Personal Narrative: My Husband's Tongan Culture

Since I was only able to meet with my speaking partner once this semester, I am doing a slightly different topic based on my learning about my husband’s Tongan culture. I grew up in a small town consisting of mostly “white” people, mixed in with a few Portuguese and Mexican families. When I first met my husband I didn’t know many Polynesians. We had had a Samoan missionary serve in my home ward when I was younger, but I didn’t know anything about the culture. Since that time my life has been blessed in more ways than I could have ever imagined by learning about, and loving the Tongan culture. It was an eye opening experience to be a 21 yr old white girl, from a small cowboy town in Northern California, to visit my future in-laws for the first time, in the gang

They are proud and humble. They are proud of their culture and heritage, yet humble enough to be grateful for the abundance of blessings that come from Heavenly Father. They are humble, in moving to a country to provide a better life for their children. I hear the humbling stories of my father-in-law. He worked multiple jobs to provide for his growing family, learning a new language; using the Book of Mormon to teach him the English he needed to know to communicate.

Tongans are strong and soft. They are strong-willed and strong-hearted, and many of the men are strong enough to throw around cars if they desired. They are soft and caring of their loved ones; I have seen many lift and comfort a crying child who is not one of their own; I have seen them lift and carry an elder who has crippled with age. I have been blessed to attend a Tongan ward for a few years. There is something about the way they sing that moves me to tears. It is beautiful and pure, and on instinct they can create a multi-part harmony singing praises to God in their native tongue. It helps them hold on to their culture, while embracing a new one, to produce a life they can be proud