Futa Helu

ʻIlaisa Futa-ʻi-Haʻangana Helu

Full name	ʻIlaisa Futa-ʻi-Haʻangana Helu
Born	17 June 1934(1934-06-17)
Died	2 February 2010(2010-02-02) (aged 75)
Era	20th century philosophy
Region	Western philosophy
Main interests	Political philosophy, Ethics

A collage of Futa Helu in The School of Athens made for his 70th birthday. Futa is here portrayed with Plato and Aristotle.

Futa Helu (17 June 1934 — 2 February 2010)^[1] was a Tongan philosopher, historian, and educator. He studied philosophy under the Australian empiricist John Anderson and in 1963 launched an educational institute named ʻAtenisi (Tongan for Athens, to pay homage to the ancient Greek philosophers, Herakleitos in particular). The institute began as a continuing education programme for civil servants, then initiated a high school in 1964 and a university in 1975.

Life

Helu was born on 17 June 1934 in the village of Lotofoa on the island of Foa in the Haʻapai archipelago in the (Polynesian) Kingdom of Tonga. Helu, in fact, is a minor chiefly title, carrying the task of managing both the people and land of the village. In Haʻapai, Futa was a bright, although headstrong, student. In 1947 he was selected to be part of the founding class of the newly established Tonga high school sited in Tonga's capital, the school being a project of a promising Crown Prince who would accede to the throne as Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV in 1967.

Helu studied in Australia at Newington College (1953–1956)^[2] and the University of Sydney (1957–60). At Sydney he focused on philosophy, English literature, mathematics and physics. Back in Tonga in April 1961 he did not become – as one might have expected – a government bureaucrat, but held himself out as tutor to those having trouble keeping up at school. His way of teaching soon became famous, and many Tongans who are now important figures claim he instilled a love of learning that impelled their careers.

ʻAtenisi Institute was initially a downtown night school providing continuing education for civil servants, evolving into a secondary daytime school in 1964. In 1966 Helu registered ʻAtenisi's high school with the government and at the of that year leased a 6.5-hectare (16-acre) parcel in Halaano, a western district in the Tongan capital of Nukuʻalofa. The parcel is, in fact, below sea level and students often speak of the swampus instead of the campus. At the end of 1975 a small university joined the high school on the site, its first bachelor of arts degrees being awarded in 1980, followed a few years later by bachelor of science degrees. By the 1990s, some Master of Arts – and even a Ph.D. degree – were awarded in collaboration with universities in Australia and New Zealand.

Dr. Helu not only administered his institute but – like Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia in early 19th century America – designed its classrooms, laboratories, and libraries, often in classical style. Whilst small contractors were, of course, employed in ʻAtenisi's construction, in the early days its director was not above roofing a new building after class.

In 1992 Dr. Helu joined Tonga's Catholic bishop, Patelisio P. Fīnau, and the former president of the Free Wesleyan Church, Dr. Sione 'Amanaki Havea – in sponsoring a conference advocating Tonga's transition from a feudal to parliamentary monarchy. Not only did the Government resist this call but it punished 'Atenisi for its advocacy by thenceforth refusing to employ its university graduates, a severe penalty in the developing world. The boycott was lifted after the accession of a commoner prime minister in 2006 and the Government's concession to democratic principle.

Until her death in April 2008, Dr. Helu was married to Kaloni Schaaf; the union produced six children and numerous grandchildren. Two daughters have distinguished themselves in the performing arts – Sisiʻuno Helu, founding director of ʻAtenisi's performing arts troupe and orchestra, has staged Tongan faiva and spirited excerpts from Italian opera on tours of the Pacific and the U.S., ʻAtolomake Helu has sung soprano in noted international venues, such as Sydney and Auckland Town Halls. A son, Niulala Helu, is a former lecturer in Tongan culture at the University of Auckland.

Dr. Helu was the author of several books, most importantly two books on Tongan culture, a monograph on Herakleitos, and a collection of essays regarding South Pacific culture. In 1999 the University of the South Pacific awarded him an honorary doctorate in literature. The scholar retired as institute director and dean of its university in 2007, replaced in the former post by his daughter Sisiʻuno (in 2008 and currently) and son Niulala (in 2009) ... and in the latter by Dr. Michael G. Horowitz, a U.S. sociologist who served as associate dean in the late '90s. Up until his passing Dr. Helu retained the title of Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Tongan Culture.

