Stories about Tonga
Pacific groups celebrate Ocean Week by opposing deep sea mining
Various Pacific groups celebrated Ocean Week and Ocean Day on June 8 by calling on officials to reject deep-sea mining (DSM) in the region.
Tonga threatens to ban Facebook over anti-monarchy posts
"By trying to impose a ban the government will simply make itself look foolish or ineffective."
Tonga Government Accused of Controlling State Media Ahead of Elections
"Government needs to stop using so-called losses as an excuse to apply punitive changes aimed at gagging newsroom and management in a leading public broadcaster of the region."
How Pacific Islanders Are Fighting Climate Change With Canoes
People from 16 different countries will voyage to Australia to deliver traditional canoes to major fossil fuel industry supporters. They want to highlight the dire consequences of climate change.
Pacific Climate Warriors: “We Are Not Drowning, We Are Fighting”
A new campaign seeks to change the image of Pacific Islanders as passive victims to warriors of peace against climate change.
PHOTOS: Cyclone Ian Devastates Tonga
Online news site NZ Kaniva Pacific presents graphic images of the devastation caused by cyclone Ian in Tonga on 11 January 2014: In pictures: Cyclone Ian aftermath. Oxfam New Zealand has details and links for those wishing to make donations.
Oceania: Epeli Hau'ofa Has Passed Away
Noted Fijian (Born in Papua to Tongan parents) antropologist Epeli Hau'ofa died on January 11 in Suva, Fiji. The Savage Minds blog links to an essay by Epeli Hau'ofa tha argued against the commonly held assumption that the pacific islands were isolated communities held apart by massive oceans.
Tonga: Muddy Water
The Tonga Review writes about a newly commissioned multi-million dollar water system that produces muddy water.
Tonga: Ridiculous Cost Cutting
Samiuela LV Taufa writes about a local hospital that takes cost cutting to ridiculous levels.
Oceania: Arc of Instability and the Africanization of the South Pacific
Pacific Empire in a guest post at cominganarchy.com looks at the concepts of “arc of instability” and “Africanization of the South Pacific” that some academics and analysts use to describe the instability in the island nations of Pacific Ocean.
Tonga: News Site Closing
Samiuela LV Taufa is lamenting over the government decision of closing down the Tonganow news site in Tonga. “I wonder who had the bright idea of closing these guys down for not being politically correct ?”
Tonga: Mobile Phone Upgrade
Samiuela LV Taufa is looking for a higher paying job in order to have the <a href=”http://www.nomoa.com/news/Mobile_Phones_-_I_need_a_new_job”>latest mobile phone</a> that everyone seems to be carrying in Tonga.
Tonga: Upgrading Mobile Phone
Samiuela LV Taufa is looking for a higher paying job in order to have the latest mobile phone that everyone seems to be carrying in Tonga.
Tonga: Blame Game in Tonga
Travel Writer David Stanley at Southpacific.org blog does not agree with Tonga Tourist Association's general secretary who blamed the recent troubles in Tonga on pro-democracy movement.
Samoa: No Peace in Pacific
Fagogo in Samoa lists the latest happenings across the Pacific islands and remarks that the Pacific ocean is anything but pacified.
Tongan Capital Burns
Riots broke out this afternoon in Tongan capital city Nuku'alofa. Image from Tonga Now Portal Samiuela LV Taufa on Nomoa.com, a community site in Tonga posted this email Today we finally hit the bottom of the bucket. It started with the stoning of the Prime Ministers office at 3:30pm and...
Tonga: Riots in Tongan Capital
Ms. Vakaivosavosa in Fiji has a post on rioting that took place in Nukualofa, the Tongan capital city earlier today. The rioteers were angry at the lack of democratic reforms and they targetted the prime minister's family business. The blogger writes that the riots must be seen as a warning...
Fiji: Building a Traditional Underground Oven
Peceli blogs about the tradition of building a “lovo” – the traditional underground oven used to cook communal meals in the South Pacific. “In Australia we can’t make a lovo in your back yard without permission from the local council and the Fire Prevention Officer. The ruling is if we...
Tonga: Tonga and Nationalism
Tongan native Samiuela LV Taufa compares the Australians with the Tongans on their respective ideas of nationalism and belonging. “As I understand Tongans, we're only truely nationalistic when it is to contrast/combat another national. Whereas we seem to identify much closer to our inner community (township, school.) Of the Australians...
