Becoming Tongan : An Ethnography of Childhood

In this first detailed account of growing up in Tonga, Helen Morton focuses on the influence of __anga fakatonga__ ("the Tongan way") in all facets of Tongan childhood, from the antenatal period to late adolescence. Childhood is a crucial period when cultural identity and notions of tradition are constructed, as well as beliefs about self, personhood, and emotion. Based on her anthropological fieldwork and her experiences in Tonga over several years, Morton traces the Tongan socialization process--from being __vale__ (ignorant, socially incompetent) to becoming __poto__ (clever, socially competent)--in fascinating detail. The socialization of emotion is also given detailed attention, especially the management of anger and emphasis on emotional restraint.