Misguiding our visitors

Walk inside the Map and turn North - Edgar Cocker: The map is not misguiding at all. We are reknown for criticising someone who at least has the guts and the instinct to do something for God Sake to place Tonga as a tourist destination with information available. This was done purposely for what it is and it remains as it. Langi e fakaanga ka e ‘ikai ‘ilo’i pe koe ha ho’o me’a kuo lava.

You look at the map - From where you stand, you are facing South. To your right hand, that is West - Hihifo, to your left hand, that is East - Hahake. You walk inside the map and turn North, it reflects exactly the normal position of how Nuku’alofa is situated.

The only thing that is wrong is the East and West logo inside the map, which we will change when I return back to work. Kataki, tuku e fakaanga ka e ‘ai ha me’a ki he lelei ‘a e fonua. - Edgar Cocker CEO/Director Ministry of Tourism

Tonga back to front and upside down - Leonaitasi Taukafa: In response to your note, and the response from the CEO, I would like to suggest that his idea of Hahake on the left and Hihifo on the right will only work best if the same map is also drawn upside down. Therefore, the whole map should have been drawn back to front and also upside down. In other words, where it stands now, flip the map from top to bottom and also change the pointer to read: South (on top), North (at the bottom), East (on the left) and West (on the right) and put back the map on the same spot. It will be interesting to know the response from visitors as to how they understand the map as it stands now and after changing it to what I mentioned above. Malo 'aupito moe mateaki'i pe si'otau ki'i fonua masiva.
Kia Edgar, with what I had suggested above, there is no need to assume that all readers of the map need to walk into the map and turn north and etc. as you had suggested. What I am attaching here is the exact aerial view of the map of Tonga as you approach it from the North on an airplane. Again, that is exactly where you stand and view the map on its current position in your front yard. I would like to congratulate you on all your efforts in trying to place Tonga as a tourist destination but with a very minor suggestion from an unknown person like me, will surely further enhance your good work. Malo e ngaue pea 'ofa lahi atu moe lotu. - Leonaitasi Taukafa

Mape fo‘ou ‘o Tongatapu - Kaliopau: ‘Etita, ‘Oku ‘asi hake pe ‘a e tohi ‘a e Director mo e ‘asi mai ‘a e anga ta’efaka’apa’apa mo e poto lahi. Ka ‘oku pehee ho’o faka’uhinga pea ke kataki ‘o fulihi mo e orientation ‘o e Northings vakai na’a ngalo ke fulihi mo e west and east! Malo. - Kaliopau

TVB Map of Tongatapu: cover it up or take it down - ‘Aisea T. Tu‘ikolovatu: I wish that the Director of Tourism would stop misdirecting the public. “The map is not misguiding at all,” stated the Director/CEO of Tonga Ministry of Tourism about a map of Tongatapu. How can not it be misguiding? The indicator on the bottom left of the map suggests that Hihifo is the East side of the island, which puts Hahake on the West side. It could be hard for the Director of Tourism to see the problem because he knows in his head how the island is situated. However, a visitor who is new to the island and uses the North, South, West, East, direction for travel will be heading West to see the Ha’amonga. I am afraid the tourist might end up in ‘Atataa looking for the historical site. A lot of people travel with Global Position System GPS and they will be fooled if they follow this map. The GPS service is available on most mobile phones today beside the hand held ones. A practical tourist will photograph the map with a digital camera and use it as a guide. This tourist will be deceived as well by the misdirecting TVB map. I appreciate you having the guts to put up an informational guide like this map of Tonga but I demand that it should be accurate. ...My suggestion is to cover it up or take it down (and don’t display it) until the corrections are made. - ‘Aisea T. Tu’ikolovatu (Soon to be a tourist in Tonga)

