Here we are, an out of focus, jet lagged, Tonga 14 group, a couple of days after we arrived. I’m the guy with the Trapper John mustache center top row.

We all had different talents that helped bring us to Tonga. Many of us were offered choices of locations. My choices were Togo Africa, Fiji or Tonga. My first choice was Fiji because I had heard of it. The suits in the Washington D.C. Peace Corps offices evidently thought I was misguided and assigned me to Tonga. Most of us were assigned to teach at various schools throughout the Kingdom. The rule of thumb was that there were two groups of volunteers each year. Generally speaking, one group were teachers and the second were focused on agriculture, fishery, mechanics, etc. In my opinion, we had hit the Peace Corps lottery. We were in the South Pacific. Grass huts, warm, clear waters, mild trade winds, sun filled days, postcard sunsets, star filled nights and beaches that stretched for miles. Oh, and lots of rain.

This website I have put together is really quite simple. It is filled with vintage (it’s hard to put myself into the vintage category, but it seems to fit well when I look in the mirror). The photos within these pages, in most cases, were taken by PC Volunteers who were stationed in the Kingdom from 1969 through the 1970’s, including a few from the early 1980’s. I have, also, thrown in a collection of shots from my visits to Tonga over the last 18 years, including two Coronations I was able to attend.  I have included a particularly fun twenty minute 8mm video of Tonga’s Constitution Centennial Celebration of 1975. It was filmed by PCV Tom Riddle’s dad, Hugh, who came to visit Tom with his Mom and Aunt.  There is, also, a twenty minute video of Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 visit to Tonga and the welcoming celebrations the people of Tonga gave her.

I was asked to dance by the Village Elder with my village, Ngele’ia, during the Centennial celebration. The village and I practiced for weeks. The village women even sewed my outfit, made my dancing pole and other related accoutrements. A lot of work went into it. There are a few photos showing my “skills” that day. Let it be known, that I was never more nervous in my life than on that day.

Time has clouded some of my memories regarding names, exact dates and places, and that is where you come in. Whether you were a PCV (or other volunteer), a Tongan brought up on the islands, or just someone who vacationed there, there is an email within this website to contact me. If you see a face or place you recognize, or if you have a photo or two from “back then” or a location I haven’t included, please let me know and I will try to include it within a few days. Also, if you have any “VERY” vintage photos (1900 through WWII and the 1950’s) you would like to share, they would be great to include.

My intention is to share these photos, videos, and short stories with all of those who lived in Tonga during those special times, including returning PCV’s, native born and anyone else interested in this amazing island Kingdom. What is important to me is to help introduce and reintroduce those days to Tongan’s born after 1980, and equally important, is to share all that is Tonga with the rest of the world, even with those who may never have heard of this special place until now.