Ko e Ako, ‘Aati, mo e Ha‘a (Education, Art, and Class of Professions) ^Featured

 Na‘e kehekehe ‘ae founga ako ‘a Tonga (mo fakaTonga) moe founga ako ‘a ‘Iulope (mo faka‘Iulope, fakaUesite), ‘aia na‘e tefito ‘ae ako ‘a Tonga (mo fakaTonga) he ‘ha‘a’ (class of professions, arts) kae tefito ‘ae ako ‘a ‘Iulope (mo faka‘Iulope) he ‘‘apiako’ (school). Na‘e fakataha fakatouloua ‘ae ‘ako’ moe ‘‘aati’ hono fai ‘i Tonga, ‘aia na‘e tefito he ‘faiva,’ ‘tufunga,’ moe ‘nimamea‘a’ (‘aia koe ‘aati) fakaTonga kae tefito ‘ae ako ‘a ‘Iulope (moe Uesite) he ngaahi lesoni, sapuseki, kehekehe, ‘o kau ai ‘ae ‘aati moe litilesa.

 Na‘e tefito ‘ae ako ‘a Tonga he ‘ha‘a’ (professional classes). ‘aia koe ha‘a faiva, ha‘a tufunga, moe ha‘a nimamea‘a, ‘o hange koe ha‘a punake moe ha‘a toutai koe ha‘a toutaivaka moe ha‘a toutaiika he faiva, ha‘a tufunga langafale moe ha‘a tufunga lalava he tufunga, moe ha‘a nimamea‘a koka‘anga moe ha‘a nimamea‘a tuikakala he nimamea‘a. Na‘e tefito ‘ae ako ‘a ‘Iulope, Uesite, he ‘‘apiako’ (school), ‘aia na‘e vahevahe kihe ngaahi ‘lesoni,’ ‘sapuseki,’ ‘o hange koe ‘asitalonomi, siomita, vusika (fisiki), siokalafi, histolia, moe musika.

 Na‘e hoko ‘ae fetu‘utaki ‘a Tonga mo ‘Iulope, Uesite, ke liliu mamalie ‘ae ako (moe ‘aati) fakaTonga na‘e tu‘unga he ‘ha‘a’ kihe ako faka’Iulope na‘e tu‘unga he ‘‘apiako,’ ‘aia na‘e kaunga lahi kiai ‘ae kau misinale he‘enau ‘otumu‘a hono fakamafola ‘ae lotu Kalisitiane. Na‘e me‘angaue‘aki lahi ‘ehe ngaahi fonua ‘Iulope ‘ae kau misinale hono fakamafola ‘ae pule fakakolonia (colonialism) mo fakapule‘angahau (imperialism) ‘a ‘Iulope ‘oe ngaahi fonua kehe ‘i mamani ‘ae lotu, ako, tekinolosia, ‘ikonomika, moe politiki.

 Oku malie mo loloto fau ‘ae filosofia fakaako tupu‘a ‘a Tonga, ‘aia koe liliu ‘ae ta-va, fuo-uho, (moe ngaue-‘aonga) ‘ae ‘atamai moe fakakaukau (he ‘uto) moe ongo moe loto (he fatu, mafu) mei he vale (ignorance) kihe ‘ilo (knowledge) kihe poto (skills), ‘aia ‘oku mu‘omu‘a ma‘u ‘ae ‘ilo he poto, ‘o hange ka ‘vale’ ha taha he tufunga lalava pea ‘oku ne ‘ako’ ke ‘‘ilo’ kiai pea ‘oku ne toe ‘ako’ kiai ke toe ‘poto’ ai. ‘Oku lahilahi hono fulihi ‘ehe Uesite (mo ‘Iulope) ‘ae ‘poto’ (ako tekinikale, ako ‘aonga) ‘o fakamu‘omu‘a he ‘ilo (ako ‘uhinga, ako ‘akatemika), ‘o hange koe lea heliaki ‘Ingilsi kuo fakatokotokonaki hono ‘fakamu‘omu‘a ‘ae saliote he hoosi.’

 ‘Oku fakaloloma atu ‘ae vave fau hono fakali‘eli‘aki ‘ae ako fakaTonga moe fakamā‘uhinga ‘ae ako faka‘Iulope, fakaUesite, kae ‘ikai ke fakafenāpasi kinaua, ‘o fakataha‘i fakatouloua ‘ae ‘ilo moe poto fakaTonga moe faka‘Iulope, fakaUesite. ‘Oku fakata‘eta‘etokanga‘i ‘ae ako fakaTonga na‘e tefito he ‘aati fakaTonga (faiva, tufunga, moe nimamea‘a) moe ‘aati fakaTonga na‘e tefito he ako fakaTonga, ‘aia ‘oku fakataha‘i pe koe ‘ngaue fakamea‘a’ (kae ‘ikai koe ako moe ngaue fakamea‘a), ‘o hange koe ta‘eisia‘itoki moe langakato, ‘aia koe konga si‘i ‘oe ako faka‘Iulope, fakaUesite, ‘oku tefito ai ‘ae ako ‘oku fai ‘i Tonga.

