This story from Radio New Zealand made me feel so good I just had to share it:
The library, which was conceived of by New Zealanders Kahoa and Brendan Corbett, will open on October 11.
According to the story, Tonga – a Polynesian archipelago with a population of around 108,000 people – “is full of avid readers and has a 99 percent literacy rate,” despite limited access to literature beyond the Bible and school books.
As someone who has always been wary of cultural colonialism, I was glad to read that Tongans were heavily involved in the building of the library and that some Tongans who were initially suspicious of the project had ended up showing positive interest in it.
The story inspired me to do a little research on Tonga. I learned that the country is comprised of 179 islands, is governed by a constitutional monarchy, and has a high rate of religious affiliation. Named “The Friendly Islands” by British explorer James Cook in 1777, Tonga became a British protectorate in 1900 but regained independence in 1970. According to The World Factbook, the name “Tonga” – which means “south” in the Tongan language – is a reference to the country’s position relative to central Polynesia (Central Intelligence Agency, 2019).
Of particular interest to me is Tonga’s transgender community. In a video program called “Leitis in Waiting,” transgender activist Joey Mataele discusses the transgender community’s relationship with the Tongan royal family, the challenges of being transgender in Tonga, and the ongoing fight for acceptance. You can watch the program online at https://www.pbs.org/video/leitis-in-waiting-mfxnqe/
I wish the Tongans much success with their library, and I hope that I will be lucky enough to visit it one day!
Related links:
Learn Tongan phrases (40-second video)
References
Central Intelligence Agency. (2019, September 11). Tonga. In The world factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tn.html
Melenaite Taumoefolau, ‘Tongans – Migrations’, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/tongans/page-1 (accessed 16 September 2019). Story by Melenaite Taumoefolau, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 25 Mar 2015
Stacy Torian 