Artifact 2
The Tonga of the South Pacific
The Tonga had a multi-tiered society. The biggest class divide is between the eiki (chiefs) and the tu’a (nonchiefs). From there you have a ranking system based off three things in where no two tongans are of equal standing. Those senior are seen higher as their peers, males outranked women, and sisters outranked brothers.
Chiefs are always male and chosen by blood, however is not always the past chief’s eldest son. Because of sisters outranking brothers, the chief’s sister’s son could become chief instead, especially if the sister is senior to the chief. However, in Tongan society, it wasn’t a steadfast rule of succession and those that are seen as better leaders would be appointed.
The Tonga divided work between genders and classes. Male tu’a engaged in substance activities while eiki males obtained food and goods from the productive work of others. Two kinds of goods were produced, ngaue which means work was anything produced by men, and koloa which means valuables, wealth was produced by the females. Koloa includes anything made by women which includes newborn babies. Females mainly focused on crafts.
Even with males being seen as higher and the division of labor between males and females, the two sexes were fairly equal. This can be attributed to how sisters outrank brothers, and the fact that women create the goods that are considered valuble such as bark cloth. Koloa was used to trade, show status, and as gifts for other chiefs and supporters and there was usually a ritual fixed to giving away koloa. In a way, a chief’s status was directly linked to the status of those making Koloa for him.
When European trade came to the South Pacific however, women’s role in Tonga society lowered. Europeans brought in new goods that made the old koloa goods of women obsolete and undesired. Such as cotton cloth replacing bark cloth and firearms and beads becoming the new symbol of wealth and power. Europeans of course had no desire for koloa goods in return except for possibly trinkets to take home, because the pacific islands were just a stopping point in a trade route to resupply. Because of this they were interested in food and water and other ngaue goods. Because of the increase demand for ngaue men were out working and gathering more to meet the demand and roles back home that were previously done by men such as cooking, which was seen as a lowly job, and jobs that were done by both men and women were all being done by women now.