Tonga
There are many islands in the south pacific. These different islands, some share familiarity fall into 3 categories. These 3 categories are; Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian. But we’re focusing
on only one of these three, Polynesians. Out of all the islands of Polynesia such as Tahiti, Samoa, and Fiji. Out of those islands listed one stands out and that is Tonga. Many people wonder when were these islands inhabited and when were they found. Facts have shown that the Islands of Tonga have been settled since at least 500 B.C. (Urbanowicz 2). Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is a Polynesian sovereign state and an archipelago comprising 176 islands with a surface area of about 750 square kilometers scattered over 700,000 square kilometers of the southern Pacific Ocean.
Before missionaries came to Tonga explorers were the first ones to see and know of the islands. The islands were first visited The first contact with Europeans came when a Dutch expedition under Willem Schouten and Jacob Lemaire sighted the northern islands in 1916. Sooner followed by a Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman in 1643 (globaledge.com). One-hundred and forty-three years later Captain James Cook visited the islands twice, in 1773 and 1777 (globaledge.com). But in between Tasman and Cook the very first missionaries to come to the Islands of Tonga in 1747 (globaledge.com). These missionaries were attached to the London Missionary Society back in the United Kingdom.
History of Tonga
An Austronesian-speaking group linked to the archaeological construct known as the Lapita cultural complex reached and colonized Tonga around 1500–1000 BCE. Scholars have much debated the exact dates of the initial settlement of Tonga, but recently it has been thought that the first settlers came to the oldest town Nukuleka about 826 BCE. Not much is known about Tonga before European contact because of the lack of a writing system. However, oral history has survived and been recorded after the arrival of the Europeans. The Tongan people first encountered Europeans in 1616 when the Dutch vessel Eendracht made a short visit to the islands to trade.
By the 12th century Tongans, and the Tongan paramount chief, the Tuʻi Tonga, had a reputation across the central Pacific. From Niue, Samoa, Rotuma, Wallis & Futuna, New Caledonia to Tikopia—leading some historians to speak of a Tuʻi Tonga Empire. In the 15th century and again in the 17th, civil war erupted. Into this situation the first European explorers arrived, beginning in 1616 with the Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire (who called on the northern island of Niuatoputapu), and in 1643 with Abel Tasman (who visited Tongatapu and Haʻapai). Later noteworthy European visitors included James Cook (British Navy) in 1773, 1774, and 1777, Alessandro Malaspina (Spanish Navy) in 1793, the first London missionaries in 1797, and the Wesleyan Methodist Rev. Walter Lawry in 1822.
In 1845 the ambitious young warrior, strategist, and orator Taufa'ahau united Tonga into a kingdom. He held the chiefly title of Tuʻi Kanokupolu, but had been baptized with the name Siaosi ("George") in 1831. In 1845, Taufa'ahau formally proclaimed himself as King George Tupou I. This led to the finding of the dynasty that still rules to this day. In 1875 with the help of missionary Shirley Waldemar Baker, he declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy, formally adopted the western royal style, emancipated the "serfs", enshrined a code of law, land tenure, and freedom of the press, and limited the power of the chiefs. A new treaty of friendship and protection with the United Kingdom was signed in May 1958 and then ratified in May 1959.
TimeLine:
YEAR: Date: Event:
800 BC The first Lapita settlers arrived in Tonga
200 Explorers set out from Tonga, Samoa and Fiji to discover and settle eastern Polynesia.
1100 The Empire expanded under Tu'i Tonga Momo to include Samoa and parts of Fiji.
1200 Mu'a became the capital of the Tongan Empire
1250 Samoa rebelled and cast of Tongan rule, establishing the Malietoa dynasty in Samoa
1300 The Ha'amonga'a Maui was built during the rule of Tu'i Tonga Tu'itatui
1470 The Tongans were driven out of Wallis and Futuna. Tu'i Tonga Dynasty is replaced by the Tu'i Ha'atakalaua dynasty.
1600 The Tu'i Kanokupolu dynasty ascended.
1616 April Wilhelm Schouten and Jacob Le Maire visited the Niuas.
1643 January Abel Tasman visited Tongatapu and Ha'apai.
1650 Mataleha'amea, the Tu'i Kanokupolu, established the supremacy of his dynasty after war.
1773 Cpt. James Cook first visited Tonga and referred to it as the "Friendly Islands".
1774 Cook returned.
1782 Cook met the Tu'i Kanokupolu, Tu'ihalafatai, on his third visit.
1797 The first Christian missionaries arrived from London.
1799 Tuku'aho, the Tu'i Kanokupolu, was murdered, sparking a half-century civil war.
1806 William Mariner began a sojourn in Tonga.
1810 Mariner's sojourn ended.
1826 Aleamotu'a converted to Christianity and allowed Wesleyan missionaries to settle on Tongatapu.
1831 Taufa'ahau I proclaimed himself King George Tupou I.
1893 George Tupou I died and was succeeded as King by George Tupou II.
1900 A Treaty of Friendship was signed under which Tonga becomes a self-governing British protectorate.
1918 George Tupou II died and was succeeded by Queen Salote Tupou III.
1965 Salote Tupou died and was succeeded by King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.
1970 Tonga regained full sovereignty and independence from the UK and joined the Commonwealth of Nations.
1999 Tonga rejoined the UN.
2006
30 March Feleti Sevele was appointed the first non-noble Prime Minister of Tonga since Shirlet Baker in the 19th Century.
