Mali Fakatonga
A Tongan wedding!
I was lucky enough to be invited to another Tongan wedding this past week, and this time is was especially exciting because I am good friends with the bride and her family! The wedding was scheduled for Tuesday monrning, so I offered to help the night before with the cooking. I tried my best to be helpful, but the Tongans are so efficient when it comes to preparing for feasts like this that I could not keep up! At around midnight, I was getting a tad sleepy so I closed my eyes for a little malolo [rest], truthfully, with the intention of waking up in a few hours. But alas, I slept through the whole night. Woke up at 7:30am to find that no one else had even slept at all! Boy, did I felt silly. My neighbors asked if I was vaivai, basically a grandma. Oops ☺
The wedding festivities started that day with everyone piling into the cars and trucks, decorated as such:
We then paraded around the entire downtown area, honking our horns and singing loudly, until we ended up at the courthouse where the paperwork was signed. Afterwards, there was a short service at the Catholic Church, and then, IT WAS TIME TO FEAST!
After feasting, we loaded up the bride’s belongings, including a brand new bed, and again, paraded through the streets of Vava’u, honking the horns and making a ruckus! Then we marched her things, plus Tongan kaloa [things] like mats and tapa [handpainted tapestries] into the husband’s family’s home.
In return for the kaloa, the new husband’s family reciprocated by offering a large roasted pig, cases of soda, and at least a dozen cakes for the bride’s family! Pretty good deal, if you ask me.
Love was in the air ❤ Great day ☺
