The Friendly Islands

Captain Cook nicknamed Tonga, “the Friendly Islands,” and from our experience the moniker still holds true.

For instance, when a Tongan man saw me admiring a pretty white flower, he walked over, picked a blossom and handed it to me. Later, a woman handed me the blossom she wore in her hair when she saw that the white flower I was attempting to shelter from the breeze was starting to wilt.

The Kingdom of Tonga is proud to be the only Polynesian nation that was never colonized, however, Jesus Christ has certainly made the rounds. There are churches all over and a variety of denominations: Catholic, Latter Day Saints, among many others.

The woven “apron” Tongans wear is called a “ta ovala.” These are handmade (our guide’s mother made his) They are woven from local plant fibers and worn by men and women in formal situations. It’s rather like the equivalent of a man’s tie in Western society.Read more