Tonga’S First
pp. 40-41 · Read in the full issue
Book.
On Show at Sydney Exhibition.
NOT the least interesting among the exhibits in a memorable collection now on display at the Mitchell Lib rary, Sydney, in honour of the 150th An niversary Celebrations, is the first book printed in the Tongan language. It is “First Lessons in the Language of Ton gataboo, to which are Added a Prayer and Several Hymns”. The author was Rev.
Nathaniel Turner, and it was published in Sydney in 1828 by Robert Howe (Gov ernment Printer).
It is one of the most perfectly pre served examples in a collection which cannot be estimated in terms of pounds, shillings, and pence. A glance in any one of the cases is enough to make a South Seas bibliophile’s mouth water.
No visitor from the Islands interested in early Pacific history should miss it.
This little book, which is extremely rare, was purchased last year in London for the trustees. It would be interest ing to know if any copies still exist in Tonga.
The Library is also fortunate in pos sessing Turner’s “Personal Narrative” in manuscript. It was written when the missionary was almost 61 years old, and commenced in October. 1853, when he was on his way to re-visit N.Z., Tonga, and Fiji on deputation work. The first pages were commenced soon after he left Syd ney that month, in the little missionary vessel “John Wesley”. This account sup plies interesting particulars concerning tne origin of “First Lessons in the Lan guage of Tongataboo”.
The “Personal Narrative” contains the alphabet as it was prepared after much thought for tfie first book. Turner ac knowledges his indebtedness at the out set to Mariner’s vocabulary. Prior to Turner’s arrival instruction had been given by a Tahitian named Hape. But the Tahitian was homesick for his own island, and, as Turner says: “I did this by the first opportunity”.
Tahitian Teacher In Tonga.
Hape had instructed the Tongans in a Nukualofa building capable of seating 250, which had been erected by the chief, Tubou. A number of the natives had actually been taught to read Tahitian.
This link with Tahiti is interesting.
The Tongans, as a matter of fact have .knowledge of even earlier associations with the island. One of the aspects of Tongan history in which Crown Prince Tuboutoa is particularly interested is the old people to whom the Tongans refer red as the “Kahiki”. Mention of them is made in more than one legend preserved to this day.
But to resume with Turner’s story. It was essential, he at once realised, to make himself acquainted with the Ton gan tongue. He already had a working knowledge qLr Maori, and that proved most useful: “i£s soon as I had. my fam ily domiciled to in earnest to study the language as th,e matter of first? im portance to our success. By the aid of Mariner’s vocabulary I had learned while on board ship when sailing to those sunny islands a few sentences which en abled me to ask questions on common subjects. . . .
“I commenced my work by asking ques tions as best I could, and when my ques
tions seemed to be understood I wrote down the answers. . . The structure and idiom of the language was exactly the same as the N.Z. (Maori) . . .”.
A Tongan Helper.
Vi. a Tongan, who was later baptised as Pita, proved of much assistance.
Then, at the first district meeting held in Tonga, about 10 weeks after his ar rival, Turner was able to submit the draft for his book on the Tongan lan guage. It was unanimously adopted.
“And the characters then fixed have con tinued in use to this day without one single alteration”, wrote Turner in 1853.
However, at a later date Rev. Shirley W. Baker attempted certain innovations, When giving the Tongan alphabet of 17 letters, he observed: “Any person mak ing himself familiar with the Tongan al phabet as already given will not find much difficulty in pronouncing correctly any Tongan names or words that occur”.
At a second meeting in 1827 it was decided to forward the manuscript to Sydney for publication.
But until the little books arrived from Sydney the missionaries were much per plexed as to how they could distribute Scripture lessons among the eager Ton gans. Most opportunely, a trading ves sel from Hawaii, on her way to Fiji and New Hebrides, put into Nukualofa. The captain was short of trade goods, and was willing to exchange “anything iie had on board”. Turner noticed some China paper of the best quality. In re turn the missionaries gave some “rough Sydney hatchets”, which the Tongans would not look at.
Lessons were carefully written out by the natives and the leaves sewn together.
A Maori boy whom Turner had brought with him from Whangaroa (N.Z.) was most useful in this work. The copies were then distributed, and so the first lending library in Tonga came into exist ence.
In subsequent years Turner returned to New Zealand to extricate the mission there from the mess into which it had been landed by Rev. William White. He served, too, in Australia and finally end ed his days in Queensland. He had a notable record as a missionary, was uni versally beloved wherever he went, and in compiling the historic little booklet undoubtedly performed a most useful ser vice to Tonga.