Tauhi va: Nurturing Tongan Sociospatial Ties in Maui and Beyond

Abstract

When I arrived on the island of Maui in the summer of 2002, I felt a sense of reverence toward this Hawaiian island. Deep inside my spirit, I knew that I was returning to a sacred place. As I felt the sacredness of the island of Maui, my mind began to ponder the similarities between 'äina (the Hawaiian term for land), 2 and käinga (the Tongan term for relatives/kin). Both terms are based on 'ai /kai, (to feed, to nourish). 3 Moreover, 'äina and käinga convey the central idea that people are fed, both physically and spiritually, by two important sources of nourishment: their land and their kin. As I reflected on this connection, I began to understand my feeling of reverence toward this island. Maui is one of the 'äina that fed and nourished many of my ancestral käinga during their ancient long-distance voyages in the moana, the open sea. 4 Maui, they said, had great mana. In ancient times, when the sun traveled too quickly over the skies, Maui snared the sun, releasing it only when it promised to travel more slowly and provide abundant daylight for our people. Knowing this story since my early childhood, I felt it a historical moment for me to finally walk near the Haleakalä summit, where Maui stood and snared the sun. With this and all of Maui's other superhuman abilities-raising the skies, fishing up islands with his mäta'u fusifonua (land fishing hook), and smuggling fire from the underworld to our world-I have always been intrigued by Maui's ability to be present in almost all of the islands. 5 In Tonga, people talk about the same sun-snaring Maui as the people in Hawai'i. As I pondered Maui's presence in all of the Moana islands, I wondered how he kept ties with all of them. Perhaps my initial short visit to this island would help me get a sense of how Maui sustained relationships with many of his relatives who were dispersed yet connected across distant physical spaces. Connecting Social Spaces at the MarketEvery Wednesday morning on the island of Maui, the 'Ohana Farmers and Crafters Market in the Kahului Center teems with local vendors (mostly Filipinos, with a handful of Tongans) and tourists, bargaining for fruits, vegetables, and handicrafts such as tapa, baskets, and tiki. As my public shuttle bus approached the main entrance to the market, I noticed a Tongan woman in the far left corner, under a large tree, selling bananas, taro, and coconuts, along with Tongan baskets, mats, and various designs and sizes of tapa cloth. I got out of my shuttle and stood a way off, watching her interactions with pälangi (white European /American) tourists. Noticing her all-black attire, I immediately suspected that she was going to a Tongan funeral. I watched her demeanor as the pälangi tourists approached, the way she stood up from her seat, folded her hands neatly in front of her body, and smiled as the tourists scanned the merchandise and asked for prices. After standing by for a few minutes, I walked over to her booth. Before I could say anything, the Tongan lady greeted me in English with a polite "Hello." Be...

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