Tonga’s royals: Inside the Pacific’s last ruling monarchy | The Pacific

[@miriareu]

Man this needs to be longer and more fleshed out. This was awesome.

[@oppaa4280]

3:17 - Its amazing to see the Fijian totokia (Fijian club which is the shape of a Fijian native birds beak). Europeans landed on Tonga many years before Fiji and it was in Tonga that the Europeans first encountered the Fijian people (Mainly traders and a few high rank warriors to protect the traders). Tongan warriors valued Fijian war clubs mainly the "TOTOKIA" because of the beak shape and the quality wood used like sandalwood, which is scarce in Tonga and abundant in Fiji. When the Europeans visited Fiji they noted the "TOTOKIA's" that were traded with Tonga were smaller in comparison to those TOTOKIA's found in Fijis highland tribes.

[@Kentucky-n2k]

Yep I noticed that too I miss my village in the tailevu highlands

[@keithl5134]

They looked fit back in the day, but now many islanders eat too much fast food.

[@islandtat3414]

Facts

[@seansmith9435]

Bahahha so true!

[@camerongateskoim8110]

Too much Kentucky 😂

[@LovelyCamping-ev3yj]

to much corn beef and driving every where

[@downundabrotha]

That diet was introduced by Colonists.

[@tonisenihavea7600]

The Royal Family is certainly part and parcel of Tonga's proud history. While the executive powers and outward form of the monarchy have changed since the ratification of the Tongan Constitution in 1875, its cultural role and prestige remain constant. Unlike other South Pacific nations, the chiefs or _hou'eiki_ of Tonga were directly commissioned by the Tu'i Tonga, much like the European nobility were enfiefed by their kings. Governance was centralised and rank was derived from the monarch. It is a common theme in revisionist historiography to presume that European and non-European cultures and societies are so different from one another as to share little to no commonality. This is false. Assuming that monarchy and feudalism are foreign innovations to Tonga does a disservice to actual Tongan history.

[@increasepeace4996]

Oh really? Did the ancient Tu'i Tonga and his family dress up like British Royals too? Please.

[@tonisenihavea7600]

@increasepeace4996, no. Wool, silk and linseed flax were unknown at that time. Instead, like other Tongans, the Tu'i Tonga and his _fale_ wore _kie_ made from finely slit pandanus leaves and _tapa_ cloth made from beaten mulberry bark and dyed with the extracts of coconut husks, mangrove roots and javanese cedar bark. However, unlike the common population, only the Tu'i Tonga, his eldest full-sister the Tu'i Tonga Fefine, and his eldest full-sister's eldest child the Tamahā were permitted to wear red, whether it be red feathers, red clay-dyed _tapa_, or the occasional red cloth and red beads whenever they traded with European sailors in the early modern era.

[@OperationHawaiiana]

@@increasepeace4996 we don't need to look like the british to be similar to them

[@increasepeace4996]

​@OperationHawaiiana but who wants to be similar to those inbred colonizers? I don't get it.

[@increasepeace4996]

​@tonisenihavea7600 I was being sarcastic. My point is that I'm skeptical of your claim of Tonga's system of government being very similar to European feudalism.

[@zanzibar144]

The Tongan constitution was based on the constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom which is still alive just under US military occupation.

[@tonganqueenb5517]

source?

[@BarHawa]

​@@tonganqueenb5517 Hope this helps- There's this explicit statement in an old Tongan newspaper I he g. aho ka ha'u te mau hiki ae Konisitutone nai o Vaihi ke mea ki ai ae fonua ni, he koe Konisitutone ia oku behe e he kakai boto toko lahi i ho mau fonua, koe tohi ia e aoga ki he g. fonua ni, ke faifaitaki ki ai i he g. mea lahi. (Tongan newspaper Koe Boobooi, 1875) As well as MANUSCRIPT XXXIV: ‘The feelings of friendship which We have always entertained’: Fragments of Tongan-Hawaiian Relations, 1880-8 You can request a copy online. The last King of Hawaii,Kalakaua saw what the European powers were aiming for in the Pacific during the 19th century and sent formal ambassadors to both Tonga and Samoa to propose a Polynesian Confederacy. The ambassador he sent to Tonga actually settled in Tonga for some time and helped produce a constitution for the monarchy through his knowledge of the Hawaiian one. I forget his name at the moment but I'll edit the comment when I find it.

