The Application of Heliaki (Imagery) in Tongan Songs and the Roles of Journalists and Censorial Punake in Their Censorship Between the 1960s and the Early 2000s
type: CreativeWork
description: The censorship of hiva kakala (kakala songs) was a prominent feature of broadcasting practice at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC), formerly Radio ZCO and later A3Z, from the 1960s until the early 2000s. Despite its significance within Tongan cultural life, little scholarly attention has been given to understanding why composers were required to compose according to heliaki (imagery) and submit their songs for scrutiny before public broadcast. This study investigates the cultural, literary, and journalistic factors underlying the censorship of kakala songs and examines the role of heliaki in shaping the composition, regulation, and interpretation of the genre. Guided by the indigenous theoretical frameworks of Tupunga Ola and Veitalatala, the research employed a qualitative methodology based on interviews, documentary analysis, and critical examination of historical and contemporary literature. The study explored the perspectives of composers (punake), journalists (faiongoongo), and individuals involved in the censorship and promotion of kakala songs. The findings reveal that kakala song censorship functioned primarily as a form of cultural moderation rather than suppression. It also found that censorship occasionally generated tensions and accusations of inconsistency. However, the participants generally viewed the control as contributing to the preservation, enhancement, and artistic quality of kakala songs. Censorship was used to uphold the values embedded within the nofo ‘a kāinga system and fatungamotu‘a e fonua structure, moderate the effects of Westernisation and foreign cultural influences, and monitor the appropriate use of heliaki, one of Tonga’s foremost literary and linguistic registers. The study further demonstrates that Queen Sālote Tupou III and her Traditions Committee played a pivotal role in shaping both the development and regulation of the genre. A major contribution of this research is the reconceptualisation of kakala songs as songs of h…
abstract: The censorship of hiva kakala (kakala songs) was a prominent feature of broadcasting practice at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC), formerly Radio ZCO and later A3Z, from the 1960s until the early 2000s. Despite its significance within Tongan cultural life, little scholarly attention has been given to understanding why composers were required to compose according to heliaki (imagery) and submit their songs for scrutiny before public broadcast. This study investigates the cultural, literary, and journalistic factors underlying the censorship of kakala songs and examines the role of heliaki in shaping the composition, regulation, and interpretation of the genre. Guided by the indigenous theoretical frameworks of Tupunga Ola and Veitalatala, the research employed a qualitative methodology based on interviews, documentary analysis, and critical examination of historical and contemporary literature. The study explored the perspectives of composers (punake), journalists (faiongoongo), and individuals involved in the censorship and promotion of kakala songs. The findings reveal that kakala song censorship functioned primarily as a form of cultural moderation rather than suppression. It also found that censorship occasionally generated tensions and accusations of inconsistency. However, the participants generally viewed the control as contributing to the preservation, enhancement, and artistic quality of kakala songs. Censorship was used to uphold the values embedded within the nofo ‘a kāinga system and fatungamotu‘a e fonua structure, moderate the effects of Westernisation and foreign cultural influences, and monitor the appropriate use of heliaki, one of Tonga’s foremost literary and linguistic registers. The study further demonstrates that Queen Sālote Tupou III and her Traditions Committee played a pivotal role in shaping both the development and regulation of the genre. A major contribution of this research is the reconceptualisation of kakala songs as songs of h…
author: Latu, Kalino
date published: 2026
date modified: 2026-07-27T18:45:44Z
provider: AUT University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: AUT University