16 November Riots hit Nuku'alofa with protestors demanding a faster transition to democracy.
17 November George Tupou promised democratic legislative elections for 2008
2012 18 March George Tupou V died and was succeeded as King by Tupou VI
Queen Salote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900-1965 (ISBN 1-86940-205-7)
Before missionaries came to Tonga explorers were the first ones to see and know of the islands. The islands were first visited The first contact with Europeans came when a Dutch expedition under Willem Schouten and Jacob Lemaire sighted the northern islands in 1916. Sooner followed by a Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman in 1643 (globaledge.com). One-hundred and forty-three years later Captain James Cook visited the islands twice, in 1773 and 1777 (globaledge.com). But in between Tasman and Cook the very first missionaries to come to the Islands of Tonga in 1747 (globaledge.com). These missionaries were attached to the London Missionary Society back in the United Kingdom.
History of Tonga
An Austronesian-speaking group linked to the archaeological construct known as the Lapita cultural complex reached and colonized Tonga around 1500–1000 BCE. Scholars have much debated the exact dates of the initial settlement of Tonga, but recently it has been thought that the first settlers came to the oldest town Nukuleka about 826 BCE. Not much is known about Tonga before European contact because of the lack of a writing system. However, oral history has survived and been recorded after the arrival of the Europeans. The Tongan people first encountered Europeans in 1616 when the Dutch vessel Eendracht made a short visit to the islands to trade.
By the 12th century Tongans, and the Tongan paramount chief, the Tuʻi Tonga, had a reputation across the central Pacific. From Niue, Samoa, Rotuma, Wallis & Futuna, New Caledonia to Tikopia—leading some historians to speak of a Tuʻi Tonga Empire. In the 15th century and again in the 17th, civil war erupted. Into this situation the first European explorers arrived, beginning in 1616 with the Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire (who called on the northern island of Niuatoputapu), and in 1643 with Abel Tasman (who visited Tongatapu and Haʻapai). Later noteworthy European visitors included James Cook (British Navy) in 1773, 1774, and 1777, Alessandro Malaspina (Spanish Navy) in 1793, the first London missionaries in 1797, and the Wesleyan Methodist Rev. Walter Lawry in 1822.
In 1845 the ambitious young warrior, strategist, and orator Taufa'ahau united Tonga into a kingdom. He held the chiefly title of Tuʻi Kanokupolu, but had been baptized with the name Siaosi ("George") in 1831. In 1845, Taufa'ahau formally proclaimed himself as King George Tupou I. This led to the finding of the dynasty that still rules to this day. In 1875 with the help of missionary Shirley Waldemar Baker, he declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy, formally adopted the western royal style, emancipated the "serfs", enshrined a code of law, land tenure, and freedom of the press, and limited the power of the chiefs. A new treaty of friendship and protection with the United Kingdom was signed in May 1958 and then ratified in May 1959.
TimeLine:
YEAR: Date: Event:
800 BC The first Lapita settlers arrived in Tonga
200 Explorers set out from Tonga, Samoa and Fiji to discover and settle eastern Polynesia.
1100 The Empire expanded under Tu'i Tonga Momo to include Samoa and parts of Fiji.
1200 Mu'a became the capital of the Tongan Empire
1250 Samoa rebelled and cast of Tongan rule, establishing the Malietoa dynasty in Samoa
1300 The Ha'amonga'a Maui was built during the rule of Tu'i Tonga Tu'itatui
1470 The Tongans were driven out of Wallis and Futuna. Tu'i Tonga Dynasty is replaced by the Tu'i Ha'atakalaua dynasty.
1600 The Tu'i Kanokupolu dynasty ascended.
1616 April Wilhelm Schouten and Jacob Le Maire visited the Niuas.
1643 January Abel Tasman visited Tongatapu and Ha'apai.
1650 Mataleha'amea, the Tu'i Kanokupolu, established the supremacy of his dynasty after war.
1773 Cpt. James Cook first visited Tonga and referred to it as the "Friendly Islands".
1774 Cook returned.
1782 Cook met the Tu'i Kanokupolu, Tu'ihalafatai, on his third visit.
1797 The first Christian missionaries arrived from London.
1799 Tuku'aho, the Tu'i Kanokupolu, was murdered, sparking a half-century civil war.
1806 William Mariner began a sojourn in Tonga.
1810 Mariner's sojourn ended.
1826 Aleamotu'a converted to Christianity and allowed Wesleyan missionaries to settle on Tongatapu.
1831 Taufa'ahau I proclaimed himself King George Tupou I.
1893 George Tupou I died and was succeeded as King by George Tupou II.
1900 A Treaty of Friendship was signed under which Tonga becomes a self-governing British protectorate.
1918 George Tupou II died and was succeeded by Queen Salote Tupou III.
1965 Salote Tupou died and was succeeded by King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.
1970 Tonga regained full sovereignty and independence from the UK and joined the Commonwealth of Nations.
1999 Tonga rejoined the UN.
2006
30 March Feleti Sevele was appointed the first non-noble Prime Minister of Tonga since Shirlet Baker in the 19th Century.
16 November Riots hit Nuku'alofa with protestors demanding a faster transition to democracy.
17 November George Tupou promised democratic legislative elections for 2008
2012 18 March George Tupou V died and was succeeded as King by Tupou VI
Queen Salote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900-1965 (ISBN 1-86940-205-7)
-Lose Moala