[@BarHawa]

@tonganqueenb5517 There's this explicit statement in an old Tongan newspaper I he g. aho ka ha'u te mau hiki ae Konisitutone nai o Vaihi ke mea ki ai ae fonua ni, he koe Konisitutone ia oku behe e he kakai boto toko lahi i ho mau fonua, koe tohi ia e aoga ki he g. fonua ni, ke faifaitaki ki ai i he g. mea lahi. (Tongan newspaper Koe Boobooi, 1875) As well as MANUSCRIPT XXXIV: ‘The feelings of friendship which We have always entertained’: Fragments of Tongan-Hawaiian Relations, 1880-8 The last King of Hawaii,Kalakaua saw what the European powers were aiming for in the Pacific during the 19th century and sent formal ambassadors to both Tonga and Samoa to propose a Polynesian Confederacy. The ambassador he sent to Tonga actually settled in Tonga for some time and helped produce a constitution for the monarchy through his knowledge of the Hawaiian one. I forget his name at the moment but I'll edit the comment when I find it.

[@Agft]

thanks to Charles St Julian who gave a copy of the Hawaiian constitution to King George Tupou I:

[@joyvivili3792]

I need a Part 2 to this 😍🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴

[@Bismarck360]

Love from PNG ❤️

[@sioneiongi6857]

Why some hate on tonga in the comments ? We give everything to be loyal friends but get stuffed over by every other culture.... Give us some credit, just because you guys dont have a king ? Get over it and support ya a55holes

[@downundabrotha]

Probably cos so many Tongans that are related to the Royal family are a55hol3s themselves. Seen it with my own eyes. They're stuck up and then demand respect. The Actual Royal family are pleasant. It's the relatives that are peasants but act all high and mighty. Ulu po'os 😂

[@nakisiirocky6656]

Malo, praise to God ✝️

[@MokoRowe]

Did the King really have a crown and robe like the European kings or was it just adapted coz of western influence ?

[@tonisenihavea7600]

@@MokoRowe, the answer is both yes and no. The metal crowns and ermine cloaks we associate with monarchies today were introduced by Europeans. However, prior to European contact, the ancient Tu'i Tonga did have a special headwear called the _mulimalo,_ which was a hat of red and yellow feathers in a similar style to the feathered war bonnet that we often see in stereotypical depictions of native Americans in popular culture and media.

[@JiojiFromKahaluu]

MATE MA’A TONGA! 🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴

[@ptschaumkel]

MUA THE VILLAGE OF KINGS 🫡

[@danielfox8250]

You forgot about the Māori Monarchy?

[@ziontenuia9266]

The Maori Monarchy isn't an official Monarchy. Tonga is a "Constitutional monarchy" (like the UK, Norway, Sweden, Japan etc) where there monarchs have power & authority in parliament. Maori don't have that, Even though they should.

[@nakinz109]

​​@@ziontenuia9266It's officially recognized in every other country BUT New Zealand.

[@ziontenuia9266]

@@nakinz109 it actually isn't "officially recognized" in other countries though. Because the Maori monarch isn't NZ official "Head of State", the British monarch is, and the Maori Monarch doesn't even get the role of "Governor General" who acts like a reigning monarch (signing in laws, opening Parliament, undertaking foreign state visits, hosting world leaders etc). It's only acknowledged in the Pacific & Britain.

[@StoneWii]

​@@ziontenuia9266Thats why New Zealand coat of arms sitting in all government facilities has a Maori level with the crown Co government well that's what it ment.

[@nakinz109]

@ziontenuia9266 you're wrong. I use to work in the Embassy. And on the official embassy list, the maori Monarchy is on there under Kingiitanga. So i don't know what the hell you've been reading but it's recognized in every other nation bar this.... quickly becoming, rabid and feral nation.

[@scottnofrendz3567]

Each Island individually had its own ruler before the vision of being one.

[@KVT98]

Why does he look like Cakobau?

