Tonga, the Friendly Islands

Tonga, the Friendly Islands

by | Dec 15, 2015 | Cultures of Polynesia, Tonga

Malo e lele! Welcome to the friendly islands of the Kingdom of Tonga. There are about 171 islands in the three main island groups of Tongatapu, Ha’apai, and Vava’u. Tonga has the distinction of being the only island nation that was never formally colonized by a...

Tonga Time

by | Dec 14, 2015 | Cultures of Polynesia, Tonga

Tonga, like it’s cousins across the Pacific, has it’s own approach to time. Today may mean tomorrow. Half an hour may be more like two hours or in some cases two days or even a week. If you are a foreigner this may take a bit of adjusting to, but remember you...

Tongan Feast For Christmas

by | Nov 24, 2015 | Cultures of Polynesia, Tonga

Tongan feasting: A serious custom [Author’s note: I have attended Polynesian feasts where they cooked 200 pigs, and fed thousands of people . . . but the first time I sat down at a Tongan kaipola feast, I was truly impressed.]   An expression of love and...

Welcome to Fiji!

by | Oct 26, 2015 | Cultures of Polynesia, Fiji

    “Bula Vinaka” and welcome to Fiji! This phrase means more than simple hello or greeting, and the speaker proclaims “good health” or “good life” to the hearer. The approximate 330 inhabitable islands of Fiji are spread out over more than a million square...
Traditional Fijian Meke Dance

Traditional Fijian Meke Dance

by | Oct 14, 2015 | Cultures of Polynesia, Fiji

When I first saw a Fijian dance at the Polynesian Cultural Center, I thought I would fall asleep. But each time I saw their performance, my appreciation grew for their songs, derua, and dances. I also grew to love the Fijian people. They are so giving, friendly, and...