History of Tonga

Early Settlement (0 - 1606)

Settlers from Southeast Asia

Tongan language is one of the oldest in Polynesia and has helped preserve Tongan culture

Complex society with skilled navigators and seafarers, using stars to guide them

Islanders travelled vast distances on canoes and established trade networks with other islands

Advanced agriculture techniques, growing yams, taro and breadfruit. Also reliant on fishing

Social structure around chiefdoms and royalty. Kings known as Tu'i Tonga

From the 500s, Tonga developed as a central hub of Polynesian culture and trade

Interaction with other major Polynesian islandsm including Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. Beliefs and customs were spread as well as goods

Claimed divine ancestry and worshiped natural forces as gods (sea, earth and sky)

Tongan Monarchy (1606 - 1900)

Luis Vaez de Torres (of Spain) was the first European to site the islands in 1606 and English Captain James Cook visited in 1773 and 1777, noting the people's hospitality and naval skills

The Tu'i Tonga was weakening around this time and smaller chiefdoms arising.

Christian missionaries began arriving in the 1820s converting chiefsdoms to the western religion. King Tupou I himself also converting

Tu'i Kanokupolu became King in 1845 and re-stabilised the kingdom

British Protection (1900 - 1970)

To avoid colonisation, the Tongans signed a treaty with Britain for protection against other European powers.

Independence (1970 - )

Tonga became fully independent of britain in 1970, however struggles due to economic dependence on agriculture