[@maureentanevesi2202]

Go Tonga 🇹🇴

[@jmjm1920]

All from the most Sacred Powerful Tu'itonga Empire Ruler of Polynesia 😊

[@ltmg9832]

@@jmjm1920 Yes they ruled tox but it’s not something to be proud of. We paid a price in exchange for something else: it forced us to lose a very important chunk of our culture that would’ve been vital for us to understand ourselves better. Now some of us don’t know where the root of issues and problems of our culture would lie in order to be a better nation for us and the future gen. A lot of our Tongan people have had a hard time with accepting that the world isn’t what it used to be now. We need to install more values with a modern mindset. More of us are born and raised outside Tonga. It’s time to break chains and cycles now. We’re here for the mature and healthy glow up for Tonga.

[@cashisking7410]

@@ltmg9832👏👏👏👏

[@theephraimite]

“The Samoan people of Manu’a built the Tongan empire. They were the ruling class of Tonga.” - Tongan Scholar Tali. “Our relationship with Samoa is old, for that is where we came from.” - Tongan King Tupou the First “The first Tu’itonga was the son of a deified Samoan chief named Tagaloa Eitumatapua’a.” - Tongan Scholar Dr. Mahina “Samoans brought their dances, customs, and chiefly system to Tonga.” - Tongan Royal Salote

[@seansmith9435]

@@theephraimitebahahaha here we go with the lies.!!lol

[@theephraimite]

@@seansmith9435 more like, here we go with the denials.

[@kevintaufatoutai8319]

Super Power monarchy over Supreme Court and Constitution.

[@jeffrad6171]

Marshal Islands have a King, WYM?

[@Ootazfromda03]

@@jeffrad6171 bro I am Marshallese, and the Royal rulers do not rule or have any power on how Majōl is run. The power belongs to the Marshallese parliament. The royal family are just figure head rulers, not actual power players.

[@tatuloa]

When you come from smaller Islands with very little natural resources , you trade , steal or take stuff away from your Naighbors by force ... little is memtiomed by You tube historians of the amount of Tongans killed alover the South west Pacific during this periods . Our Naighbors were mighty worriors tribes who made Tongans pay in Blood and lives in these efforts . Necessity is the father of all conquest .... Tomgams are no different ...

[@Bigmantingz500]

🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴🇹🇴

[@Mikeocean1]

I don’t think at this day and time there should be a king on a small country island. Relinquishing it would be best for Tonga. Just have a prime minister and head of state. The pacific islands should only acknowledge one King and that is King Jesus. The king thing was ok way way back in the day but right now doesn’t make sense the term king comes with power and wealth Tonga king doesn’t have either. Other kings are laughing at us. When we think of kings and queens countries like UK, Saudi Arabia and Thailand come to mind. Let’s honor and make King Jesus our King for He is above all Kings.

[@apitau6817]

Bro that’s how Tonga became one nation was through GOD..doing our time of history our Tongan people was well known to love and respect the gods and was well taught to not believe in other people religion or culture and was really freaking streaked about it. But doing that time too Tonga was actually going through a silver war. Short story given what my grandfather told me was that if Tonga gave up its monarchy there would be no Tonga at all. We would be underneath the American Samoa law. An our people would’ve gotten slaughter to the European people anytime and day do to racism and money and land. But thanks to our king up above he gave us a king down here who actually knows what’s actually best for the Tongan people and that was to unite the island underneath one banner and that banner became what we know as the Red Cross. If you know what the Red Cross actually means in Tonga. Than I don’t have to fully explain myself but I’ll just do it anyways. The Red Cross stands for the blood of our saver Jesus Christ. The king of Tonga got baptized to show that we are conquered by one person and that is God. The king of Tonga gave he’s people to god even himself. Do to god love and mercy he gave us freedom. If you don’t fully understand that than.. then that means you wasn’t fully tough around the whole entire culture or been told story’s about your history. I know where my great grandmother and grandfather came from and that was from the island of vavu last name koloamatangi one of the highest chief on that island at the time.

[@LanceKaumi-xf3zc]

I'm from Papua New Guinea, the largest island in Melanesia & The Pacific and the second largest island in the world. Our ancestors in Papua New Guinea & Solomon islands were never ruled by any Tongan monarchy in the pacific . I think the influence and power of this hermit kingdom is greatly exaggerated .

