William Mariner | |
---|---|
Born | William Charles Mariner 10 September 1791 England |
Died | 20 October 1853 | (aged 62)
Other names | Toki 'Ukamea (Tongan) |
Occupation(s) | Privateer, writer |
Known for | His account of living as a captive in Tonga for four years |
Notable work | The Tongan Islands, William Mariner's account |
William Charles Mariner (10 September 1791 – 20 October 1853) was an Englishman who lived in Tonga from 29 November 1806 to (probably) 8 November 1810.[1] He published a memoir, An Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean, which is one of the major sources of information about Tonga before it was influenced significantly by European cultures and Christianity.
At age 14, Mariner was a ship's clerk aboard the British privateer Port au Prince.[2] In 1806, while it was anchored off the Tongan island of Lifuka, in the Ha'apai island group, Port au Prince was seized by a chief named Fīnau ʻUlukālala.[2] Of the 26 crew members, 22 were killed, while the chief spared Mariner and three others.[3] Mariner lived in Tonga for four years, and during this time he became known as Toki 'Ukamea ("Iron Axe"). After returning to England, he dictated a detailed account of his experiences, a description of Tongan society and culture, and a grammar and dictionary of the Tongan language.[4]
Campbell & Campbell 1998
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Kaeppler 1999
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Düring 1990
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).... Mariner's account also includes a grammar and a Tongan-English dictionary. ...