KINGDOM OF TONGA
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The Betsimisaraka ("the many inseparables") make up approximately fifteen percent of the Malagasy people and are the second largest ethnic group in Madagascar after the Merina. They occupy a large stretch of the eastern seabord of Madagascar.
Interesting Phenomenon-
Tongatapu, Tonga's main island, is being uplifted for it sits on the edge of the Australia Plate, underwhich the Pacific Plate is being subducted. This results in uplift of the fringing reef, seen here, and the surf and free waves break over this raised reef creating this oceanic cascade.
It is a dramatic sight at times, and even in such calm weather, it is a phenomenon that appeals to all of us, whether children at play in the shallow sandy pool behind the cascade, or experienced earth scientists.
My great friend on the rocks near Tongatapu blowholes in Tonga. Reflective, as this may be his last of many trips to Tonga and its people.
Tonga 22 januari 1643. Abel Tasman: In de morgen kwam er een menigte van prauwen aan boord met kokosnoten, bananen, varkens en kippen, die wij ruilden voor spijkers en kralen.
Er kwamen ook vrouwen aan boord, zowel oude als jonge. Bij de oude waren de pinken aan beide handen afgehakt, bij de jonge vrouwen niet. Wij zijn er niet achter gekomen wat dit betekende. Er was ook een stevige man met een St. Thomas arm en een vrouwsmens met baardgroei bij de mond. Wij lieten de onderstuurman van de Zeehaen met zijn trompet en één van hun matrozen met een viool bij ons aan boord komen en één van onze matrozen op de Duitse fluit spelen....zij waren zeer verbaasd....
Tonga January 22, 1643. Abel Tasman: In the morning a crowd of canoes came aboard with coconuts, bananas, pigs and chickens, which we exchanged for nails and beads.
Women also came on board, both old and young. The old ones had their little fingers chopped off on both hands, the young women hadn't. We didn't find out what this meant. There was also a stout man with a St. Thomas arm and a woman with beard growth at the mouth. We had the second mate of the Zeehaen come on board with his trumpet and one of their sailors with a violin and one of our sailors play the German flute....they were very surprised....
Tonga 1773: Georg Forster on board of James Cook his ship Resolution writing: Am folgenden morgen gieng Captain Cook in aller Frühe nach der sandigten Bucht ans Land, die Tasman so genau beschrieben hat. Der Captain erkundigte sich, ob in dieser Gegend Trinkwasser zu finden sey, worauf man ihn, ohnweit des Strandes, nach eben demselben Teiche hinbrachte, aus dem Tasman Wasser eingenommen hatte.
Nelson, NOVA ZELANDA 2023
Christ Church Cathedral in Nelson, New Zealand, is an iconic church located in the heart of the city. Built between 1861 and 1904, it is a notable example of neo-Gothic architecture. The cathedral has a rich history and has witnessed many important events in the local community. Its towering spire is a visible landmark from various points in the city. The interior of the cathedral is known for its beauty, with exquisite stained-glass windows and intricate architectural details. In addition to being a place of worship, the cathedral hosts concerts and community events. The cathedral gardens provide a peaceful space for reflection and rest. It is one of Nelson's main tourist attractions and an important site for local residents. Christ Church Cathedral continues to be a symbol of the city’s faith and culture.
© All rights reserved, don´t use this image without my permission. Contact me at debmalya86@gmail.com
Nach dem Nebel kam die Sonne über der Maas dann doch wieder zum Vorschein.
An dieser Stelle zwischen den limburgischen Gemeinden Gennep und Milsbeek fließt die niederrheinische Niers in die niederländische Maas. An dieser Stelle stand im Mittelalter eine befestigte Burg, das so genannte Genneperhuis. Abgesehen von einer erhöhten Stelle in dem heute als Kuhweide genutzten Mündungsgebiet und von ein paar Fundamentresten ist von der Burg leider nichts sichtbares mehr erhalten geblieben.
Explore Jan 15, 2014
There was a time when I lived in a real grass shack on the island of Ha'apai. I was on the island to work with a Tongan healer Seletute ....
The island of Tongatapu and the nearby smaller islands – all part of the Kingdom of Tonga archipelago in the southern Pacific Ocean – are pictured in this Sentinel-2A image from 23 May.
Tonga’s population is spread across 36 of Tonga’s 169 islands, but about 70% live on this main island. The capital, Nukuʻalofa, sits on the island’s north coast and along the Fanga’uta Lagoon. The lagoon’s mangroves provide an important breeding ground for fish and birds.
Built on limestone, the island has fertile soil of volcanic ash from neighbouring volcanoes, and we can see how agricultural structures cover most of the island. Crops include root crops such as sweet potato and cassava, as well as coconuts, bananas and coffee beans.
