Becoming Tongan: An Ethnography of ChildhoodIn this first detailed account of growing up in Tonga, Helen Morton focuses on the influence of anga fakatonga ("the Tongan way") in all facets of Tongan childhood, from the antenatal period to late adolescence. Childhood is a crucial period when cultural identity and notions of tradition are constructed, as well as beliefs about self, personhood, and emotion. Based on her anthropological fieldwork and her experiences in Tonga over several years, Morton traces the Tongan socialization process—from being vale (ignorant, socially incompetent) to becoming poto (clever, socially competent)—in fascinating detail. The socialization of emotion is also given detailed attention, especially the management of anger and emphasis on emotional restraint. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
THE KINGDOM OF TONGA | 31 |
PARADISE ON EARTH | 44 |
WHAT TO LEARN | 70 |
LEARNING TO BE POTO | 156 |
PUNISHMENT | 174 |
THE SOCIALIZATION OF EMOTION | 229 |
Student Questionnaire and Tabulated Personal Data | 269 |
Kin Diagrams of Household Members | 275 |
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adolescence adults aggressive Alisi anga fakatonga anger angry anthropology aspects associated Australia Australian National University baby Beaglehole beating become behavior birth Bott boys brother Cambridge Canberra caregivers chiefly chil child abuse childhood Churchward 1959 claimed clowning commented common context crying described dren eiki Elenoa emotion encouraged ethnopsychological expressed father female gender girls Hawai'i Holonga Honolulu household ideal identity important interactions kāinga kinship koloa Lātūkefu laugh lelei living loto male mamahi Marcus matapule mehekitanga mother ngatu Nuku'alofa obedience older children overseas Pacific Studies Panuve parents particularly percent person physical punishment play Polynesian poto psychological anthropology relations relationship relatives responses restraint role Samoa Seini Siale siblings sister society sometimes Spillius status tapa tapu teasing teenage tion told Tomasi Tongan children Tongan culture Tongan funerals Tongatapu tradition tu'a vale values Vava'u village Western Samoa women young younger