Browsing by Author "Mainza, Billiard"

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    Tonga Marriage : A Pastoral Issue
    (Tangaza University College, 1998-02) Mainza, Billiard
    This long Essay is concerned with Tonga marriage. The meaning and purpose of marriage among the Tonga people. Marriage seen as a uniting factor of the two families. Because of the stress on marriage as an issue meant to be of the whole life, it was protected communally and had laws governing it. This also called for a long preparation. This preparation does not contradict Christianity which also prefers a good Christian couple. The permanence and unity that existed required a good person. Though at death of one partner this unity was seen to be contaminated by the deceased spouses spirit hence, leading to cleansing of the surviving partner. Since culture is dynamic, this causes tension between a traditional man or woman and a modem young man and woman in the way of looking at reality. Where a traditional person favours cleansing, a modem one will say no to this, where the former promotes extended family, the latter will go for a nuclear family. The chain of preferences goes on and on from each side until both sides find a common ground in Christianity. There is no way we can achieve this unless with the help of pastors and the whole church at large. Extended family and nuclear family that are involved in marriage, need a counsellor for any couple to counsel the whole extended family system if there is any marriage problem for the whole community may contribute to such a conflict at a nuclear family level. Unless the whole community sews its good values onto its way of living, it would be impossible to build a community of faith, hope, and love or a Christian marriage. This long essay also indicates possible areas that snouici ne induced in C nristian marriage for a fuller understanding of what is happening in Tonga marriage.