Tapa Cloth

For this learning journal I decided to look into the tapa cloth that is used for many occasions in the Tongan culture. The women are the ones that weave the giant mats for a variety of uses. The cloth is made from a tree called the paper mulberry tree. This tree was introduced from Asia over 3,000 years ago. The men cultivate this tree, and after it is grown, the women take the inner bark, and soak it over night. It is placed on a flat surface and hammered until flat to extend its length. Eventually all the pieces are joined together with a strong bond that makes one giant cloth.

As mentioned before, this cloth has many uses. Long ago it was used for clothing, but has since evolved to use at activities such as weddings, birthdays, and funerals. A few weeks ago at the king's funeral, tapa cloth was used to pave the way of the funeral procession. The tapa cloth is also symbolic of the Earth and therefore emphasizes the importance of the land to Tongans. It is used at funerals and birthdays in order to remind the people of what their priorities should be. The tapa cloth can also be used for headdresses and room dividers. In the past it has commonly been used as a symbol of status. Elegant tapa cloth indicates nobility, while casual cloth with heavy weaving indicates a lower social status.

Tapa cloth is important to be familiar with because of the plant used to make it. Since women weave this cloth out of a mulberry tree, it is likely to be a plant that I'll study with some detail. Although the plant is not necessarily grown in gardens, its products a a significant part of everyday life in Tonga.

<http://www.livingheritage.org.nz/schools/secondary/marcellin/tonga/stories/storyReader$37.html>
<http://www.ehow.com/about_6138188_tapa-cloth-history.html>

Gardens

This week I read an article about how the government of Tonga is promoting gardens to be grown at people's homes. This is so that produce can be grown internally and families will not have to import the things they need. The extra food would also provide them with an extra source of income if they chose to sell it. As more people begin to grow gardens, the villages can become reliant on each other and stimulate the economy.

In order to promote garden growing, members of society can attend meetings where they learn about how to grow gardens efficiently. Meetings will also be held to simply raise awareness. People can then establish their own composting box and their own home organic garden. They are also promoting the planting and growth of different kinds of trees. This will also contribute to growth and to the health of the soil. Because so many things are grown in large agricultural plots, the soil of the islands is losing its nutrients rapidly. As it looses nutrients it becomes dry and crumbly, which is not conducive to healthy islands.

Besides all of this, cultivating traditional plants and trees will also be encouraged. This will help the people of Tonga to remember their roots and to appreciate the hard work they put into the plants. I think that all of this are great steps towards preserving and even recovering the economy and ecology of Tonga. When people are made aware of the importance of these steps, they usually make time to take them. And if they are educated on how to grow things efficiently, they do not have to waste time on their own struggling to grow vegetables and fruit. This applies almost perfectly to my project because I am hoping to raise awareness of the usefulness of things that can be grown at home and to also help understand what works and what does not. Unfortunately this effort is going on on Ha'apai, but if I can get in touch with them somehow, that would be very helpful.

Culture Shock

On Monday we read about and discussed the possibilities of culture shock. This symptom can be manifested in so many different ways. However, there is a general guideline that they all follow. Initially, the person entering a new country experiences the honeymoon phase. They are excited to be somewhere new and may not yet understand the culture or the people very well. They are also thrilled by the new foods or ways of life that they encounter. I think that when I go to Tonga, I'll definitely be in this mood for a while. I'm really excited to meet the people there and to see how they deal with everyday life. I also want to sample the food and social events.

The second phase of culture shock comes in the form of irritation or anxiety. The person visiting eventually realizes that the new place they're in is not at all like the place they came from. They think that the new culture's lifestyle is dumb or slow or repetitive or naive. I think that this is a sort of desperate loneliness that comes out as frustration with surroundings. The environment of a field study can easily become stressful, so I think this phase of the culture shock is very likely to occur. I may become annoyed with interviewing people or having to spend time with my host family. I have to remember that my time on the islands is not a vacation, but is a place for me to learn more about myself and about other people. With this in mind, I can minimize the irritation that will inevitable arise.

The third phase of culture shock is a gradual adjustment to the new society. We get over our feelings of resentment toward the people or culture and instead find ways to enjoy it to the fullest. I want to be able to spend my days learning about what the Tongan people do and how they do it, regardless of whether or not I find it to be a waste of time. I think that learning how to do new things will keep me busy and focused, so that I do not get frustrated any further. With luck and perseverance, my adjustment to society will come quickly and easily.

The last phase of culture shock (and oftentimes the most uncommon) is biculturalism. The person visiting has completely accepted the culture of the visited. They understand why certain things are done or why they aren't done. They do not judge certain actions, but instead embrace them, while maintaining their own cultural identity. I do not think that I will lose sight of my cultural identity, but it is definitely helpful to understand the possible stumbling blocks that arise from cultures shock. With this in mind, I can meet them head on and effectively deal with them.