Prince Ata became visibly emotional as he addressed the congregation during celebrations marking 200 years of Christianity in Tonga, pausing at times as tears welled in his eyes.
As previously reported by Kaniva News, Tonga is marking the bicentenary of Christianity with nationwide events, including the Free Wesleyan Church Conference and bicentennial celebrations held from June 19–21, 2026, as well as a special public holiday on Friday, June 26, 2026.
The first missionaries from the London Missionary Society arrived in Tonga in 1797, but their mission ended tragically when all of them were killed during the Kingdom’s civil conflicts.
Christianity became firmly established only after the arrival of missionaries John Hutchinson and John Thomas in 1826. They landed at Kolovai, the estate of Prince Ata, where they established Tonga’s first mission school, naming it Nasaleti (Nazareth).
The Prince recalled a time when the school was viewed as lacking importance in its early days.
Prince Ata’s address was delivered warmly and engagingly, blending humour, gentle teasing, and light-hearted anecdotes that drew laughter and appreciative reactions from the audience.
However, the tone shifted markedly when he called on his kāinga and the people of Hihifo (the western districts) to support the school, becoming emotional as he encouraged families to continue enrolling their children and reflected on its enduring significance to Kolovai and Tonga as a whole.
He was visibly emotional, wiping tears from his eyes as he spoke.
The moment appeared to evoke memories of Nasaleti’s place in the nation’s history, as the school remains a living symbol of the arrival of Christianity and the beginnings of formal education in the Kingdom.