North of the island we can see many coral reefs. Although not part of its original mission objectives, scientists are experimenting with Sentinel-2 to monitor corals and detect coral bleaching – a consequence of higher water temperatures.
Bleaching happens when algae living in the corals’ tissues, which capture the Sun’s energy and are essential to coral survival, are expelled owing to the higher temperature.
The whitening coral may die, with subsequent effects on the reef ecosystem, and thus fisheries, regional tourism and coastal protection.
The recent El Niño weather phenomenon has caused increased bleaching across the world’s corals, and scientists are finding Sentinel-2’s coverage helpful in monitoring this at reef-wide scales.
This image is also featured on the Earth from Space video programme.
Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2016), processed by ESA
Officially the Kingdom of Tonga (Tongan: Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprises 169 islands, 36 of them inhabited. The Kingdom stretches over a distance of about 800 kilometres (500 miles) in a north-south line. The islands that constitute the archipelago lie south of Samoa, about one-third of the way from New Zealand to Hawaiʻi.
Tonga also became known as the Friendly Islands because of the friendly reception accorded to Captain James Cook on his first visit in 1773. He happened to arrive at the time of the ʻinasi festival, the yearly donation of the first fruits to the Tuʻi Tonga, the islands' paramount chief, and received an invitation to the festivities. According to the writer William Mariner, in reality the chiefs had wanted to kill Cook during the gathering, but could not agree on a plan.
Apart from being the only sovereign monarchy among the island nations of the Pacific Ocean, Tonga can also lay claim to being the only island nation in the region to have avoided formal colonisation. Tonga plans to become a fully functioning constitutional monarchy after legislative reform and a more fully representative election take place in 2010.
Etymology
In many Polynesian languages the word tonga means "south". The name of Tonga derives from the word Tongahahake, which translates to "Southeast", originally meaning "the wind that blows from the Southeast". The proper pronunciation of the name 'Tonga' is /toŋa/, and not /tɒŋɡə/, a pronunciation used for an Indian carriage spelled in the same way and so causing confusion.
History
An Austronesian-speaking group linked to the archeological construct known as the Lapita cultural complex reached and colonised Tonga around 1500–1000 BCE. (Scholars continue to debate the dates of the initial settlement of Tonga.) Reaching the Tongan islands (without modern navigational tools and techniques) was a remarkable feat accomplished by the Lapita peoples. Not much is known about Tonga before European contact because of the lack of a writing system during prehistoric times. But oral history has persisted, and Europeans have recorded it (and given it Eurocentric interpretations). (The Tongan people first encountered Europeans in 1616 when the Dutch vessel Eendracht made a short visit to the islands to trade.)
By the 12th century Tongans, and the Tongan paramount chief, the Tuʻi, had a reputation across the central Pacific, from Niue to Tikopia, leading some historians to speak of a 'Tongan Empire'. In the 15th century and again in the 17th, civil war erupted. Into this situation the first European explorers arrived, beginning in 1616 with the Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire (who called on the northern island of Niuatoputapu), and in 1643 with Abel Tasman(who visited Tongatapu and Haʻapai). Later noteworthy European visitors included James Cook (British Navy) in 1773, 1774, and 1777, Alessandro Malaspina (Spanish Navy) in 1793, the first London missionaries in 1797, and the Wesleyan Methodist Walter Lawry Buller in 1822.
In 1845 the ambitious young warrior, strategist, and orator Tāufaʻāhau united Tonga into a kingdom. He held the chiefly title of Tuʻi Kanokupolu, but was baptised with the name King George. In 1875, with the help of missionary Shirley Waldemar Baker, he declared Tonga a constitutional monarchy, formally adopted the western royal style, emancipated the "serfs", enshrined a code of law, land tenure, and freedom of the press, and limited the power of the chiefs.
Tonga became a British-protected state under a Treaty of Friendship on 18 May 1900, when European settlers and rival Tongan chiefs tried to oust the second king. Within the British Empire, which posted no higher permanent representative on Tonga than a British Consul (1901–1970), Tonga formed part of the British Western Pacific Territories (under a colonial High Commissioner, residing on Fiji) from 1901 until 1952. Although under the protection of Britain, Tonga remained the only Pacific nation never to have given up its monarchical government - as did Tahiti and Hawaiʻi. The Tongan monarchy, unlike that of the UK, follows a straight line of rulers.
