Dance in Tonga has traditionally been an important art form, turning oral histories and folk tales into a visual form praising and honouring gods, chiefs, places and people. Weaving with the leaves of the pandanus palm is at its zenith as an art form in Tonga, and baskets and intricately worked mats produced by a variety of means are among the most beautiful in the Pacific. A reasonable body of literature has been produced in or about the archipelago in spite of its tiny size, and some of it goes beyond oral histories and folk tales. The earliest accounts are by castaway Will Mariner and Captain Bligh after he lost command of his ship. There are also several more recent collections of poetry and prose by contemporary writers.

The extended family is the basic social unit on Tonga, and it serves as a mini welfare state, with wealth, food and goods shared equally among all members. The concept of the communal extended family is so fundamental in Tongan life that parents have no real sense of 'possession' of their children, who are frequently shifted from one household to another, and may have several places to call home as a result. Gifts are given as a matter of course to new friends and even foreigners, so it pays to have a few tins of corned beef or souvenirs from home to give away so you can join in. These customs were already deeply ingrained by the time the missionaries arrived, and from Ha'apai, where the Wesleyans first started gathering souls, Christianity took a strong hold throughout the archipelago, wiping out most indigenous spiritual beliefs in its wake. Today the Mormons are spreading their influence and building churches throughout the islands.

Tongan food is delightful, and consists mostly of root vegetables such as taro and sweet potato, coconut products, fresh fruit, roasted suckling pig, chicken, corned beef, fish and shellfish. The delicious dishes made from these ingredients are an excuse in themselves to visit the islands. The traditional Tongan feast gets cooked in an underground oven, umu, common throughout Polynesia. The most refreshing drink available is coconut juice, and the locally grown Royal Coffee is excellent if you're after a caffeine hit. Beer is popular, and of course kava (Piper methysticum), the all purpose forget-your-cares-and-stare-at-the-sunset tipple, is widely available. Unfortunately, junk foods are making inroads, and islander's health is suffering considerably.

Nature
Environment

The 171 extraordinarily diverse islands of the Tongan archipelago are scattered over an area in the central Pacific Ocean nearly as big as Japan. The dry land, however, would fit easily into New York City with room to fling in a few extra coral reefs. Tonga's nearest neighbours are Samoa to the north, Fiji to the northwest and New Caledonia, more then 1000km (600mi) west. Despite the widely scattergunned placement of the islands, Tongan culture is remarkably homogenous. The four main island groups - Tongatapu, He'apai, Vava'u and the Niuas lie in two parallel lines just east of the Lau Basin, where the sea floor is opening up, causing some unsteady ground at times on the islands. Fewer than 40 islands are inhabited, but most of the land has been converted to plantations or towns. Large areas of rainforest and bushland do remain on the Niuas, 'Eua and many of the volcanic islands.

Tonga has seven officially protected areas, including five national marine parks and reserves, one national historic park, and the 'Eua National Park. Two species of iguana call Tonga home, as do several colonies of flying fox, large fruit bats that enjoy sacred status and protection on the islands. Tonga supports surprisingly few species of birds, although it does harbour a few interesting ones like the blue-crowned lorikeet, the red shining parrot and the incubator bird - that leaves its eggs to hatch warmed by volcanic mud - found on Niuafo'ou. The main land attractions are the flowering plants, such as frangipani, several species of native hibiscus and the heilala, a small, sweet smelling red flower that has a festival in its honour. More than 100 species of tropical fish live in the reefs around the islands, where beautiful hard and soft corals and black coral grow in abundance.

Tonga is far enough away from the equator to enjoy a more comfortable climate than the Samoas or the Solomons, and winter (July to September) temperatures are pleasantly cool at 17°C to 22°C (62°F to 71°F), although rainstorms and strong southerlies can cause decidedly wintry weather. From December to April, the southern summer, temperatures rise to 25°C to 33°C (77°F to 91°F), although nights can still be cool. A light breeze often tempers the humidity, and the islands receive most of their annual rainfall late in the season. The archipelago lies squarely in the South Pacific's cyclone/typhoon belt, with the greatest possibility for wild weather from January to March. The big cyclones come around roughly every 20 years, with a medium one every three to four years.