Tongan Language Week Celebrates Cultural Unity and Identity

Aotearoa is currently celebrating Tongan Language Week, highlighting the integral role of the Tongan language in preserving the nation’s cultural identity. This year’s theme, “Our language is a vital strand of our Tongan culture,” emphasizes the significance of lea faka-Tonga (Tongan language) in fostering community and pride among Tongans worldwide.

During a recent visit to Oxford University, Dr. Suliana Mone, a law academic from the University of Auckland, spoke with Pacific Waves about the importance of language in maintaining Tongan identity. She attributed Tonga’s rich history to its “strong leadership” and the collective identity that has kept its culture vibrant.

Dr. Mone noted, “It’s easy to get lost when you go to bigger platforms. It’s easy to not have a sense of who you are. [Staying connected to your culture] gives you a grounding.” She described the language as an anchor that provides constancy and reassurance, regardless of one’s location.

Tongan culture is characterized by a strong sense of collectivity and self-pride. Dr. Mone emphasized that Tonga’s ability to resist colonization stems from its leadership and shared identity. “I think part of that unity is being able to speak a common language,” she stated. While defining what it means to be Tongan can be complex, she identified shared values as key unifiers among the Tongan people.

“Language binds us as a collective, as a people, and it keeps our culture and our cultural practices alive,” Dr. Mone explained. She highlighted Tonga’s resilience against external influences, noting that the community engages in an internal dialogue to determine its future direction.

“There are very different and conflicting ideas and opinions within the Tongan community,” she acknowledged. “But the beauty of it all is everyone’s voice is taken into account [when deciding] where Tonga goes.” This approach contrasts with the experiences of some neighboring Pacific islands, where decisions have often been imposed from outside.

Tongan Language Week runs until Saturday, celebrating the language and its cultural importance. According to Statistics New Zealand (Stats NZ), over 97,000 individuals identified as Tongan in New Zealand in 2023, making Tongans the second-largest Pacific ethnic group in Aotearoa, following Samoans.

Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, secretary of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, emphasized that the Tongan language serves as more than just a means of communication. It represents a living connection to ancestral wisdom, community strength, and cultural pride.

As Tongan Language Week continues, it reinforces the vital role that language plays in shaping identity and nurturing a sense of belonging among Tongans, both in Aotearoa and abroad.