Editor,

On the eve of the burial of Tonga's late King Taufa'ahau Tupou the IV, the West and its Western media need to be educated on some aspects of Tongan culture so they can be enlightened regarding our rituals and the relationship of Tongans with their beloved King. It is rude and highly inappropriate that during our time of mourning, offensive articles and news by some Western newspapers, radio personalities and television are mocking the late King and His Majesty Tupou V.

I could easily list these articles, date and quote it here, but I do not want to give a platform to these negative views and join in the media circus as another performing media monkey. King Tupou IV's views on the media was no secret, I think we all can profit from criticism. If it is a question of suppressing things just because they are awkward, like public blunders, mal-administration or something like that, which people have a right to know about, then I think suppression or slanting of news is a bad thing. This view surely in reality is one of insight and understanding from the Friendly Islands leader whose geneology is traced back to the Polynesian Gods.

Through my sense of deep loss and great solemnity of the King's passing I tried to find some sort of understanding as to why I felt this way. I came across something written by Mele'ana Puloka, which needs to be shared and may aid Westerners in gaining understanding about who we are.

A Reflection on our Tongan relationship with and to our King and the ontological basis for it: by Mele'ana Puloka

Why do we feel the way we do as Tongans in relation to the passing on of our Beloved King?

Our ontology of 'eiki / tu'a (chief / commoner) principles influence us as Tongans the way we see reality. Our 'uhinga (reason / identity) is a communal process, not an individual process. We judge every body (rightly or wrongly) from the perspective that one should have related to God and in turn should have done the right thing. But this sense is embedded on the tu'a / 'eiki (commoner/nobility-royalty) principles based on our blood - relation to the King (through his court under our hingoa matapule [tribal names]). Having to relate to the King is a symbol only of how we corporately need to relate to the ultimate 'eiki, God. On the individual level, every Tongan is in a position to be a 'eiki (noble) or tu'a (commoner) based on our ranking criteria of gender and seniority (mehikitanga and lahi). Everyone then needs to relate personally to God in order to carry out his or her duty over the tu'a (commoner) he or she is 'eiki (noble) to. I believe our ontology was put there by God for us to have a sense that we cannot afford not to relate to our leaders but at the same time, our leaders and individuals must relate to God if we are to live in peace. But before Christianity came to our land, our ancestors had a rather obscured understanding of what the 'eiki (noble-royalty) / tu'a (commoner) principles meant. Those in authority thought that because they were the God's descendants and the commoners were descendants of a worm, there was much oppression of the tu'a (commoner) by the 'eiki (nobility? Royalty). Christ's teachings and examples gave a new interpretation through King Tupou I who reinterpreted the principles to mean that it is God who rules the Tongans. He replaced the heathen Gods and their representatives with Christ and his new representative (Tupou I). A new interpretation / epistemology came to being. This meant a new relationship came into existence. It was a relationship between an Eternal Father and a Son-King. Out of Tupou I's relationship with God, he liberated the tu'a (commoner) to own possessions, to have rights over their lives, to own rights to land etc. This transformation by the King of Kings (Jesus Christ) over the life of our King Tupou I, gives Tongans the Christian heritage 'ofa (love), toka'i (respect) , melino (peace) and fetokoni'aki (helping one another).

Remove our Tongan ontology and replace it with foreign principles will only confuse us and change our God-given Tongan-ness.? I mourn the passing on of our King. I guess he understood well (and lived it up) what his great grandfather King Tupou I, fought for and gained - the understanding that the former relationship between the 'eiki (noble-royalty) and the tu'a (commoner) was to be transformed (through Constitution) from one between a tyrant master and a compliant servant, into one between an Understanding Father and Sons or Daughters.

So we are parting with the Father of our land whom God gave to care for us on His behalf. He indeed has done his best and did put Tonga in he lead in the Pacific in many respects for many years. We give our thanksgiving and praises to God for the life of our King. Let us pray for Tupou V and support him that he may rule under the power and the guidance of God whom he represents. With the above insight of a culture that dates far back as 1000BC Western media would do well to educate themselves about Tongan culture with an open and non-judgmental view. Tongans all over the world deserve respect from the Western media during this time. His Majesty's presence of 88 years over our lives rising like the sun in the morning will finally set tomorrow and is the end of an era. He paved the way for many Tongans to promote themselves in life with many moving overseas to do so. Many countries in the east and west do not enjoy this freedom. No human being is perfect and even as King he took risks and made mistakes. My personal understanding of the King is he was not only a great leader, but also a father, a husband and above all a human being. He was not a dictator but a man with deep love whose intentions were good for his people. When the media mocks our late and new King, they are mocking Tongans. We are a communal culture and not self absorbing individuals. His Majesty's time was colourful, exciting and has made history. The King's presence may no longer be with us like the rising sun but his legacy and spirit will live through every Tongan.

Loketi Niua Latu, Australia.