In retirement, Helu remained an authority on Tongan history, tradition, and education, and although not a politician himself, remained an influential voice in Tongan politics due to the vindication of his advocacy of democracy.

The last years of his life were marred by declining physical and foremost mental health as he was suffering from some form of Alzheimer's disease.

ʻAtenisi institute

Aerial photo of the institute and surroundings

High school

In the 1960s there were not many high schools in Tonga, and the few there were catered to either an economic or academic elite. To fill the gap, ʻAtenisi's high school assumed a populist stance, offering inexpensive and innovative education. Yet academic standards were high – for example, whereas other schools settled for the modest New Zealand syllabus, ʻAtenisi choose the more challenging syllabus of New South Wales, Australia.

The 1970 and ʻ80s were the school's heyday, at one point attracting some 800 students; however, enrollment began to fall in the '90s in the face of diverse competition. By 2005 the situation became so pressing that school fees were no longer sufficient to cover costs. The school was, in fact, forced to close in 2006, but reopened in 2007 under revitalised leadership. Unfortunately this was short-lived. After 2009 is closed for good.

University

ʻAtenisi's university is unique in being the only privately founded university in the Pacific, and therefore autonomous from any church or government. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is that the university can freely train critical thought, rather than compel students to conform to bureaucratic obedience or religious dogma. The disadvantage is that the university rarely receives funding from either of the aforementioned source, which has usually condemned it to an austere budget solely supported by modest tuition fees.

Because the university regards method of thought to be its pedagogical priority, philosophy has always been considered its most important course; facility with the English language and appreciation of English literature remains a second key objective. In addition, the university continues to offer core courses in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Because of its reputation for rigour, most ʻAtenisi students have always found it relatively easy to obtain scholarships to graduate schools in New Zealand, Australia and the U.S.A.

Performing Arts Foundation

As part of its arts curriculum, the institute offers courses in music performance, e.g., piano, violin, and voice. Many students also join AFPA: the ʻAtenisi Foundation for the Performing Arts. A small but well-equipped orchestra was established in 2000. AFPA regularly tours overseas performing European classical and operatic excerpts side by side with traditional Tongan music and dance. This cross-cultural approach is typical of the 'Atenisi ethos and is consistent with the Heraclitian sentiment of 'one world, many things, an everlasting fire, common to all'. AFPA has thus astonished audiences from Australasia to Europe and the United States.

The university's uncertain future

In the early years of the university, its emphasis on methodology was popular with Tonga's independent farmers: their sons might return to their modest plantations and display classical learning at weekend faikava (traditional kava circles). Yet with growing pressure for vocational success among Tonga's urban middle class, only the most talented students remain attracted to ʻAtenisi's classical credo. This has led to a decline in enrollment which, in the face of increasingly more viable tertiary training in Tonga and overseas, threatens the prospects of the small university that Futa Helu built.

References

1. ^ "ʻIlaisa Futa-ʻi-Haʻangana Helu — 17 June 1934 – 2 Feb 2010". 'Atenisi Institute. http://atenisi.edu.to/latest/latest.html#mate. Retrieved 3 February 2010. 
2. ^ Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 86

Bibliography

• ʻI.F. Helu; Thinking in Tongan society; 1982
• ʻI.F. Helu; Fakahola talanoa: Ko e ngaahi lea ohi; 1985
• ʻI.F. Helu; Herakleitos of Ephesos; 1995
• ʻI.F. Helu; Critical essays: Cultural perspectives from the Southseas; 1999
• I. Campbell & E. Coxon (eds); Polynesian paradox: Essays to honour his 70th birthday; 2005

External links

• http://atenisi.edu.to/ Official website of ʻAtenisi institute
• http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/personalities/20090203_tonga_futa-helu_atenisi.shtml obituary
• Documentary film on ʻAtenisi in production: http://www.publicfilms.co.nz/
• http://histfam.familysearch.org/oralhistories/media/054FutaHeluTonganVersion.pdf biographic interview

Persondata
Name	Helu, Futa
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	17 June 1934
Place of birth
Date of death	2 February 2010
Place of death