Isles of Disillusion

He Didn’t Care for Tonga

By R. Pawson

PEOPLE living in temperate climates often read in news papers and travel books de scriptions of the South Sea Islands.

Unfortunately, much of what is written exaggerates the good and forgets or ignores the bad, or at hest only contains half-truths. The result is that many people visiting these Pacific isles for extended periods, and comparing what they were given to believe with what they see, become disillusioned, and cer tainly lose faith in any precon ceived ideas of a “Pacific Island Paradise,” so often referred to in travel articles.

I have no doubt that nestling away in little, forgotten places in the vastness of the Pacific are beautiful isles that bear out in loveliness and charm much that has been written in even the most exotic descriptions. Of these I can not speak, for I have not seen them, and perhaps may never do so.

Neither haye I seen the glories of Hawaii or the fabled beauties of Tahiti; I can hope they are as lovely as they are painted to be.

But having recently lived for over •a year in Tonga I can compare what I have read and heard with what actually existed around me, and thus perhaps help others at a distance to form a truer, or at least a fairer, picture of life in Tonga as a European sees it.

Before I came to Tonga, in May, 1952, I tried to find out as much as I could about the place. This proved very difficult, as few people ■seemed to have heard of it, and descriptions in encyclopaedias were •generally restricted to three or four lines. However, I did find several descriptions in various newspaper columns from different parts of the world, and also quite a lot in missionary publications.

These latter should be avoided at all costs by anyone wanting a true picture of island life, and real facts about the islands. They give very full descriptions of missionary activities, but as far as anything else goes they tend to “play up” to the local population too much to be of any use in getting a fair idea of conditions. The newspaper articles proved to be only a very little better.

During the last year I have come to the conclusion that such mis leading articles must have been written by people who have either visited these islands for a very short time or perhaps by those who had stayed too long in the place and whose outlook on life has become distorted and out of perspective.

A person who has stayed in Tonga (or any small community) 20 years is just as unsuited to describe it to an outsider intending to live there, as a person who has only been there twenty days; the former has seen too much of Tonga.

THE first view I had of Tonga was one evening in early May, 1952, from the deck of the MV Tofua. It wrs near sunset, the sky was somewhat cloudy, the sea smoothing off after a storm. A day or two previously we had left the very lovely mountainous skyline of Fiji and now in contrast the flat, hazy, swamplike appearance of Tongatabu looked dismal and monotonous.

I thought it was the least in teresting of all the many coastlines I had seen. The last year has not changed that first impression much —it is still rather dreary and un interesting.

But if one were to judge the Tongan Group as a whole by this one island it would be grossly un fair, for there are many parts in the outer islands which do present an attractive appearance, and even though there is no scenery on a really grand scale there is certainly some which is impressive in its own quieter way.

There are little lonely isles where one can be quite alone with the music of the sea and calls of tropical birds. This is in pleasant contrast to some beaches on the main island where an afternoon is often spoilt by a crowd of inquisi tive and sometimes cheeky Tongan children.

For those fed up with Tongatabu’s depressing flatness, Vava’u, Eua and one or two of the other islands offer a change of scenery, and though by no means mountainous, possess hill and cliff scenery which is extremely refreshing after the dullness of Nuku’alofa. There is very charming tropical scenery at Eua, and the harbour entrance at Vava’u is impressive, but by no means so fine as people who have seen little else will have you imagine. There are some pleasant walks near the port of Neiafu, though the town itself is filthy.

Normally, the further one gets from Nuku’alofa, especially on the outer islands, the more friendly becomes the atmosphere and the people; but, unfortunately, Neiafu does not seem to bear this out, and the children there are particularly bad mannered; a few miles out of town the atmosphere is once again

very friendly.

The new arrival in Tonga will find much that is amusing and pleasant, but I think the chances are that he will be more disappointed than, pleased, and feel on many occasions a sense of frustration, with an all-too-common lack of co operation from those who should know better and set the lead.

This, I feel, is due to two main factors. Firstly, Tonga, though possessing a parliamentary system is still labouring for all practical purposes under a feudal set-up somewhat similar to that which existed centuries ago in Europe. (There are signs, fortunately, that here and there it is losing its grip; and when it does, real progress will be possible. Many younger Tongans who could do much good service will then, be able to help, whereas at present if a young man is born a commoner his opportunities are strictly limited).

Secondly, there is the “Independ ence” of the Kingdom of Tonga— many Tongans give the impression that they wish to remind us that even though they have Europeans in charge of various sides of public life, they can if they wish “throw a spanner in the works”—and it would appear that many spanners are thrown for no other reason.

Many Tongans have an unpleasant conceit, often amounting to bad manners, shown by a certain type, and this is reflected in the very bad manners of many Tongan children in Nukualofa, although the older youngsters, especially those from the High Schools, are fine young people, with excellent manners and an active interest in all outside things.

If these were encouraged and given every opportunity to fit them selves for public life in the fullest sense, then Tonga could have a fine future.

It would perhaps be better if Tongans remembered that they did not win their independence but that it simply suited all parties at the time to let them have it.

Some visitors to Tonga will like the climate, others will not. I think that for the tropics it is good, although Nukualofa can be oppressive and unpleasant.

In the days of sail the Tongans were referred to as the ‘thieves of the Pacific” and though this may be an exaggeration, it is perhaps worth noting that up to the pre sent nearly every European around Nukualofa seems to have had some thing stolen. In a tiny place one tends to hear about such cases more than in a larger community, how ever.

The question of laziness among Tongan workers is often discussed.

I think that perhaps the fairest thing to say is that judged by European standards they often appear to be lazy, but judged by their own standards, evolved through centuries of living in islands where

food and warmth are at hand, then they may not be so, for they have learnt to work just as much as is necessary—and who can blame them for not doing much more? It is only when Tongans try to take up a Euro pean way of life or work at some job demanding constant and regular effort that their attitude of “plenty of time” becomes annoying. In fair ness I must say that some of the boys who worked for me could hold their own with the best, anywhere, and were pleasant, reliable com panions.

ONE phase of island life many Europeans will find annoying is the excessive and almost hypo critical religious activity of some sections of the community, to gether with the ridiculous extent to which Sunday observance is carried out, making Sunday a day when you cannot even tend your own garden without committing an offence.

Choirs practise, trumpets blast, and bells ring at fantastic hours throughout the week, and little or no tolerance is shown for the peace and quietness of people living nearby. Religion often seems to have been reduced to business com petition, and collections, too, are Dften made competitive, with the result that many Tongans will often reduce themselves to near-poverty :o give a little more than their neighbour.

This state of affairs, with one re igious group competing with the lext, is bad anywhere, but par ;icularly so in a small native com nunity, and to my mind does Tonga nuch harm. Tongans are very

generous, and unfortunately some

eligious bodies play on that for heir own ends. r HAVE seen much in Tonga that L I shall be happy to remember, and have met many really fine tongans whom I am glad to call my riends. If, as compared with othßr mds, I have seen in Tonga a little lore that has displeased than leased me, then maybe the fault ias been in my eyes, and in my utlook. I do not know; I can de cnbe things only as I see them lyself.

When once again I am away from ie South Seas, I hope that as well s the unpleasant things, I re lember also that sunset from the -a apn Group, with Tofua and Kao eaks, rising blue-grey, in the dist nce; or the white foam breaking n the cliffs at Honga Island, and above all else, the flowers inch a Tongan brought and lanted in my garden.

An experimental crop of peanuts lsland, Cook Is., was re

mtly harvested, producing the

lui valent of 1,384 lbs. of unshelled j° J'* 1 ? , acre - This was con

dered highly satisfactory.