The Kingdom of Tonga?

I thought I had been dreaming.

I could locate it on google maps …but I couldn’t find much about it in music, literature or films.

I looked at James Michener’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel, Tales of the South Pacific, and could not discover even a  mere mention.

The Kingdom Of Tonga is off the coast of New Zealand, it rests on a field of 500 square miles of blue ocean. There are 176 islands that comprise it and only 100,000 people who inhabit it.  Most of the islands remain unoccupied, some still have volcanic activity.

“The Friendly Islands”….

Western man became aware of Tonga when Captain James Cook came upon the islands  in 1773. He found the Polynesian natives to be happy and receptive to him and his crew. He proclaimed them the “friendly islands”. The name stuck.

A Christian Kingdom

One of the most interesting aspects of the Kingdom is that it is a “Christian Kingdom”. By order of the constitution of 1870, the very flag that the kingdom lives under bears the cross of the Christ. The constitution states that this can never be able to be changed. Interesting in this day and age.

The Flag of the Kingdom of Tonga/Travels in Transmedia

The Kingdom of Tonga’s Flag

This project I have been outlining is the story about a spiritual awakening in a young man by the Holy Spirit — so I have been looking for a unique place to set it. Really, what could be more perfect than to place  it amidst white sands and blue oceans? One is always looking for unique and  “worlds”  by which to build characters and stories. This is particularly important in transmedia.

For all those my friends and family members who don’t believe this Polynesian Paradise exists, I put together a little minute and a half video above.  And no, this isn’t a hoax video! It’s rather my love letter to the ideal of Tonga.

I guess I better get busy and get my research accomplished:-)

This Polynesian Paradise  has a tropical climate with only two seasons, wet and dry, with most rain falls around February and April. I think that’s why it’s important to be there in December and January, before those rains hit.

Please let me know if anyone has any interesting leads to the Polynesian paradise….you can please email me here. I would be extremely grateful. Thanks!