TONGA: ART AND LITERATURE

In traditional Tongan art, different kinds of crafts were divided between the sexes. There were certain types of crafts that were done by men and ones that were done by women. Women were mainly the weavers. They created what is called koloa, a type of woven barkcloth or mat. But these weren’t just mats; they were used as a sign of wealth and typically exchanged during ceremonies like weddings. These koloa mats were used for a number of things, from just sleeping on them to wearing them.

Men’s arts are generally centered around woodworking. Carving tools like food bowls, spears, and war clubs are sometimes also inlaid with other materials like pearl shell and ivory, depending on the item. These war clubs were also pretty popular in Fiji. Canoe building was also a men’s skill, especially dugout canoes that were made out of one log.

One style of Tongan architecture is well known. A type of building style called the fale consists of a curved roof sitting on top of wooden pillars, using woven screens as walls. If there is a particularly bad storm bearing down on them that threatens the integrity of the walls, they’ll simply cut the wooden pillars down so that the roof is laying on the ground. The curvature of the roof allows the wind to flow over it easier. They've updated some of their building materials over the decades, though. There are also stone monuments and tombs that are found throughout the islands as well.

Like other South Pacific countries, tattooing is a common part of their culture. Some of these can be fairly elaborate and generally tell a story. It was often viewed as a symbol of strength. When the missionaries arrived in Tonga, they highly discouraged it (what a buzzkill), and the practice fell to the wayside somewhat. Today, it’s common for both men and women to have some tattoos. (One day I’ll finally figure out what I want a tattoo of.)

Tonga has not had a strong written literary history, which has mostly been in the form of oral tales and stories. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, there was a general push for developing Pacific Islander literature on a broader scale. Although there are newspapers and a few magazines that are produced in the Tongan language, there are few literature publications that are produced in Tongan. English is taught in school and serves as one of the main languages of instruction and business, so most authors end up publishing their works in English for a broader audience.

Epeli Hau'ofa

And not to be left out, Tonga has had two writers who emerged during this period. Epeli Hau’ofa is known as a short story writer, especially for the collection called Tales of the Tikongs as well as a novel Kisses in the Nederends. He actually traveled around and lived between Tonga and Fiji. While he was living in Tonga, he also produced a literary magazine with his wife called Faikara.

Konai Helu Thaman

Another author from Tonga is Konai Helu Thaman. Not only was she a teacher and poet, she’s also taken several positions with UNESCO. Many of her works have been used as part of the curriculum across the Pacific.

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SAMOA: ART AND LITERATURE

In Samoa, there is a ritual exchange of goods and traditional arts. Women typically give a finely woven mat called an ‘ie toga.  They also give a type of bark cloth called siapo, which is decorated with pictures of flowers and other natural objects.

 

Men, on the other hand, will typically give items carved from wood and red feathers. Carving sculptures was pretty rare prior to the European’s arrival, but typically, their woodworking objects tend to be in line with similar arts from Fiji and Tonga.

Other traditional arts you’ll find made in Samoa include jewelry, hair accessories, and other ornaments. Many times, these things will be made from other naturally occurring materials found on the island, like coir (coconut fibers) and sea shells.

And let’s be honest – one of the types of art that really sticks out is tattooing. In the US, I feel like there is still a stigma against tattooed people, at least in some circles and even on a professional level. (The only reason why I don’t have one yet is because I can’t decide on what I want.) However, in Samoa as in other South Pacific countries, tattoos carry a different social standing. Both men and women are tattooed and each tattoo is related to their families, their communities, and their role within their community. According to dictionary.com, the word tattoo is ultimately derived from the Tahitian word tatau, which is also the same word in Samoan. 

The earliest form of literature in Samoa was oral storytelling. However, written literature didn’t truly emerge until the 1960s, right around the time of their independence. Most Samoan literature is written in English. There have been many writers who have emerged from Samoa.

Probably one of the more famous novelists is Albert Wendt. (His birthday [Oct 27] is the day before mine.) Wendt’s most famous novel, Leaves of the Banyan Tree, was published in 1979. He’s worked as a professor and visiting professor at several universities throughout the South Pacific islands and currently resides in New Zealand. There’s actually a documentary on him called The New Oceania.

Other writers from Samoa include Sia Figiel (poet, award-winning novelist), Emma Kruse Va’ai (poet, writer, educator), Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard (poet from American Samoa, but I’m including it here anyway), Savea Sano Malifa (poet, founder of the newspaper Samoa Observer), Eti Sa’aga (poet, journalist, writer), and Sapa’u Ruperake Petaia (poet, writer).

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MARSHALL ISLANDS: ART AND LITERATURE

Long before modern maps, the islanders of the Marshall Islands would map out the ocean swells and islands using sticks and shells. These stick charts as they’re called use to sticks and fibers to map out the major swells in the ocean and the shells mark where the islands are located that caused changes in directions. This was used as a way for the islanders to navigate their way to other islands. What you end up with is almost a modern, Frank Lloyd Wright-esque frame of sticks tied at various angles and curves. Some can be small and other can be quite large. It’s rather fascinating. 

