Films of the Friendly Isles
Personal Record: Greer, WA - S.S. Matua Touring Tonga,Samoa & Fiji
1936
Panoramic views of the island from ship; ship pulling into the wharf; copra plantation; [Houma Blowholes] - waves breaking over coral terraces. Tongans sit in the shade of a tree beating tapa cloth; man and two young lads outside thatched dwelling; fruit bats in tree; large fale; young boy and girl squatting next to gun; fruit bats in trees.
Personal Record: Winstone, Violet. Island Cruise
1938
‘The Maunganui in Vavau harbour, Tonga’. ‘Vavau Harbour. The delights of a picnic on shore’. Group alight onto shore from small boats. Tourist group on shore, local people on beach. Two women pose in canoe. Locals on shore.
‘The entrance to Swallow Cave’. View of cave, people in boats inside cave. Boats return to ship. ‘Flying foxes or bats. To be seen only in a special grove of trees at Nuhalofa’. ‘Cutting up the cocoanuts for drying, which is known as Copra’. Coconuts on ground drying. Locals cutting coconuts. ‘On the rocky coast near Nuhalofa, the rollers break in spectacular shoots.’ Waves crash on rocks. Group visiting local sights, views of locals. Ship moored in harbour. ‘This tortoise is 161 yrs old and was presented by Captain Cook’. Tortoise moves very slowly across ground. Women fold up tapa cloth. ‘The residence of Queen Salote of Tonga. She married Tugi, a Chief of highest rank who is the Premier’. Locals perform in grounds in traditional dress. ‘A fleeting glimpse of Nukalofa, and good bye to Tropic Isles’.
Royal Tour of Fiji & Tonga 1953-54
Visual Education Ltd/ Pacific Films Productions
1954
excerpt
On December 19, they visit Tonga, and are welcomed by Queen Salote and the Crown Prince, enjoy a feast, and watch dances of welcome. (Incomplete, ends suddenly)
Dances of the South Pacific
Pacific Films
1955
excerpt
025:50 A young Tongan girl visits an art gallery to view paintings depicting early Polynesian and Maori history; Maori groups perform the haka and poi during Waitangi Day Celebrations; Maori take time to mingle after performances; the young Tongan woman at work in her office; dancing and boarding a Teal Airways plane for Tonga.
Tonga is unique in the Pacific, the sole surviving monarchy retaining much of its past: action songs still display the gracefulness of arms and hands of two centuries ago; rhythmical stick dance; ceremonial war dance is performed to the beating of drums; like the Maori Haka, the Tongan War dance once stirred the warriors blood for battle.
The friendly isles
NZ National Film Unit
1969
The Island Kingdom of Tonga: its traditions, exports, social services and links with New Zealand. The coronation of the king of Tonga, son of Queen Salote, is featured. Dignitaries at the ceremony include the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prime Minister Keith Holyoake, Opposition Leader Norman Kirk and Minister of Justice Mr Hanan.
VSA Pacific: The work of Volunteer Service Abroad in Fiji, Western Samoa and Tonga
Reynolds Films
1969
(excerpt)
Document of the works of various Volunteer Service Abroad workers from New Zealand working in the pacific.Michael Monty works at the Broadcast Studio in Nuku’a Lofa in Tonga recording singing and publishing programmes.
Francesca Bay, teaching teacher trainees.
Fred Brewer helps with the establishment of timber forests on one of the islands in the Tonga group.
The Coconut Economy
TVNZ
1980
(excerpt)
Part of the "Contact" TV series.
“Tonga’s lifestyle and livelihood revolve around the coconut palm, which provides housing material, food, fuel and money. It is now the focal point in a technological revolution - milling timber from a tree that is really a grass.” from the New Zealand Listener.