Book

A contribution to Tongan somatology

Bishop Museum Press • 8 (4) • Published In 1922 • Pages: 231-260

By: Sullivan, Louis R. (Louis Robert), Gifford, Edward Winslow, McKern, W. C. (Will Carleton).

Abstract

This source is a description of Tongan somatology based on measurements of 225 adult and adolescent Tongans. The description covers 19 anthropometric features (11 measurements and 8 indices) including stature, head length and width, face height and width, and indices such as cephalic, fronto-parietal, and nasal; and somatological characteristics such as skin, hair, and eye color, amount of body hair, epicanthic fold, etc. Following the description, Tongans are compared with Samoans to whom they are very similar. Sullivan next discusses Melanesian intermixture with the Tongans. He concludes with a discussion of racial affinities and states that the evidence for a Caucasian origin of Tongans and Samoans is 'decidedly sparse and unconvincing' (p. 258) and that instead they appear to 'belong to the brown division of the Yellow-Brown race' (p. 260). The source includes 56 photographs of Tongan faces, full face and profile.

HRAF PubDate

2006

Region

Oceania

Sub Region

Polynesia

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Physical Anthropologist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

Analyst

Martin J. Malone; 1978

Field Date

no date

Coverage Date

ca. 1920-1921

Coverage Place

Tonga

Notes

by Louis R. Sullivan, based on the field studies of E. W. Gifford and W. C. McKern

'Bayard Dominick Expedition. Publication no. 2'

Includes bibliographical references

LCCN

22022374

LCSH

Tongans