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General Miscellaneous

 Series
Identifier: MSS. Archives. A-265. Series Section 4

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of research material, correspondence, drafts, photographs, field notes and copies of Tohi Hohoko, the outcome of anthropological fieldwork undertaken in Tonga 1958-1960 by Elizabeth Spillius (nee Bott) and James Spillius. Material in the collection dates from April 1958 to 1981.

The collection is organised into five broad subject areas or sections within which material is arranged in a roughly chronological order.

I. Research material pertaining to the study of psychoanalysis and ceremony, Tongan Society at the time of Captain Cook's visits, social structure and kinship.

II. Papers and Correspondence, 1961, 1962, including James Spillius's Ph.D thesis draft.

III. Field work in Tonga, 1958-1960, which includes valuable ethnographic research on hingoa, hohoko and observations of taumafa kava, and information collected in the course of work on the Environmental Sanitation Project for the WHO: data on geneologies, kinship, rank, history, political structure, weddings, funerals, fonos and family life. This section includes a valuable collection of photographs, 43 field notebooks and materaila concerning the 1959 filming of the taumafa kava ceremony for the Tongan Traditions Committee.

IV. General miscellaneous.

V. Confidential material - some items in this section are partly restricted.

This collection also includes James Spillius' notes and field reports on water sanitation in Tonga for the World Health Organisation.

Abbreviations

From the Collection:
E.J.S.
Elizabeth Spillius
J.S.
James Spillius
H.M.
Her Majesty Queen Salote Tupou
H.V.
Honourable Ve'ehala
TT
Tu'i Tonga
TK
Tu'i Kanokupolu
TH
Yu'i Ha'atakalaua
TTC
Tongan Traditions Committee
WHO
World Health Organization
ESP
Environmental Sanitation Project
Hw
Handwritten
?
Uncertain
p
Page, both sides used
l
Leaf, one side used
n.d.
No date

Glossary of Tongan words relevant to this inventory.

From the Collection:
faikava
kava ceremony.
faifekau
minister.
fakanofo
appoint; ceremony where the new title holder's title is issued for the first time in faikava, kava being given to him first, regardless of the usual order of serving.
fakamatala
description, explanation, report.
fanua
children.
fatongia
duty, obligation.
fono
chief's meeting; no discussion.
hingoa
name, title.
hohoko
genealogy.
kainga
kin group.
koloa
goods, wealth, riches.
lakalaka
action song, standing.
liongi
to go into mourning; involving haircutting.
lo'au
an assembly of the Queen and her matapule; a meeting to discuss kava matters.
ma'u
extract, quoted from speech or book.
ngaue
food brought in for pongipongi.
pongipongi
ceremony for new titleholder where subjects present their homage to the Queen or King - a presentation of food and kava followed by kaumafa kava.
sino'i ieiki
the body of aristocrats.
taumafa kava
royal kava ceremony.
tohi hohoko
genealogy book.
toutai
navigator, fisherman.
vahe
district; vahe Hihifo - western division of Tongatapu.
'api
area of land held by one man (8 ¼ acres).
'eiki
aristocrat of very high rank.
'Ene Afio
His/her Majesty.

Dates

  • 1958 - 1960

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

PARTLY RESTRICTED. Access to Box 26, folder 5; Box 26, folder 6; Box 26, folder 7 requires the permission of the Special Collections Manager.

Extent

From the Collection: 2 metres (26 boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections, University of Auckland Repository

Contact:
5 Alfred Street
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142 New Zealand