TVB map of Tongatapu is Wrong - P.M. Tu‘ivai: I applaud you (Director of TVB) for your attempt to answer Leonaitasi’s question about the map. However you cut, slice or dice your explanation it is still Wrong. To say that you are just going to change the orientation of the compass so that the West is East and the East is West, still doesn’t address the “orientation of the Map of Tonga”. Just admit you guys did a “boo boo” and redo the map the correct way … Please. There is nothing wrong with admitting that the TVB made a faux pas! We all are human. Accept the mistake, and make it right. Thank you kindly. - P.M Tu‘ivai

Let's have a vote on the TVB Map of Tongatapu - Tevita Langi: Mr. Director (the TVB Director), I hope you will not take this as “fakaanga” but a friendly constructive advice. For quite sometime now, we the idiots of the villages, have been looking for a leader. We now want to thank you for being our National Captain. It does not take much to confuse someone like me. The map of Tongatapu has always been presented as it relates to the rest of the kingdom. I am sure you have your reason for approving this map, but your personal preference should not be the final decision when national prestige is involved. Some of us, besides you, have pride in the kingdom despite the distance we are longing from.

One of the highly prized ideals in a democratic society is the ability of the people to get involved in the decision making process. If your map was given to the public for review and discussion, you would have a solid footing to stand on and tell us, this is what the majority wanted. But telling us to shut up and sit down is truly an official signature of a National Captain. Who died and made you king? If this is the map you are presenting to the international community, you ought to give up one of your titles. And I am not talking about being the National Captain, you have earned it. As a fellow member of your club, it is very offensive that you are … on my feet and telling me it's raining. - Tevita Langi (TamaFoa)

‘Oku fu‘u fakama fau e mape ‘a e TVB - Dr ‘Uhila moe Langi Fasi: ‘Etita, Kole atu ki he kau ta mape ‘a e TVB ke toe fulihi mu’a ho’omou mape ki he’ene tu’u totonu he ‘oku poto pe kau tourists mo e general public hono lau e mape. Ko e fo’i liliu koena ‘o tu’u fakaholomui ‘oku fu’u fakaoli pea toe fakama, he ‘oku ha atu ai ki mamani ‘oku ‘ikai ke poto e Tonga he ta e mape. Ko e kau tourists kuo ‘osi a mamani he’enau takai pea kuo nau pate’i hono lau e mape when it is the right way up. Ko hono fo’i liliu koena ‘o lele holomui ‘oku toe confuse lahi ai e kakai ia, pea nau toe ‘ilo ‘etau tonounou fakasiokalafi. ‘Ikai ngata ai, ‘e toe confuse ‘etau fanau ako he ‘oku kehe e fo’i mape koena mei he me’a ‘oku nau ako ‘i loki ako. Ko ia ai TVB kou kole atu ke fakatonutonu ho’omou mape ka tau ngali poto mo ngali ako. Ko e fofonga ena e fonua ki tu’apule’anga kuo kamata pe mei ai e fehalaaki. ‘Oku ‘ikai ko e fakaanga eni, ka ko e matu’aki feinga atu ke ‘ai e me’a ‘oku tonu he ko e me’a ni ‘oku ne uesia e Tonga kotoa. Malo. Dr ‘Uhila Moe Langi Fasi

The one way to walk the TVB Map of Tongatapu - Sonasi Latu: Judging from the defensive reply by the Director of TVB to a rather fair question raised by Mr Taukafa, I took it that it was really intentional by TVB to draw the map of Tongatapu left-right/right-left so that you can 'walk into it'. A sound and noble idea. However, it will only make sense if you will display the map facing north as in the front yard of the TVB office in Nuku'alofa. How will you display that map at the National Center in Tofoa which attracts a lot of tourists all the time? Will you display it facing north such that you can't see it from the road, and the only way for you to 'walk the map' is get inside to the compound so that you can 'walk the map'? That is a silly idea but that is the only you can 'walk the map'. In addition, how will you display that map at the airport? Facing north again? Or you will print another set of maps for those areas? Isn't it that printing of those specialized maps required initial setup cost, and will make more sense if you will have one set of map rather than different maps as it will be more expensive?
Perhaps it is about time to admit to your faux pas as had being raised before, and bring it down. Malo. - Sonasi Latu