Ep. 46: Remembering Mate Ma‘a Tonga with Tēvita Ka‘ili and ‘Inoke Hafoka

Indigenous Tongan scholars Dr. Ka‘ili and Dr. Hafoka join this episode of remembering the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and the impact of Mate Ma‘a Tonga. We reflect on the background to doing research at that time and thinking about the geopolitics of sport alongside an exploration of Tongan Indigeneity. One of the iconic moments we recall is the roll of diaspora and descendant populations having the opportunity to play for Tonga with an international rule change allowing overseas players to represent a heritage country. We discuss several topics including identity across borders, the philosophy behind faiva or performance in sport, and how nationalist boundaries of identity were transcended through Indigenous depths of fonua (land, country, heritage). We conclude by sharing some thoughts on deeper relationships to ancient Tongan sport such as kasivaki (an Indigenous Tongan underwater ‘rugby-like’ game), the unifying force of global sport that transcended common ideas about identity, and a symbolic meaning of Mate Ma‘a Tonga.

 

This podcast is intended to be complimentary to the article ‘Indigenous Performances of Tongan Identity in Global Sporting Events’, written by ‘Inoke Hafoka, Arcia Tecun, Tēvita Ō. Ka‘ili, and S. Ata Siu‘ulua.

 

Terms and Basic Interpretations: Kasivaki (underwater Indigenous Tongan game played with stones and coral posts), Tauhi Vā (performance art of social-spatial relations), Faiva (performance, to relate spatially), Mālie (bravo, exclamation of a beautiful performance), Māfana (warmth, exhilaration, spiritual phenomenon), Fonua (placenta, land, country, heritage), Sipi Tau (Tongan posture or ‘war’ dance/challenge), Hikifonua (Tongan concept for ‘diaspora’ meaning to lift and transport land represented by people), Punga Tea/Punga Kapa (coral stone posts used in Kasivaki), Tautai (sea warriors/seafarers), Ukuloloto (sea diving), Mate Ma’a Tonga (give your all for Tonga, literally ‘die for Tonga’).