Much of their art is tied to handicrafts and especially woven arts. Popular items include baskets, mats, purses, hats, fans, and wall hangings. Each of these are made from natural materials found on the island, including coconut fibers, pandanas leaves, and shells. 

Locals also develop an array of products using coconut, from detergents to hand creams. Coconut is very good for your skin and hair and is environmentally safe. Not to mention quite plentiful on the islands. 

Another part of their culture, especially before the arrival of the Europeans, was tattooing. Both males and females were tattooed, although the designs and body parts that were tattooed vary slightly between the sexes. Different designs signified different family clans and ranks within the family. The Marshallese also stretched out their ear lobes, some as large as three inches. Sounds like they were punk before punk was punk. 

The early Marshall Islanders told their stories orally. Most of these stories were legends and stories used to explain their world around them, but some stories also told of historical events. Today, many of these oral traditions have been retold and written down. 

The Marshall Islands have also served as the setting for many European writers, some who either lived there for a while or had visited the islands. No doubt these islands had a lasting impression on them. A few notable writers who have written about the Marshall Islands or used it as their setting are Jane Downing, George Lewis “Louis” Becke, Rudolph von Scheven, and Ernest George Moll. 

There isn’t a large canon of literature from the islands. Although Marshallese is the official language, and certainly used in the language of government documents and so forth, most of the books I’ve seen mentioned are written in English. However, if you’re interested in folktales, one book to read is called Marshall Islands Legends and Stories by Daniel A Kelin II. This book contains 50 stories collected from the local storytellers.

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KIRIBATI: ART AND LITERATURE

 

Much of the culture in Kiribati is tied to the sea, their religion, and their closeness to family. Many of these are so intertwined that it’s hard to separate one from the other. Because of its geographical limits of being a group of islands spread far apart from one end to the other, it makes it hard for new ideas to spread and materials to be transported. Therefore, many of the arts and building practices in Kiribati are the same ones that have been going on for decades and centuries even. Many homes and buildings are simply built using materials found on the islands. Homes are decorated using woven mats and baskets. However, you will also find European-style buildings as well, such as churches and other buildings. Buildings are limited in height because the soil types tend to be sand and reef, which can’t sustain large buildings in many areas. 

As far as art goes, most of it falls under two categories: woven arts and handicrafts. Woven arts include mats, baskets, shoes/sandals, and other objects used for everyday use. Handicrafts include figurines (especially indigenous religious ones), bead and shell jewelry, and other carved trinkets, many of which are sold to what tourists may come. These woven arts and handicrafts actually make up a significant portion of Kiribati’s economy. 

Tattoos are common throughout the islands in this corner of the world. The designs vary from island to island, but there are often a variety of designs, many based on religious images or characters. Both men and women are tattooed, and full body tattoos on either sex are quite common. 

Like much of the cultures of other South Pacific islands, canoe making is also a centuries-old art form. For the people who must communicate and trade with people from neighboring islands, canoes were the main source of transportation. Canoes in Kiribati are different from what I'm accustomed to seeing, which are normally used on lakes and rivers. To combat the ocean currents and winds, these canoes are equipped with sails. 

After they received their independence from Britain, they continued on a path of blindly mimicking Eurocentric artistic styles solely for the tourists who visited (especially in the larger, more touristy cities). In fact, sometimes they would put aside their own traditional arts in lieu of attempting other styles of art.  However, the push to celebrate and promote their own artistic styles prevails. On the other hand, Kiribati is also a haven for foreigners to come and paint its beautiful landscape as well.

I came across the blog of Peter Dunn-Rankin, a retired educational psychology professor from Univ of Hawaii at Manoa. (I've taken two ed psych courses in my lifetime from two different universities, unfortunately not in Hawaii.) He is a very gifted artist and often paints fish and fishing scenes. Check out his other artwork at www.peterdunnrankin.wordpress.com.

Literature in Kiribati is either written in English or Gilbertese. Probably the most famous author from these islands is Teresia Teaiwa. Although she was born in Hawaii and raised in Fiji, her father was an I-Kiribati and her mother was African American. She has her doctorate and has taught history and politics in the past as well as currently being the co-editor of the International Feminist Journal of Politics. Francis Tekonnang is another educator who also published a list of short stories about daily life and culture in Kiribati.  

There are also a few books and papers written by foreigners about the culture of Kiribati. Edward Carlyon Eliot describes his experiences in the Gilbert & Ellice Islands from 1913–1920 in his book Broken Atoms. Sir Arthur Grimble also wrote about his time in service working in the Gilbert Islands from 1914–1932 in A Pattern of Islands and Return to the Islands. J. Maarten Troost, a current Dutch travel writer, also published a novel about his experiences on the Tarawa Atoll entitled The Sex Lives of Cannibals. The title alone makes me want to find this book. (Luckily, my library has this book. Apparently, he also has a book called Getting Stoned With Savages about his experiences in Fiji and Vanuatu. Thank the gods for public libraries.)

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