 ‘Oku ma‘uhinga lahi ke mahino koe ako fakaTonga moe ako faka‘Iulope, fakaUesite, koe ongo founga ‘kehekehe’ pe ‘oe kumi kihe ‘ilo, ‘aia koe ‘ilo ‘ae ta moe va, ‘aia ‘oku ‘uhinga ia ‘oku na fakatou tu‘unga tatau he ‘ilo, ‘o ‘ikai ‘mo‘oni’ e kae ‘loi’ e. Kuo foki ‘a mamani kihe ‘‘ilo tu‘ufonua’ (indigenous knowledge) fakataha moe ‘‘ilo fakasaienisi’ (scientific knowledge).’Oku ‘asi lelei ‘eni hono huluhulu ‘ehe fakakaukau fakaTonga koe ‘fonua’ (pe hanua, honua, vanua, fanua, fenua, whenua) ‘ae tauhoa tu‘uma‘u ‘ae ‘kakai’ moe ‘‘atakai’ moe tokateline fakaUesite, fakaUN, koe ‘sustainable development’ ‘oku ne fakamavahe ‘ae ‘kakai’ mei he ‘‘atakai.’

 ‘Oku fa‘ahinga lalahi ‘e ua ‘ae ‘ha‘a,’ ‘aia koe ‘uluaki (1) koe ‘ha‘a’ ne tefito he ‘fatongia,’ ‘o hange koe ha‘a faiva (‘o kau ai ‘ae ha‘a faiva punake, ha‘a faiva faifolau, moe ha‘a faiva fanifo), ha‘a tufunga (‘o kau ai ‘ae ha‘a tufunga fonua, ha‘a tufunga nimatapu, moe ha‘a tufunga tatatau), moe ha‘a nimamea‘a (‘o kau ai ‘ae ha‘a nimamea‘a koka‘anga, ha‘a nimamea‘a lalanga, moe ha ‘a nimamea‘a tuikakala), moe ua (2) koe ‘ha‘a’ na‘e tefito he ‘hingoa,’ ‘o hange koe ha‘a Tu‘i Ha‘atakalaua, ha‘a Mo‘unga, ha‘a Ngata (ha‘a Ngata Motu‘a moe ha‘a Ngata Tupu), ha‘a Havea (ha‘a Havea Lahi moe ha‘a Havea Si‘i).

 ‘Oku lava ke lau koe ‘uhinga 1 ‘oe ‘ha‘a’ koe ‘uhinga fakaTu‘i Tonga (fakaTonga) moe fakaKauhala‘uta, ‘aia ‘oku lahilahi anga ‘faka‘ikonomika’ he‘ene tefito he ‘fatongia’ (socioeconomic functions) moe 2 koe ‘uhinga fakaTu‘i Kanokupolu (fakaHa‘amoa) moe fakaMuifonua, ‘o lahilahi anga ‘fakapolitikale’ he‘ene tefito he ‘hingoa’ (sociopolitical functions). Na‘e pule ‘ae Tu‘i Tonga kihe ‘mafai’ kae tukuange ‘ae ‘fatongia’ kihe fonua, ‘o kehe mei he Tu‘i Kanokupolu (Tu‘i Ha‘amoa) na‘a ne falute fakatouloua ‘ae ‘mafai’ moe ‘fatongia’ (economics) ‘ae fonua.

 Na‘e toki liliu ‘ehe Tu‘i Kanokupolu (moe fakaHa‘amoa) ‘ae ‘ha‘a’ ‘o lahilahi tefito he ‘hingoa’ mei he‘ene lahilahi tefito he ‘fatongia’ ‘ae Tu‘i Tonga (moe fakaTonga). Na‘e tumutumu foki ‘ae ngaahi liliu lalahi ko ‘eni hono liukava ‘ae Tu‘i Kanokupolu moe Tu‘i Tonga ‘e Kingi Siaosi Taufa‘ahau Tupou I moe Tau Tahi, ‘aia na‘a ne fakateunga‘aki ‘ae Tonga Fo‘ou ‘ae lao moe konisitutone, ako moe lotu fo‘ou, falealea moe pule‘anga, ‘o tuku ‘a Tonga kotoa ki Langi kihe ‘Otua ke Ne malu‘i koe Pule‘anga Hau moe Kalauni Sovaleni Tau‘ataina.

