King Tupou VI - the present king of Tonga
As regular visitors to this humble Yorkshire blog may recall, the despotic ruler of this little corner of the blogosphere likes his geography and is curious about other places - be they close to home or faraway. Today, we are off to somewhere this blog has never been before - namely Tongatapu.
Tongatapu is the main island of the Pacific nation of Tonga - sometimes known as The Friendly Isles of which there are some 150 inhabited islands.. Around 71% of the entire population live on Tongatapu which is the location of the capital city - Nuku'alofa - home to 25,000. In the Tongan language, Nuku'alofa means "abode of love".
Unsurprisingly, Google Streetview has managed to capture some imagery on the island but coverage is quite sketchy. When I checked it out, I had difficulty spotting any human beings. It was as if they were nearly all in hiding. Perhaps small children had raised the alarm, "Hide everybody! The Google Streetview car is approaching!"
I clipped the following six Tongatapu images from Streetview:-
Ancient burial mound at Mua - allegedly a last burial place for monarchs or chiefs
The Free Church in Nuku'alofa -the most important ecclesiastical building in Tonga
Abandoned house at Hamula
End of the Vuna road
Royal Palace gateway in Nuku'alofa
Where Captain Cook aboard "The Resolution" landed in 1773
A blogpost about Tongatapu would surely not be complete without some traditional Polynesian singing and dancing. The video was shot four years ago at an official reception for The Crown Prince of Norway. The graceful hand movements are everything - telling a story...
I've checked a map on these islands and wanted to visit. But I don't think it's going to happen.
ReplyDeleteIf I win The National Lottery, I will take you there for a couple of weeks.
DeleteThose women are so shiny! Like brand new plastic dolls before they've been played with and dragged though playgrounds and left under beds. I guess they are oiled, but the dresses are also shiny so are they plastic?
ReplyDeleteI could only take a minute and a half of the music.
It's coconut oil. In past times their breasts would have been uncovered and they'd be wearing dried palm leaf skirts which is a look that I prefer to witness.
DeleteNo male dancers! Not even a fa'afafine. There are quite a few Tongans in Australia.
ReplyDeleteTo me it is sad that so many Tongans live in Australia and New Zealand. Their forebears had paradise in the palms of their hands.
DeleteThe roof of that abandoned house looks remarkably intact.
ReplyDeleteYou see that same roof colour on the church and the palace.
DeleteYou led me to expect it would be you performing the traditional Polynesian singing and dancing. How disappointing. Could you not find the costume and body oil?
ReplyDeleteSorry to have disappointed you Tasker. I didn't realise you were that way inclined.
DeleteI would love to see the abandoned house and gardens restored to their former glory.
ReplyDeleteI'd live in that abandoned house. In fact, are we sure it's abandoned?
ReplyDeleteNot 100% sure but the broken windows, incomplete gutter, tatty paintwork and the untrodden grass around it speak of abandonment.
DeleteYet one more place I will never go.
ReplyDeleteNor me. I am afraid this blogpost will have to do.
DeleteA friend of ours is on an around the world cruise, he is headed into that corner of the Pacific, with regular posts to FB.
ReplyDeleteLucky friend.
DeleteGosh, that looks beautiful, Neil. I hope they have a peaceful, happy life.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that so many Tongans have headed to Australia and New Zealand to find work. Once they were fishing folk, weavers of baskets, dancers of dances and the men were warriors.
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