Vava'u Code

Vava'u Code

The Vava'u Code was instituted in Vava'u, Tonga in 1839, by Tu'i Tonga (King) George Tupou I. It contained the country's first ever written laws, and formed the bases of the first constitution of the Kingdom.

George Tupou I ruled with the support of Methodist missionaries, a religion he had converted to. The Vava'u Code was strongly influenced by his religious beliefs. It instituted basic human rights and limited the power of chiefs over their subjects: chiefs no longer had the right of life and death over their people, nor could they seize agricultural produce. Furthermore, chiefs could now be put on trial like any other Tongan.

In addition, the Code banned traditional festivals seen by missionaries as encouraging sexual promiscuity. Circumcision, tattooing and alcohol drinking were also outlawed. Sundays became a compulsory day off work, to encourage Tongans to worship the Christian God.

The Vava'u Code was followed and completed by further laws, including a second Code in 1850 forbidding the sale of land to foreigners and proclaiming Tupou as supreme leader of Tonga.

ource

* HUFFER, Elise, "Grands Hommes et Petites Îles: La Politique Extérieure de Fidji, de Tonga et du Vanuatu", Paris: Orstom, 1993, ISBN 2-7099-1125-6


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Code De Vava'u — Le Code de Vava u fut proclamé à Vava u, aux Tonga en 1839, par le tu i Tonga (roi) George Tupou Ier. Il contint les premières lois écrites du royaume, et constitua les fondements de la première constitution du pays. George Tupou Ier régnait avec …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Code de vava'u — Le Code de Vava u fut proclamé à Vava u, aux Tonga en 1839, par le tu i Tonga (roi) George Tupou Ier. Il contint les premières lois écrites du royaume, et constitua les fondements de la première constitution du pays. George Tupou Ier régnait avec …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Vava (Babusnica) — Vava (Babušnica) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Vava. Vava Вава [[Image:|100px|center|Blason]] [[Image:|100px|center|Drapaeau]] …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Code de Vava'u — Le Code de Vava u fut proclamé à Vava u, aux Tonga en 1839, par le tu i Tonga (roi) George Tupou Ier. Il contint les premières lois écrites du royaume, et constitua les fondements de la première constitution du pays. George Tupou Ier régnait avec …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Vava'u — Le marché à Neiafu, Vavaʻu Vavaʻu est un ensemble d îles aux Tonga, composé d une île principale et de 40 îles plus petites. D après les légendes, Maui l aurait amené à la surface en pêchant. La pointe la plus élevée à Vavaʻu s élève à 204m au… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Vava`u — Admin ASC 1 Code Orig. name Vava u Country and Admin Code TO.03 TO …   World countries Adminstrative division ASC I-II

  • Vavaʻu — Vavau redirects here. For the village in Samoa, see Vavau, Samoa Vavaokinau is an island chain of one large island and 40 smaller ones in Tonga. According to tradition Maui fished both Tongatapu and Vavaokinau but put a little more effort into… …   Wikipedia

  • Peau Vavaʻu — Peau Vava u is an airline based in NukuOkinaalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga. It operates domestic services. Its main base is FuaOkinaamotu International Airport, Tongatapu, with hubs at Lifuka Island Airport and Vava u International Airport.cite news |… …   Wikipedia

  • Blue law — A blue law is a type of law in the United States and Canada designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping. Most have been repealed, declared… …   Wikipedia

  • tonga — /tong geuh/, n. a light, two wheeled, horse drawn vehicle used in India. [1870 75; < Hindi tanga] * * * Tonga Introduction Tonga Background: The archipelago of The Friendly Islands was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”