Royalty in Tonga

Book Categories: Tonga, Polynesia, Pacific, Oceania

Tonga (Friendly Islands)

Shirley Baker and the King of Tonga by Noel Rutherford. Examines English minister Shirley Baker's relationship with Tupou I, Tonga's first king.

Queen Salote of Tonga: The Story of an Era 1900-1965 by Elizabeth Wood-Ellem. An extensive biography that gives an in-depth account of Queen Salote's skills in building and maintaining the loyalty of her people.

Salote: Queen of Paradise by Margaret Hixon. Biography.

On the Edge of the Global: Modern Anxieties in a Pacific Island Nation by Niko Besnier. A look at life in 21st century Tonga. Though the postcolonial island kingdom may give the appearance of stability and order, there is a disquiet rooted in the feeling that progress and development have bypassed the society. (Published in 2011.)

Kinship to Kingship by Christine W. Gailey is about gender hierarchy and state formation in the Tongan islands.

Lonely Planet Samoa & Tonga by Peter Dragicevich and Craig McLachlan. Travel guide.

Queen Salote and Her Kingdom by Sir Harry Luke. Published in 1954. The author was the governor of Fiji.

Obscure Kingdoms: Around the World in Search of Royal Courts by Edward Fox. Published in 1993. The author travelled to Tonga, Oman, Nigeria, Swaziland, and Java. Part travel book and part commentary on kingship and its traditions. Out of print, but available from Alibris.

Friendly Queen by Hector Macquarrie. The story of Tonga and its queen. Published in 1955. Sometimes available from AbeBooks.

More Books About Tonga

Documentaries

The DVDs listed below are formatted for North American audiences.

The Last Royals. Can kings and queens survive the challenges of the 21st century? This television documentary from National Geographic includes an interview with King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga.

More DVDs About Royalty