The Treaty of Friendship and Tonga's protectorate status ended in 1970 under arrangements established by Queen Salote Tupou III prior to her death in 1965. Tonga joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970 (atypically as an autochthonous monarchy, that is one with its own hereditary monarch rather than Elizabeth II), and the United Nations in September 1999. While exposed to colonial pressures, Tonga has never lost indigenous governance, a fact that makes Tonga unique in the Pacific and gives Tongans much pride, as well as confidence in their monarchical system. As part of cost cutting measures across the British Foreign Service, the British Government closed the British High Commission in Nukuʻalofa in March 2006, transferring representation of British interests in Tonga to the UK High Commissioner in Fiji. The last resident British High Commissioner was Paul Nessling.
Geography
Located in Oceania, Tonga is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, directly south of Western Samoa and about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand. Its 176 islands, 36 of them inhabited, are divided into three main groups--Vava'u, Ha'apai, and Tongatapu--and cover an 800-kilometre (500 mi.)-long north-south line. The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nukuʻalofa is located, covers 257 square kilometres (99 sq. mi.). Geologically the Tongan islands are of two types: most have a limestone base formed from uplifted coral formations; others consist of limestone overlaying a volcanic base.
Other Info
Oficial name:
Pule'anga Fakatu'i 'o Tonga
Independence:
4 June 1970
Area:
748 km2
Inhabitants:
103.000
Languages:
Lea fakatonga
English [eng] Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
More information.
Niuafo'ou [num] 690 (1981 SIL). Niuafo'ou and 'Eua islands. Dialects: Probably a dialect of East Uvean (Wallisian). Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, East Uvean-Niuafo'ou
More information.
Tongan [ton] 96,334 in Tonga (1998). Population total all countries: 105,319. Also spoken in American Samoa, Australia, Canada, Fiji, New Zealand, Niue, USA, Vanuatu. Alternate names: Tonga. Dialects: Close to Niue. There are slight dialect differences from north to south. Lexical similarity 86% with Wallisian, 66% with Samoan. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Tongic
More information.
Extinct languages
Niuatoputapu [nkp] Extinct. Ethnic population: 1,630 (1981). Niuatoputapu Island. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier
Capital city:
Nuku'Alofa
Meaning country name:
From the Tongan "South" or "southern", describing the islands' location relative to Samoa.
Friendly Islands (former name): named by Captain James Cook in 1773 after the friendliness and hospitality of the people he met on the islands.
Description Flag:
The flag of Tonga was adopted on November 4, 1875.
The flag looks similar to the flag of the Red Cross. The flag was originally identical to that flag, but to avoid confusion, it was changed so that the red cross appeared as a canton of a red ensign, making it similar to the 17th century red ensign. The flag has been in use since 1864 but was officially adopted in 1875. The constitution of Tonga states that the flag shall never be altered.
Coat of arms:
The Coat of arms of Tonga (ko e Sila ʻo Tonga) was designed in 1875 with the creation of the constitution. The three swords represent the three dynasties or lines of the kings of Tonga, namely the Tuʻi Tonga, Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua and the current Tuʻi Kanokupolu). Tonga was finally united under one king, King Siaosi Tupou I, who then orchestrated the formation of the first formal government and also the coat of arms. The dove with the olive branch symbolises the wish for God's peace to reign in Tonga forever (the dove and olive branch are taken directly from the story of Noah and the Great Flood in the Holy Bible). The three stars symbolise the main island groups of Tonga, which are Tongatapu, Vavaʻu and Haʻapai. The Crown symbolises the ruling monarchy, the King of Tonga. The text on the scroll at the bottom reads Ko e ʻOtua mo Tonga ko hoku Tofiʻa in the Tongan language: God and Tonga are my inheritance.
There is no official specification of how exactly the seal should look like. Even the shield on the front gate of the late king's palace is different from the old black/white copy used by the (ex-) government printer on all official stationery, is different from the copy on the prime minister's office webpage, etc. Some have pointed crowns, some rounded; some have normal flags, others have flags looking more like banners; some use the modern orthography, some the old (Ko e Otua mo Toga ko hoku Tofia); some have black swords, others white; and so forth.
Motto:
"Ko e 'Otua mo Tonga ko hoku tofi'a"
National Anthem: Ko e fasi 'o e tu'i 'o e 'Otu Tonga
Tongan lyrics (modern spelling)
'E 'otua māfimafi
ko homau 'eiki koe
ko koe ko e falala'anga
mo e 'ofa ki Tonga.
'Afio hifo 'emau lotu
'aia 'oku mau faí ni
mo ke tali homau loto
ʻo maluʻi ʻa Tupou.
English lyrics (literal translation)
Oh, almighty God!
You are our Lord,
It is You, the pillar
And the love of Tonga.
Look down on our prayer
That is what we do now
And may You answer our wish
To protect Tupou.