 Na‘e fua fokotu‘utu‘u fakatouloua ‘ae ‘mafai’ moe ‘fatongia’ he kuonga ‘oe Tu‘i Tonga, ‘o kamata he ‘fale’ (house) mei he Tu‘i Faletaha koe Tu‘i Tonga (‘Aho‘eitu) kihe Tu‘i Faleua (Talafale) koe lahi he fanau Langi ‘a Tangaloa ‘Eitumatupu‘a ki hono fanga tehina kihe Tu‘i Falefa (Matakehe, Maliepo, Tu‘i Loloko, moe Tu‘i Folaha). Na‘e ui ‘ae fanga ‘fototehina’ pe ‘tehina’ ‘oe Tu‘i Tonga koe ha‘a ‘Sina‘e.’  Na‘e hoko atu leva kihe ‘ha‘a,’ ‘aia na‘e tefito ai ‘ae vahevahe ‘oe ‘mafai’ moe ‘fatongia,’ ‘o pule ‘ae ha‘a Tu‘i Tonga he ‘mafai,’ ‘aia ka motuhia mo ngata ha kuonga pea ‘e hoko hake leva ‘ae ‘lahi’ ‘a ha‘a Talafale (Tu‘i Faleua).

 Na‘e vahevahe leva ‘ae ngaahi ‘fatongia’ kihe kau Tu‘i Falefa (Matakehe, Maliepo, Tu‘i Loloko, mo Tu‘i Folaha), ‘o hange koe ha‘a faiva toutai, ‘aia na‘e vaheua koe ha‘a faiva toutaiika moe ha‘a faiva toutaivaka (pe ha‘a faiva faifolau), ha‘a tufunga fa‘a, ha‘a tufunga nimatapu, ha‘a tufunga fo‘uvaka, ha‘a tufunga langafale, ha‘a tufunga lalava moe ha fua. Na‘e toki tanaki mai kimui kihe ‘ha‘a’ ‘ae lea fakaFisi koe ‘matakali’ moe lea koe ‘fa‘ahinga’ mei he liliulea ‘oe tohitapu. pea kei tolonga pe ‘ae ‘kainga’ kae fetongi ‘ae ‘‘api’ ‘ehe ‘famili,’ ‘aia koe ohi mei ‘family’ he lea ‘Ingilisi.

 ‘Oku kau ‘ae ‘ilo ‘oku fa‘oaki he fonua, kalatua, pea talaki he lea, tala, he ‘fatongia’ ‘o ha‘a matapule, ha‘a tufunga lea moe ha‘a faiva lea (class of orators), ‘aia ‘oku ‘uhinga ‘ae tufunga lea moe faiva lea hono tomu‘a tufunga ‘ae lea pea tomui faiva. Na‘e kau ‘ae ‘matapule’ he tufunga fonua ‘ae Tu‘i Kanokupolu (moe kau Ha‘amoa), ‘o ‘uhinga kihe kau matapule koe ‘mata’ kinautolu ‘oe ‘pule,’ aia ‘oku ‘uhinga kihe tu‘i moe hou‘eiki (ali‘i fakaHa‘amoa) ‘oku ‘iloa koe ‘matai,’ ‘o ui ‘ae ‘matapule’ ‘i Ha‘amoa koe ‘tulafale,’ ‘aia ‘oku matamata koe ‘uhinga ki ‘tu‘a’ he fale kae ‘i ‘loto’ ‘ae tu‘i moe ali‘i (‘eiki fakaTonga).

 ‘Oku ngaue‘aki lahi he ‘aho ni ‘ae ongo ‘ha‘a’ ‘e ua, ‘aia koe ‘ha‘a ako’ moe ‘ha‘a lotu,’ ‘o toe ‘iloa koe ‘ha‘a faifekau,’ ‘aia ‘oku tefito he fa‘ahinga hono 1 he ‘fatongia’ kae ‘ikai koe 2 he ‘hingoa.’ ‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘ae ‘ha‘a ako’ kihe kakai ako faka‘Iulope, fakaUesite, ‘aia ‘oku toe fa‘a ui koe ‘ha‘a ‘ilo’ moe ‘ha‘a poto’ he ako koe kumi kihe ‘‘ilo’ moe ‘poto,’ kae ‘ikai koe ako fakaTonga na‘e tefito he ‘aati fakaTonga, ‘aia koe faiva, tufunga, moe nimamea‘a, moe ‘aati fakaTonga na‘e tefito he ako fakaTonga. ‘Oku toe ‘uhinga tatau pe moe ‘ha‘a lotu’ moe ‘ha‘a faifekau’ kihe lotu Kalisitiane na‘e ‘omai ‘ehe kau misinale talu mei he fetu‘utaki mo ‘Iulope, Uesite, kae ‘ikai koe motu‘a lotu ‘a Tonga.

Hufanga He Ako Moe Lotu, Dr ‘Okusitino Mahina
Professor of Tongan Philosophy, Anthropology, and Art
Vava‘u Academy for Critical Inquiry and Applied Research
Vava‘u Lahi, Kingdom of Tonga & Va Moana: Pacific Space and Relationality in Pacific Thought and Identity
Marsden Project Inquiry and Research ClusterAUT University, Auckland, Aoteroa New Zealand