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South Pacific escape In this section: Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga and New Zealand Reviving an old tradition There is a sad story to tell about nudity in the South Pacific. For naturism is almost entirely absent in the South Pacific, as indeed are the mythical attitudes to free love and sensuality sometimes associated with the region. In Tonga the people often wear pandanus mats, a sort of wrap-around skirt made from woven strips of pandanus. I was going to show a picture here, but I've decided on a no-clothes rule for this site. Legend has it that when the first missionary ships arrived in Tonga, the people loaded up their boats and eagerly rowed out to see if they could sell or exchange some of their wares with the visitors. They were all as innocently naked as their ancestors had been for countless generations before. But on board the visiting ships, with the help of local interpreters, the Tongans were informed that their innocent nudity was a grave sin. Casting about in dismay, they picked up the nearest thing they had to hand - their mats - and wrapped them around themselves. It's extraordinary to think that the ancient story of Adam and Eve has been re-enacted within the past couple of hundred years. To this day, strict dress codes are set in law in Tonga and in many other South Pacific countries. It would cause grave offence to violate them and any attempt to appeal to the spirit of their ancestors would doubtless fall on deaf ears. I would never confront such sensibilities head on, and have always confined my naturism to remote corners, secluded beaches and off-shore swimming. I respect the people, in other words, even if I don't respect the legacy left by the missionaries. There's an irony about all this. Naturism has emerged from and flourished in the world's oldest Christian countries, and doesn't really exist in non-Christian cultures. It seems sad that Europeans have left such a profound impact on the region - especially since we in Europe can now choose go naked together in a way that Pacific islanders 200 years ago would have considered entirely natural. But as I describe here, you can go nude even to this day in these islands that nature has made perfect for nakedness. |
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