The Road Less Traveled : The Tongan Economy

I have no idea how people pay for the things they buy in Tonga. This is not me being facetious or using hyperbole. After living in Tonga for 2 months, I still have literally no idea where peoples’ money comes from. It is almost like magic. I never see money, yet somehow items like food and clothing that cost money just magically appear.

Yes, you may all be wondering how this is possible when I already explained how the Tongan economy works – foreign aid and family members sending back money to Tonga from overseas. And yes, agriculture and construction exist in Tonga and provide people with jobs and money. In theory and practice this is how it works, however, the money still does not add up. Further, before I came to Tonga I assumed that farming and fishing would play a large role in the economy, but most Tongans I know just fish and farm to provide some of their food and do not receive any money from it.

Take my host mom Faiana, for example. I have been trying for weeks to understand how she pays for everything and I still cannot figure it out. Over time, I have noticed several ways she receives income, but every time I think I am close to a solution I realize that I am wrong.

First, I thought Fusi, the woman who lives with us, paid for all the expenses. Fusi works at the hospitable nearby cleaning the labs, and I know Fusi gives Faiana some of the money she makes to pay for the food. This is, however, a small amount of money that may possibly cover the food Fusi eats, but since Fusi eats a ton I doubt if it even covers that.

Then I thought about the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps pays Faiana 35 pa’anga a day (about $22) to pay for my expenses. This is more than enough to cover my bill and I am sure it helps defray some of Faiana’s costs, but this is also only a two-month source of income.

Next, I know Faiana receives some money from the store she, along with many families in the village, owns a small part of, but it is not nearly enough to cover all of her costs.

Finally, I noticed Faiana spends most of her days making tapa, which is a type of weave used as blankets and mats at weddings and funerals. At this point I thought, “Yes!” I have finally discovered the source of her income – she makes tapa and sells them. Basking in my intellectual triumph, I asked Faiana where she sold her tapas, so that I could confirm my theory. Deflating my triumph in a single sentence, Faiana assured me that she does not sell her tapas but just keeps them for when her children will get married or when her parents pass away.

Therefore, I still have no idea how Faiana pays for anything. I know that she does not receive aid, and I do not believe she has money sent to her from family overseas, as only one of her sons lives abroad in New Zealand.

I do, however, know her costs. She pays for Sione’s college tuition and his food. Her daughter, Kalo, is now a resident at the nearby hospital and I do not know if she receives money from this, but I do know Faiana paid for her to go to medical school in Fiji for the past 6 years. Faiana’s parents also live across the street and are retired, so I am pretty sure she pays for them as well.

Somehow all of these costs are covered and, from my point of view, covered seamlessly. I still have no idea how the money comes in, but I do know it goes out. This is one of the great mysteries of Tonga. It is a very poor country, yet it really does not seem poor. No one ever has money, but people do not seem to ever be living without the major necessities of life – food, water, clothing, and shelter.

I will have to continue my investigative work to figure out how people pay for their purchases in Tonga. It is a mystery, however, that I feel I may never fully understand.