New Tongan translation of William Mariner's account of Tonga [1]
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 - 21:19. Updated on Thursday, February 16, 2017 - 10:13.
The first copy of a new Tongan translation, 'Ko 'Ulukälala ‘i Feletoa, ko e Talanoa ‘a Toki Ukamea', (The Story of Fïnau ‘Ulukälala: Told by Iron Axe) was presented to Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho, Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia on 10 February in Canberra.
Author Nigel Statham (PhD, BTh) a translator in Polynesian languages, who collaborated with his Tongan wife Melenaite on the translation, presented the book to the Princess, who wrote the foreword.
Their Tongan translation of 'An Account of the Natives of the Friendly Islands' by John Martin and William Mariner, has an introduction and extensive genealogical, sociological and theological footnotes composed by Pacific historian Dorothy Crozier in collaboration with the late Queen Sālote Tupou III.
"The translation into Tongan was undertaken by the author for nearly half a century," stated the Tongan High Commission.
There have been English language editions of Mariner’s account, with the original English edition first published in 1817. Since then there have been French and German translations.
"Mariner's account has been called a fantastic tale of adventure of an English boy of exceptional intelligence and personal attractiveness who at 15 in 1807, having been marooned in Tonga was adopted as the son of a high chiefly contender for the overlordship of those islands, Finau 'Ulukalala and named by him Iron Axe.
Mariner quickly became fluent in the Tongan language and his story is essentially an account of life, intrigues and wars of his adoptive father, which he played a significant role for the four-years he was in Tonga.
Mariner’s account is one of the most reliable primary historical sources for the period in Tonga.
The 407 pages book was published by the Friendly Islands Bookshop in Nuku’alofa and printed in South Korea.
Manager Sela Latailakepa said 400 copies will be available for sale by the end of the week at the bookshop.
"This is a great gift to the people of Tonga. So much of our history is locked away from the Tongan mind because it is in a foreign language. This time, the people of Tonga can now discover and enjoy first-hand reading experience, the excitements and events in Tonga during Mariner's and Finau 'Ulukalala's time.”