Toki Tau 'a e Vaka e - Kava Kuo Heka Festival

In 2010, Su'a Sulu'ape Aisea Toetu'u was invited to display and practice tatatau in Tonga for the first time in over 150 years. The Kava Kuo Heka festival on cultural diversity is held every year as a means of informing and keeping Tongan traditions in the forefront of global changes. Aisea was able to tatatau on several individuals and stirred the interest of Tongans. The following is the preface I wrote for Aisea's part of the workshop. Thank you to Katalina Lobendahn for the Tongan translation and to Latai Taumoepeau for the pictures.

Traditional Tongan tattooing practice was once a common part of Tongan culture. Every young male would be tattooed by the time he reached adulthood. Tattooing among Tongan women was just as common and decorative. Tongan tufunga tatatau were widespread throughout the islands of Tongatapu, Eua, Ha’apai, Vava’u and the Niua’s. George Tupou I outlawed traditional tattooing in 1839 in effort to Christianize the country and bring all the islands under one kingdom. Despite being a devout Christian convert, George Tupou I was also tattooed traditionally by a Samoan tufuga.

Abandoned for over 150 years, traditional tatatau is now undergoing a resurgence with help from Samoan master tattooist, Su’a Suluape Petelo. Traditionally, the Su’a family were responsible for tattooing Tongan ‘eiki like the Tu’i Kanokupolu. Since 2003, a handful of Tongan individuals have been traditionally tattooed and are the first to wear a tongan tatatau in over 100 years. In 2007, the title of Su’a Suluape was bestowed on a Tongan, Aisea Toetu’u. Aisea is the first Tongan tufunga tatatau to have completed traditional work on another Tongan and under this honored title.

The Tongan word ‘Vaka’ has become symbolic in representing this revived tradition. It has also been adopted as the name for the traditional tatatau. As the saying goes, “Toki tau ‘a e vaka e”—so too has this vaka arrived on Tongan shores where it can now seek refuge and reawaken our Tongan tradition.

*********

Mei ono’aho, ne hange ha me’a noa, pe koe me’a anga fa’a fai ‘a e tatatau ‘i Tongani. Pea koe meimei talavou kotoa pe ‘i he kuohili ne tatatau’i kinautolu te’eki ke nau hoko ‘o tangata lahi. Ne kau ai mo hono tatatau’i ‘a e kau finemui moe kau fefine honau sino koe fakateuteu. ‘I he ngaahi taimi koia ne tokolahi ‘a e ha’a Tufunga Tatatau ‘i Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Ha’apai, Vava’u pehe foki ki he ‘otu Niua.

‘I hono feinga’i ke fakatahataha’i ‘a e ‘otu Tonga ke hoko koe pule’anga pe ‘e taha mo hono liliu’i pe fakalotu’i ‘a e kainanga e fonua ke tafoki ki he lotu faka Kalisitiane, ne hanga ‘e he ‘Uluaki Fa ‘o fakatapu’i ‘i he 1839 ‘a e anga fakafonua koeni koe tatatau. Pea neongo hono fakatapu’i ‘e Tupou I ‘a e tatatau ‘i he ‘otu motu Tonga ko ‘ene mateaki’i ‘a e lotu faka Kalisitiane; ka ‘i he ‘ene kei talavou, ne tatatau’i ‘e he Tufunga Tatatau mei Ha’amoa ‘a e La’a koia kuo unga fonua.

Talu e li’ekina ‘a e tatatau mei Tongani ‘i he ta’u eni ‘e teau nimangofulu tupu, kuo ake ‘i onopooni ‘a e tatatau ‘i he kainga Tonga; pea ‘oku fakamalo ki he tokoni moe ngaue ola ‘a e ‘Eiki Tufunga Tatatau mei Ha’amoa ko Su’a Suluap e Petelo hono fakaake ‘a e konga mahu’inga koeni ‘o ‘etau hisitolia. Koe tukufakaholo ‘o e famili Su’a, ko ‘enau ngafa pe fatongia ke tatatau ‘a e Ha’a Tu’i Kanokupolu. ‘I he 2003 ‘i Vaihi (Hawai’i) ne tu’u mai e to’utangata ‘e toko nima ke tatatau’i kinautolu ‘o hange koe anga fai mei ono’aho, pea ko kinautolu eni ‘a e fuofua tangata Tonga kuo ‘aofi honau sino ‘aki ‘a e tatatau Tonga talu eni e ta’u ‘e teau tupu. ‘I he 2007, ne hanga ‘e Su’a Suluape Petelo ‘o fakanofo ‘a e tangata Tonga ko ‘Aisea Toetu’u ki he hingoa Suluape, pea ‘oku ‘iloa e ‘uluaki Tufunga Tatatau Tonga koeni ko Suluape ‘Aisea Toetu’u, pea kuo fakakakato ‘e he tangatani ‘a e fatongia tatatau angamu’a ke tatatau’i ha Tonga ‘aki ‘a e hingoa fakalangilangi koeni.

Koe lea Tonga koee koe “Vaka” ‘oku fakatatau pe fakafofonga’i ke

fakamo’ui ‘a e anga fakafonua koeni koe tatatau. Pea kuo ngaue’aki ‘a ehingoa koeni ki he ngaue mahu’inga fakafonua koeni. Hange koe lea ‘oku pehe, “Toki tau ‘a e vaka e” – pea koeni kuo foki ki ‘api ‘o taulanga e vakani ‘i Tongani ke hufanga pea fakaake ai ‘etau anga Faka‐Tonga koeni.