[@ct0903]

Tonga ruled with power over Papua new Guinea & the Solomons back then

[@LanceKaumi-xf3zc]

@@ct0903 Yeah.. keep dreaming. 😂😂😂

[@gabrielsadaraka494]

​@@ct0903lol

[@Kava650]

@@LanceKaumi-xf3zc your png rugby teams greatness is “Exaggerated” lol. The NZ kiwis tapped that a55 and yet you wantoks keep on making excuses back to back, no accountability 🤦🏽‍♂️😂

[@datnga-t4v]

well it’s been stated many times that they ruled many islands in the pacific but not ALL of them.

[@noah-xv8cv]

First comment

[@ltmg9832]

@@noah-xv8cv Of course you’re the first comment - Samoan too. This hits trigger points on some of you people for some odd reason. We all know why. There’s a saying which says “Nobody is watched more than the people who hate you. And no one will come, run and jump than those who are afraid on facts and truth to come out”

[@BarHawa]

​@@ltmg9832you don't have to read that deep into it lol

[@seansmith9435]

@@ltmg9832facts haha

[@alelokaoseumu]

@@ltmg9832 that's a lot of baggage for a comment that only read "first comment." This could be a child on their mom's phone and you got serious about lol

[@PrinceMono676]

@@ltmg9832when you right those things it means your really are full of hatred.

[@Shenzenxo]

Pyramids where 😂

[@StoneWii]

The acient building techniques were that of Peru, Egypt perfect placement rock formations. Still in tonga and Samoa till this day.

[@OperationHawaiiana]

@@StoneWii Pomphei and Hawai'i hold the largest of these polynesian structures with Hawai'i holding the Largest Temple known as Pi'ilaniHale heiau (temple of the house of King Pi'ilani of Maui, who lived in 1500s)

[@StoneWii]

@@OperationHawaiiana Tahiti, French polynesiiaa.

[@OperationHawaiiana]

@@StoneWii which heiau are you referring to? I do not know much about the Heiau of tahiti

[@StoneWii]

@@OperationHawaiianaRaiatea, hiva oa, nuku hiva.

[@MokoRowe]

King George tupou the first looks melanesian. He was a black man.

[@Kava650]

@@MokoRowe he was Tongan, PERIODT. There are many countries with Brown people 🤷🏽‍♂️💯

[@MokoRowe]

@Kava650 I know he is 💯 tongan. All I'm saying is your tongan ancestors were brown like Melanesians.

[@Kava650]

@ cool story, our ancestors were dark like the Micronesians also. Now everybody trying to guess where we Polynesians came from. Tongans, Samoans and Fijians intermarried a lot and traded with each other besides warring with each other for many centuries. I’m sure there was a lot mixing going on also 👍🏽

[@townmiles8691]

Yeah he looked dark maybe some Fijian

[@Ootazfromda03]

Bro, do you know there are intermixing within all Nesians (Polynesians, Micronesians, and Melanesians) throughout the centuries.

[@alelokaoseumu]

Tonga has a proud history but the "royal" family is not it. The narrative of "Pacific monarchy" is European. Any form of monarchy in the fashion of Kings or Queens is necessarily European like how the Tui Tonga was fashioned into a King and now wears wool on a hot summers day. There's a reason other Pacific countries do not have a monarchy. We have alii, aliki, ariki.

[@ltmg9832]

Also to add - can we please get rid of that mentality that all of us Tongans were once “proud” of being rulers of a lot of the islands of the Pacific?! Tui Tonga Dynasty did once rule but it should not be a representation of all of us. It was a sector of our islands and not entirety of our people. Majority of us had no choice but to follow or else threatened our Tongan ancestors to death. Remember there were 3 kings that wanted 3 different visions for Tonga. So not all of us agreed (hence the brutal civil war). Keep in mind that it also came with a certain price too: losing something in exchange for something else. People forget the majority of Tongan civilians at the time were irrelevant. Every time someone thinks Tongan, they immediately jump the gun and make the assumption of the blanket statement that we are proud of our royal hierarchical status systems. More like way far from it. A lot of us Tongans have mixed feelings and views. We all have our own ancestral wounds from the royals and hou’eiki’s too. Costing our villages and our family generations to lose their own unique distinct cultural customs and practices. Some of our hierarchy systems cost so much clout and toxicity and pressure to sustain an unrealistic superficial image: To the point, that it’s no wonder why some of us Tongans take the prodigal route and just stay quiet and do our own thing away from the culture. Some of us are proud Tongans: just not in the cliche stereotypical way that Tongans are portrayed. I’m sure some of our islander cousins out here feel the same way with their own culture too. Every culture has its pros and cons. Well this applies for us Tongans too. For some of us, the wounds are so deep - they do a complete 360 and take the palangi route because of being burned, hurt and let down by our very own people. That mindset of Tongans being the one-dimensional type kind really needs to stop. Maybe speak to some of us and get to know us, rather than deal with the “typical” Tongan and just think and assume that ALL of us are the same.

