p. 14 | Among the Islands by E. S. Butz

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Apr 8, 1902

Among the Islands

By E. S. Butz

E. S. BUTZ

The Tonga, or Friendly, Islands are situated in the South Pacific Ocean, just north of the tropic of capricorn (from nineteen to twenty-one degrees south latitude), and three hundred miles east of Fiji.

There are about one hundred islands in the group, which are clustered into three natural divisions. The southern division is called Tonga, the middle Haapai, and the northern Vavau. They are principally of coral formation, and hence very low, being raised scarcely above the sea level. Being so low, there are no springs or streams of water. Wells are dug in the coral rock, but the water is not fit to use for drinking or cooking. The village in which we lived was only from four to six feet above high-water mark. Our well was about four feet deep, and the water rose and fell in it as the tide ebbed and flowed. The natives, being accustomed to it, can use it. The white people depend upon rain water, which is caught in iron tanks. It can be readily seen that water thus kept in tanks can be neither wholesome, sweet, palatable, nor cool in the tropics.

There are between twenty-two and twenty-three thousand natives, and about five hundred white people in this group. The natives are called Tongans. They are of a dark-brown color, shading to black. Some have straight, black hair, like the American Indian; others have curly hair; and some have bushy heads. They have some odd ways of dressing and cutting the hair. They are fine-looking people, with plump, symmetrical forms and intelligent faces. They are a proud and conceited people, very tenacious of their ideas and customs, manifesting a haughty spirit of self-confidence.

The Friendly Islands form the little independent kingdom of Tonga. They were brought under one rule by King George I, the grandsire of the present king. He seems to have been quite a wise man, with many good qualities. He threw his whole energy into whatever he undertook. He set his people a good example by taking his spade and planting and digging yams. He gave the people a constitution, and a parliament was formed, modeled after that of the British government, consisting of thirty-one nobles and an equal number of representatives chosen by the people. The nobles hold office for life, subject to the will of the king. The representatives are chosen simply to sit as delegates through one session of parliament, which meets once in three years.

The land belongs to the king and chiefs, who make allotments to their subjects. They all live in villages, so each one is given a village lot, and a garden allotment outside of the village. Land cannot be bought, but only leased for a term of years. The foreigner wishing land must first pay the native having a claim upon it a good sum to get him to relinquish his claim to the government, then apply to the government for a lease of twenty-one years, which it may or may not grant, according to his influence; or it may be granted, then withheld by diplomatically placing the annual lease so high that it cannot be paid.

They have many good laws covering the various departments and functions of government, but it is often difficult to recognize them when the attempt to carry them into effect is seen.

Some effort has already been made to give the closing message to the people of these islands, with encouraging results.

“Two things are required of a well: it must not freeze in winter, it must not run dry in summer. Two things are required of piety: it must not be chilled by adversity; it must not wither in prosperity.”