...ToKoNaKiZ...

I love the fact that I am 1/2 Tongan and 1/2 Samoan. Although some traditions just drive me crazy and drive my bank account even more crazy, I still love em. There are a few that I hope my siblings and I will carry on as we grow older, and in this post, I chose to share one from my Tongan side.

In the Tongan 'way of life' the oldest sister is the highest respected person, known as the FAHU. She's basically the "Princess" of the family. At every gathering, event, or celebration she is always recognized, acknowledged, and given gifts. It's kinda crazy and hard to understand sometimes but it's also pretty interesting once you do understand it. It's not only the eldest sister, but it's all the sisters, the eldest is just recognized more. Lol But this is not the tongan tradition i'm talking about and plus I'm not even the oldest girl, so I don't really care about this tradition. LOL j/k
My fahu is my dad's sister Kalala, in any celebration we have as kids my mother has always acknowledged her and showered her with Tongan gifts. And even though she's not tongan my mother has always taught us to respect her because of the role she plays in our lives....our Fahu. She's more like a second mother though...

That's just ONE of the many traditions...lol

.....Another one

For as long as I could remember my moms older brother Eli always brought a lot of food over during the holidays. It was always a ton of different meats and sides to go with it. I later learned that in the 'tongan ways,' the older brother (or brothers) take what's called a "Tokonaki" to their sisters for the holidays to make sure that their sisters are taken care of during that time. Hmmm maybe that's why we're so skinny huh?? LOL
(Told ya the sisters are taken good care of in the Tongan traditions!!!)

In return, for the new year, the sisters take a sipi (a fine quilt) back to the brother as a gift.
I always thought, and I still think thats a great tradition that I'd like to keep. Not only because I love when my brothers get me food..lol, but also because I think it'd build our relationship and we'd be able to keep that close bond with my brothers as we get older. My mother always appreciates her brothers for all that they do, and they do the same in return. I'd also love to pass it on to my own kids.

Just today, my uncle Eli came by with food. It just got me all excited for the holiday season!! =) My mom doesn't take quilts or monomonos (another word for quilts) to him during New Years. My Uncle Eli and his wife Mele always have nice matching aloha shirt and dress outfits, so she always makes time to go to Hawaii and pick a nice material to give them to make a new outfit for any occasion they'd like. =)

I love my heritage, my culture. I am everything I am today because of my Samoan AND Tongan heritage. I love all the similarities and all the differences of the two. I was fortunate enough to have parents that embraced and appreciated each others cultures. They never once favored their own, and because of that it rubbed off while raising us kids. Not one of my siblings will tell you they have a favorite side. We love both. I continue to find myself blessed that God has blessed me with such an amazing family and life. My parents taught us both ways of life with those two cultures as well as the 'American' culture, it all blends pretty well, and I can manage to enjoy them all with no favoring!! I wouldn't have it any other way....