研究ノート
トンガ社会における海外居住者からの寄付を集める募金
2014 年 23 巻 1 号 p. 133-145
詳細
2014 年 23 巻 1 号 p. 133-145
Tongan Fundraising that collects remittances from Tongans overseas:
Tongans living overseas send remittances to their families, friends, and organizations such as churches and schools back in Tonga. The primary method of collecting remittances for these organizations has been through fundraisers held in major overseas Tongan communities for over 40 years.
This article focuses on the fundraisings carried out by these home communities, churches, and schools and examines their social and cultural mechanism. It first illuminates the origins of these fundraisers, and then focuses on the recent fundraisers, clarifying the actual amount of funds raised and their usages. It also reports the findings of a survey conducted on Tongans living in Hawaii. The survey analyzed the rate of contribution to the fundraisings. It finally discusses how Tongan fundraisers make it possible to receive remittances from their own people.
In short, these organizations started fundraising in overseas Tongan communities because of the shortage of the Tongan government and church funds. According to interviews with government officers, church leaders and school headmasters in Tonga, the funds raised were mainly used for villages' water management, church management, and running schools. The questionnaires given to Tongans in Hawaii showed that 80 percent contribute to the fundraisings. Tongans overseas appreciate their cultural value of mutual assistance, which fundraisers take advantage of when organizing and carrying out fundraising events.
In conclusion, fundraisings in overseas Tongan communities lead to smaller government budgets and the maintenance of their own churches. It was also clear that most of the Tongans in Hawaii contribute to the fundraisings by their home organizations. These fundraisings are possible because of the traditional value of mutual assistance that Tongans overseas still hold, religious activities they still continue, and their traditional social ties they still keep. The discussion on the future of remittances should therefore include the sustainability of the fundraisings.
