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’).