatten.
Repeat several times until the paper is
soft and pliable.
2.Use a pencil to draw patterns on the
paper. The patterns should involve
something that reflects the lesson on
Tonga.
3.Cover a work table with newspaper.
4.Thin the watercolor and paint over the
entire surface of the paper to give it a
slight tint.
5.Go over the penciled pattern with a
thick layer of crayon to make the design
stand out.
Tongan Sayings
Here are some Tongan proverbs. What do
you think they mean?
1. Do not whirl a snake in the air when you
have killed it; the ones that remain in
their holes see you.
2.Friendship is a furrow in the sand.
3.He who provokes a war must be sure he
knows how to fight.