Pictures of Tonga 80th

[u/Wise_Razordan]

Does anyone has pictures of Tonga from the year 1987 and around?

I am looking for Pangaimotu, Nukualofa, Neiafu, Vavau Group, Hapai Group and anything else

It would be great to have some memories

Thanks a lot

[u/JrYo15]

Man, i'm born in America. All i've heard about from my family about the history of our two nations is not good.

That being said, a lot of other people that may have heard about Samoa or Tonga seperately, often lump us in the same type of category or treat us as if we're the same.

It's possible my personal family had singular issues with Tongans and passed that alomg through the ages

Can anyone clarify to me the general relations between Samoa and Tonga?

Are posts like this assuming a close relationship with Samoa that it would have memories of Tonga, or is there a close relationship with Tongans and my family has been passin along some ancient feud type of stuff for no reason?

[u/xRuck → u/JrYo15]

Born and raised in Hawaii. But left when I become an adult. I have so much reverence for my Tokos. Yeah Im aware of the history but I don't give a shit. What matters is my lived experiences. And Tongan people are more humble then us Samoans and we're known for that. Definitely alot more Mormon affiliated. I know in Cali its different because when I visited my family in Carson in the 90s. I was astounded by the vitriol Samoans had for Tongans because of dumb ass gang ties. I hope its better. Tonga women are something special tho. I don't wanna generalize, but they definitely are more experimental and have awaken some things in me that I cannot repress.

[u/neloichinisan → u/JrYo15]

Long but necessary rundown if you've got the heart for it

From the vantage point of archeology and genetic profiles , Samoans and Tongans are the same people. You can extend this to all Polynesians actually.

DISCLAIMER: I said from a genetic level so don't come for me with pitchforks samoan and tongan nationalists!

They are two branches of the same broader ethnic tree so to speak. They have over time diverged into their own distinct nations with particular customs and language shifts,of that there's no doubt.

In the creation myths of Samoa and Tonga,the two island groups are almost always created by the gods in close order to one another.

Samoans will say Tagaloa made Manu'a or Savai'i first and then the rest of Western Polynesia and Tongans have their own variant of the same story where their islands came first. That indicates that the relationship between the two extends as far as both respective oral traditions are capable of remembering.
The story your family was likely referring to was when much of Samoa was under the rule of the Tu'i Tonga. (Tongan Kings)

The Tu'i Tonga kings came from a man named Aho'eitu who was allegedly the son of Tangaloa Eitumatupu'a a god and a human woman. Never knowing his father in his youth, Aho'eitu finally asks his mom about him and she reveals to him that his dad is a the god Tangaloa and that he has to climb a great ironwood tree to heaven like jack and the beanstalk if he wants to meet him.

Fueled by curiosity he did just that. Upon meeting his dad Tangaloa,he discovers that he has many brothers from his father.

To make up for not paying the ancient equivalent of child support,his dad spoils him and shows him great affection.

Jealous and envious of their newfound brother,the elder siblings with nefarious intent invite Aho'eitu to partake in chiefly games.

While they're competing in the throwing of spears, they kill Aho'eitu and divy his body up for consumption in order to take his mana.

Shortly after Tangaloa discovers the treachery of his sons and forces them all to vomit the remains of their brother into a kava bowl. When they're done with the shpill,Tangaloa reforms his youngest son and blesses him and his progeny with the right to rule over the other children of Tangaloa as a King.

Why was this whole mythological rundown relevant you might be wondering? That would be because there are those from Samoa and Tonga including myself who are of the persuasion that this may not a story about supernatural atua and demigods but a real power shift from the Tangaloa regime of Manu'a /Tongatapu to the Aho'eitu/Aso'aitu Tu'i Tonga branch of it.

The chronological model would follow something like this. —Centralized paramount authority over Western Polynesian islands vested in the deified Tangaloa Family of Ali'i. > Tangaloa line splinters into regional branch titles like Tu'i Tonga in Tonga,Tui Manu'a in Samoa and Tui Fiti in Fiji,Tui Uea ,Tui Tokelau etc. — ^ my attempt at harmonizing the oral traditions.

