Tonga
By Mauatua Fa'ara-Reynolds (She/They) & Ashleigh Putt-Fallows (She/Her/Ia)
Welcome back to Salient’s Pacific language learning! From the 18th of August to the 24th, Aotearoa celebrated Tongan Language Week, or Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea Faka-Tonga. This year’s theme was “E tu’uloa ‘a e lea faka-Tongá ‘o ka lea’aki ‘i ‘api, siasi (lotú), mo e nofo-‘a-kāingá”, meaning the Tongan language will be sustainable when used at home, church, and in the wider community. As always, there are things we may have missed or glossed over, and we encourage you all to do your own research.
General Phrases
Ko hai ho hingoa? = What’s your name?
Ko hoku hingoa ko … = My name is …
Ko ho’o ha’u mai fē? = Where do you come from?
Ko ‘eku ha’u mei … = I come from …
Okú ke fēfē hake? = How are you? (singular)
Okú ou sai pē, mālō = I’m fine, thank you‘
Oku lelei ‘a e ‘Otua = God is good
Ko e ‘Otua mo Tongá ko hoku tofi’a = God and Tonga are my inheritance
Tonga
The Kingdom of Tonga (Pule’anga Fakatu’i ‘o Tonga) is one of the oldest groups of islands in Polynesia, believed to be settled around 1500 BCE. By the 10th century, the Tu’i Tonga Empire was well-established in the South Pacific, conquering parts of the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Niue, and some parts of French Polynesia. Even after European contact and missionary influence, Tonga remained politically sovereign, signing a Treaty of Friendship with Britain in 1900.
Tonga is made up of 171 islands, of which only 45 are inhabited. These islands are divided into three main groups: Vava’u, Ha’apai, and Tongatapu, which is where the capital is located, Nuku’alofa.
As of this year, Tonga has a population of 104,110 people, of which Tongans make up 97%. The official languages of the country are Tongan and English.
Email Greetings / Sign Offs
Mālō e lelei = HelloMālō ‘aupito = Thank you
Ma’u ha aho lelei = Have a nice day
Rīngi mai iāku = Ring me
Hangē ko ‘eku ‘imeili atú = As per my email
Fakamolemole ‘i he tuai ‘eku fetu’utaki atú = Apologies for the delayed response
Māuruuru roa & Ngā Mihi,
Mauatua Fa'ara-Reynolds (She/They)Ashleigh Putt-Fallows (She/Her/Ia)