Internet Page: www.govt.to
Tonga in diferent languages
eng | afr | arg | ast | bre | cat | ces | cor | cym | dan | dsb | est | eus | fao | fin | fra | frp | fry | fur | gla | glg | hat | hrv | hsb | hun | ina | isl | ita | jav | jnf | kin | lat | lav | lim | lin | lit | lld | mlg | mlt | nld | nor | pol | por | que | roh | ron | run | rup | scn | slk | slv | sme | smo | spa | sqi | srd | swa | swe | tet | ton | tpi | tur | vor | wln | wol | zza: Tonga
bos | crh | kaa | mol | slo | tuk | uzb: Tonga / Тонга
deu | ltz | nds: Tonga / Tonga
ind | msa: Tonga / توڠڬا
aze: Tonqa / Тонга
bam: Tɔnga
epo: Tongo
fij: Toga
gle: Tonga / Tonga
glv: Yn Tongey
kmr: Tonga / Тонга / تۆنگا
kur: Tonga / تۆنگا
nrm: Tounga
oci: Tònga
rmy: Tonga / तोन्गा
smg: Tuonga
som: Toonga
tah: Toʻa
vie: Tông-ga
vol: Tonguäns
abq | alt | bul | che | chm | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | mkd | mon | rus | tyv | udm: Тонга (Tonga)
bak | srp | tat: Тонга / Tonga
bel: Тонга / Tonha
chv: Тонгӑ (Tongă)
kaz: Тонга / Tonga / تونگا
kbd: Тонгэ (Tongă)
oss: Тонгӕ (Tongä)
tgk: Тонга / تانگه / Tonga
ukr: Тонґа (Tonga)
ara: تونغا (Tūnġā); تونجا (Tūngā)
fas: تونگا / Tongâ
prs: تونگا (Tōngā)
pus: تونګا (Tongā)
uig: تونگا / Ton’ga / Тонга
urd: ٹونگا (Ṫôngā); تونگا (Tôngā)
div: ޓޮނގާ (Ṫoṅgā)
heb: טונגה (Ṭôngah)
lad: טונגה / Tonga
yid: טאָנגאַ (Tonga)
amh: ቶንጋ (Tonga)
ell: Τόνγκα (Tóngka); Τόγκα (Tógka)
hye: Տոնգա (Tonga); Թոնգա (Ṭonga)
kat: ტონგა (Tonga)
hin: टोंगा (Ṭoṁgā)
ben: টোঙ্গা (Ṭoṅgā); টঙ্গা (Ṭôṅgā)
pan: ਟੋਨਗਾ (Ṭongā)
kan: ಟೋಂಗ (Ṭōṁga)
mal: ടോംഗ (Ṭōṁga); ടോന്ഗ (Ṭōnga)
tam: டொங்கா (Ṭoṅkā); தொங்கா (Toṅkā); டோங்கா (Ṭōṅkā)
tel: టోంగా (Ṭōṁgā)
zho: 湯加/汤加 (Tāngjiā)
jpn: トンガ (Tonga)
kor: 통가 (Tongga)
mya: တာန္ဂာ (Tãga)
tha: ตองกา (Tɔ̄ṅkā); ท็องกา (Tʰɔṅkā)
khm: តុងហ្គា (Tuṅhkā)
YEARENDER 2009 Picture dated March 18, 2009 showing an undersea volcano eruption about 10 to 12 kilometres (six to seven miles) off the Tongatapu coast of Tonga sending plumes of steam and smoke hundreds of metres into the air. Tonga's head geologist, Kelepi Mafi, said there was no apparent danger to residents of Nuku'alofa and others living on the main island of Tongatapu. Officials also said it may be related to a quake with a magnitude of 4.4 which struck last March 13 around 35 kilometres from the capital at a depth of nearly 150 kilometres. AFP PHOTO / LOTHAR SLABON / MATANGI TONGa (Photo credit should read LOTHAR SLABON/AFP/Getty Images)
Early morning shot of Mount Taranaki and the Tongaporutu estuary.
Black and white conversion in LR after basic editing and cropping.
Photoshop for some adjustments, Topaz Adjust, Topaz Simplify, Auto FX BW Soft (masked), Photofilter layer, edges.
One of her favourite places.
I don't know why, but she was always laying there, so i eventually put a blanket there so everything is more comfortable for her.
Tenerife
Botanical Gardens Puerto de La Cruz
www.tenerife-information-centre.com/botanical-gardens-pue...
Although known officially as Jardín de Aclimatación de la Orotava, or "JAO", this installation is actually in Puerto de La Cruz (there is a smaller one actually in La Orotava).