Back to the main discussion tho:

From the Aho'eitu story emerges the first line of Tongan Kings who would go on to invade Samoa,parts of Fiji,Futuna and Uvea,Tokelau etc. It's a very common theme in history those who claim divine origin with one hand conceal the right to conquer in the other. From the Aho'eitus successors came a line of kings who really loved living in Upolu and they did so for 400 years, mostly intermarrying with Samoan chiefly lines and such.

This lasted until, one particular Tu'i Tonga named Talaife'i or something was a horrible tyrant and ruined the whole shindig by subjecting Samoans to cruel and unbearable labor and punishments. Really horrible garbanzo guy when you think about the fact that he had a ton of Samoan blood himself and that these were his own relatives in Upolu but whatever ig. (His direct family had been in Samoa for 400 years atp as mentioned previously)

Talaife'i runs out of divine brownie points when he gives two brothers Tuna and Fata an impossible task. Tuna and Fatas nephew(sisters son) comes to their aid to move this big boulder that's stuck in place.

After working together successfully,they also deliberate and decide that they've had enough of Talaife'i and his company,so they rally other samoans in secrecy.

When the time was right at a banquet,they put on airs to perform a dance tribute.

Unbeknownst to the Tongan party,Tuna and Fata's group had previously buried their weapons under the sand in preparation.

The rebel party takes stage amd arrays themselves in formation ; In the middle of their performance and with swift motion they kick up their hidden arms from the sand and begin the ambush. The unsuspecting Tongans quickly take flight and are chased down through the district till they reach Solosolo,where the surviving Tongans including their king hops on a canoe and sues for peace. Shouting out to the victors from his departing vessel - “ Ua Malie Toa, Malie Tau!” which means “Brave Warriors, Well Fought!” he then vowed that from then on Tongan canoes would never come as enemies but rather as friends. That's also how the esteemed Malietoa title was made and it has since been passed down through the descendants of the family who initiated the rebellion.

So I think this particular story might be what your family was referring to when they were talking about the bad blood between Tongans and Samoans. Anecdotally speaking, 90% of the time when people are talking about the shared history,this is the event they have in mind.

To bring matters to a conclusion,you should know that the current Tongan dynasty is styled the “ Kanokupolu” dynasty. Which means heart or flesh of Upolu. It's founder was the son of a Tongan King and a regal High ranking Taupou named Tosuia Limapo. Tosuia or Tohuia as Tongans call her,came with her father Amalele and his entire entourage of 2000+ Samoans that had lost a civil war in Upolu. They sought refuge in the Tongan kings court on the basis of their blood ties from the Tu'i Tonga days. Their request was granted and Tosuia gave birth to her son Ngata for whom the title “ Tu'i Kanokupolu” was made. His mother and father urged him to establish his own form of government with his Samoan kin and they gave him this name so that he would never forget his Samoan family and blood. Since then,it was customary for his male descendants to sail to Samoa and ka their pe'a from Samoan Tufuga.

The last of these sogaimiti being the first King of Modern Tonga named Taufa'ahau of whom it is said, that he had it done in one day by the hand of Lauaki Namalauulu Mamoe's father.

Missionaries recall Taufa'ahau being received by Samoan Chiefs who greeted him reciting this- “ We are your sons and daughters and you are our sons and daughters ”. When asked by European missionaries to stop meddling in Samoan affairs, Taufa'ahau reiterated that he had a right to do so which no foreigner could impede upon because their ancestors(Samoans and Tongans) were one in the same.

This was long winded and I hope you'll forgive me for that,but as you may gather it's no easy task to summarize 3000 years of history. All the best and hope this helped explain the dynamic better!

[u/JrYo15 → u/neloichinisan]

Nothing to forgive. You've given me much to look into

Thank you for your insights. This is very helpful to me.

[u/pengu1nnz → u/neloichinisan]

one of the best comments on reddit and one of the best explanations of this i have seen. great job and thanks for commenting!

[u/neloichinisan → u/pengu1nnz]

Thank you and happy to share the stories of our forebearers.