Double Bind: The Duality of Tongan American Identity (original) (raw)
2014, NASW Press
Tongan Americans trace their heritage and ancestry to the island Kingdom of Tonga, a sovereign constitutional monarchy in the South Pacific (Hau’ofa, 2008). Tongans migrate to the United States primarily for educational and employment opportunities (Cowling, 1990). Of approximately 45,000 Tongan Americans, 18,500 were born outside of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). About 63 percent of Tongan American families entered the United States before the 1990s and thus have lived in the United States for multiple generations. Tongans reside primarily in Hawaii, California, Utah, and Oregon. Their locations are strategically established to support a transnational life that includes frequent travel to Tonga for family and community events. This chapter will explore aspects of how Tongans have navigated the U.S. thus far.
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