Tongan art, with its elegant sculpture, headrests, body adornment, clubs, containers, tools and fibre work, has made an outstanding contribution to the culture of Oceania. In The Art of Tonga, Keith St. Cartmail's achievement is to draw together all the strands of this island kingdom's material culture into a single volume--surprisingly no other work has done this to date. The author begins by outlining the history of Tonga, then comprehensively details all aspects of Tongan art, ancient and modern. He clearly documents the significance and widespread influence of this beautiful art work through West Polynesia, and argues that despite recent neglect, and in spite of being mutilated and destroyed by missionaries, and dispersed by collectors to all corners of the earth, Tongan art is nonetheless alive and well. Authoritative and accessible, The Art of Tonga is lavishly illustrated with superb and important examples of Tongan art from throughout its history. It is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the magnificent cultures of Oceania.
Tonga is a Pacific Island nation located in the south of the Pacific Ocean, west of Fiji and north of New Zealand. It is made up of 169 islands, 36 of which are inhabited. The capital and largest island is Tongatapu, which is home to about two-thirds of the country's population. The Tongan culture is deeply rooted in tradition and is known for its hospitality, respect for elders, and the importance placed on family and community. Tonga is a constitutional monarchy with the King serving as the head of state. The country has a unicameral Parliament, which consists of 26 members: 17 elected by the people and 9 appointed by the King. The economy is largely based on agriculture and fishing, with tourism also playing an important role in recent years. The official language is Tongan, although English is widely spoken, especially in business settings. Despite its small size and limited resources, Tonga has a distinct place in the Pacific and is known for its unique culture, friendly people, and beautiful landscape.
Praise for the first edition: "Tonga is unique among bibliographies in its perception and understanding, and in its affection for Tonga and its people. . . . Daly’s work stands on exceptionally sound foundations. . . . His summaries are excellent, indeed, but Daly writes always with the authority of first-hand knowledge, with a keen eye for the essential, and the ability to interpret and clarify obscurities. . . . A trustworthy introduction to Tonga in all its diversity, a splendid point de départ for all, layman or scholar, needing a reliable guide to the essential literature about this remarkable Polynesian kingdom." —Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies "The book is so arranged that it is easy to locate any of the items listed. . . . I found myself spending pleasant hours perusing Daly’s comments on the different publications.. . . I hope the rumor of a second, revised edition of this bibliography is true." —Journal of the Polynesian Society Tonga is a fascinating and subtle combination of a traditional Polynesian kingdom—the only one to survive the impact of colonization in the nineteenth century and remain independent—and a thoroughly Christian country. This comprehensive bibliography is a selective guide to the most significant and accessible English-language books, papers, and articles on every aspect of the kingdom’s history, culture, arts, politics, environment, and economy. It is a much updated and expanded edition of the original version that was published in 1999 as part of the World Bibliographical Series, with the addition of more than 200 new entries. Each of the approximately 600 described and annotated items is organized under broad subject headings, and indexed by author, title, and subject. In addition—and new to this edition—all known Ph.D. theses, although not annotated, are shown within their appropriate subject categories and indexed. Also new is a section on the most important Tonga-related websites. A general introduction describes the Tongan kingdom, its history and society, and its current situation. Tonga: A New Bibliography will be an invaluable resource for anyone with a serious interest in Tonga and an indispensable volume for academic libraries, reference collections, and policy makers focused on the Pacific islands.
"I highly recommend this brief resource booklet for those interested in studying Polynesian and cross-cultural herbal medicines." --Quarterly Review of Biology
In this first detailed account of growing up in Tonga, Helen Morton focuses on the influence of anga fakatonga ("the Tongan way") in all facets of Tongan childhood, from the antenatal period to late adolescence. Childhood is a crucial period when cultural identity and notions of tradition are constructed, as well as beliefs about self, personhood, and emotion. Based on her anthropological fieldwork and her experiences in Tonga over several years, Morton traces the Tongan socialization process—from being vale (ignorant, socially incompetent) to becoming poto (clever, socially competent)—in fascinating detail. The socialization of emotion is also given detailed attention, especially the management of anger and emphasis on emotional restraint.
A detailed ethnographic and historical analysis of how traditional Tongan values continue to play key roles in the way that Tongans make their way in the modern world.