[@Richard-z8z]

What you know about Tonga Royal Family and their Achievement thst made them very Popular World Wide. Tell us about your family Alelo or ELO Alelo

[@blangtok]

@alelokaoseumu you are so ignorant not only of the Tongan society but also of world history. Tonga have alii too, it's called 'eiki (relatives of the Tu'i Tonga). And above the 'eiki class sat the Tu'i Tonga. In ancient times the Tu'i Tonga was like the Pharaohs of Eqypt. The Tu'i Tonga was also (most importantly) seen and worshipped as a god. Even today the Tongan King's body is still considered even by the Tongan Constitution as sacred. By the way, monarchy is not an European invention. It is rather a human invention.

[@alelokaoseumu]

@@blangtok No, this is what I meant. What you are mentioning is a modern invention, much like the Maori answer to the British Monarchy was the Kingitanga. Only difference is Tonga got instituted into a constitutional republic.

[@blangtok]

@@alelokaoseumu Just because you grew up not having a King in your island nation doesn't mean Tonga too could not have come up with one by themselves. That's a mind full of envy and ignorance. Tonga once had an empire, and they could not have achieved that status without an ultimately powerful Leader. And they did, because Tu'i Tonga was more than just a King. Tu'i Tonga was also a god. There's a big difference between invention and evolution! Tu'i Tonga came into being in AD 950, way before the first Europeans arrived in Tonga. So, you cannot invent A if A is already there. But A can evolve, which is what happened to the Tu'i Tonga. Kingship principle is still the same, yet the form has changed and will continue to change. So, Tui Tonga kingship and divinity evolved over a thousand years into its current form, definitely influenced by all kinds of socio-politico-economic forces, including influences by Europeans etc.

[@tonganqueenb5517]

These royals are out of touch. And they better shape up or ship out.

[@Richard-z8z]

Who are you Wannabe queer oops queen

[@spartanrules9935]

😂 you can say that from overseas. You can’t say that in their face or else you’re thrown in jail or gone missing.

[@ambo9569]

@@spartanrules9935Doesn’t sound very free to me

[@ltmg9832]

@@spartanrules9935 Things change. Maybe it’s time for freedom of speech. No wonder Tonga just stays the same and never excels or evolves in most ways we all should in 2024

[@tonganqueenb5517]

@@spartanrules9935 There have been many Tongans who have spoken out against the monarchy. Akilisi Pohiva was a strong critic of the monarchy who spearheaded the pro-democratic movement before eventually becoming Prime Minister. Tonga's government today is more democratic because he was brave enough to speak truth to power and Tonga is all the better for it.

[@JULIANFELSENBURGH]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@DestinyIsall692]

False the kabua clan of the Marshall Islands is still an active royal family

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Are they the ruling head of state though?

[@Ootazfromda03]

@@ianhomerpura8937 your right, I am Marshallese and the Kabuas (btw, Kabua is not a clan, just a royal dynasty) are just figure head rulers. They don’t have the power, that belongs to the Marshallese Parliament. I forgot what the Marshallese Parliament is called, but they have the saying on how Majōl (Marshall Islands in Marshallese) is running.

[@islandtat3414]

Who? And who did you fight? No one-you are owned by America son

[@medit8iv_native970]

Rubbish

[@seansmith9435]

Jealousy get you nowhere haha

[@medit8iv_native970]

@seansmith9435 jealousy? It's a lack of information, the māori monarchy exists in polynesia ya clown, the tongans tried to coke down to aotearoa and got smoked, check the dna evidence rookie

[@kaihotamai6762]

@@medit8iv_native970 mate your treaty is rubbish 🤣🤣🤣🤣 the English own ya son 🤣🤣🤣🤣 how’s it feel buying your own land back 🤣🤣🤣🤣