v2.webp){kind=logo}
- Lakalaka performances: Tonga’s signature group dance, recognized by UNESCO, features rows of dancers moving their arms in unison to sung poetry. The words are a lesson in history and genealogy. Watch from a distance first, then notice how the gestures echo the lyrics.
- Tapa making: Women beat mulberry bark strips with wooden mallets, producing a steady thud you hear before you see them. The sheets are pasted together and stamped with brown and black patterns. Watching it done is the best way to understand why a large tapa is a gift worth thousands of hours of work.
- Kava ceremony: A bowl is passed in a circle in a formal sequence, and the drink is peppery, muddy and numbs your tongue. Clap, drink it in one go and say thanks. It is the social center of the festival.
- Underground oven feast: Food
- Lakalaka performances: Tonga’s signature group dance, recognized by UNESCO, features rows of dancers moving their arms in unison to sung poetry. The words are a lesson in history and genealogy. Watch from a distance first, then notice how the gestures echo the lyrics.
- Tapa making: Women beat mulberry bark strips with wooden mallets, producing a steady thud you hear before you see them. The sheets are pasted together and stamped with brown and black patterns. Watching it done is the best way to understand why a large tapa is a gift worth thousands of hours of work.
- Kava ceremony: A bowl is passed in a circle in a formal sequence, and the drink is peppery, muddy and numbs your tongue. Clap, drink it in one go and say thanks. It is the social center of the festival.
- Underground oven feast: Food cooked in an umu is lifted out in clouds of steam, with roast pork, root vegetables and taro-leaf parcels. Go early, because the best pieces go quickly and the smell of smoke and banana leaf pulls you in from the next street.
- Talamahu Market: The central market shows the Tongan food that supports the festival: piles of yams and taro, woven baskets, fans and mats, and handmade crafts at honest prices. Early morning is best, before the heat sets in.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.
Best Backpacking
.jpg)
Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.