Historic photographs of Tonga brought to life in new digital collection
A remarkable collection of historic photographs capturing Tongan life throughout the 20th century is now available online, offering families across Tonga and the diaspora a chance to reconnect with the people, places and traditions of generations past.
The August Hettig Collection, now held by Auckland Council Libraries, features thousands of negatives documenting Tonga from the early 1900s through to the 1970s.
A rare glimpse into Tonga's past
August Hettig, also known in Tonga as Okusi or Aokosi Heti, was a German-Tongan photographer who documented life in Tonga from around 1916 until his death in 1974. Largely self-taught, he became the Kingdom's main professional photographer for more than 50 years, creating a rare visual record of Tongan life.
The collection captures far more than royal ceremonies.
Among the photographs are images of Queen Sālote Tupou III and the Tongan Royal Family, weddings, church communities, sporting groups, village life, children, workers, scouts and everyday scenes across Tonga.
Some of the images date back more than 100 years, including photographs from Princess Sālote's 1917 wedding and the First Tonga Scouts in Manamo'ui.
A collection almost lost
Much of Hettig's original work did not survive due to Tonga's tropical climate, with heat, humidity, mould and insects damaging photographic materials over the decades.
His surviving negatives, estimated at between 10,000 and 12,000, were transferred to Auckland Council Libraries in late 2025 and have since undergone conservation and digitisation.
The original negatives are now stored in specialised conditions to help preserve them for future generations.
Tongan families can help uncover the stories
One of the most exciting parts of the collection is that many of the people and places photographed remain unidentified.
With limited information recorded alongside the negatives, Auckland Libraries is encouraging community knowledge to help identify people, families, villages and events.
For Tongan families, this could mean discovering a familiar face from generations ago or recognising a place that exists only in family stories and memories.
The collection was formally blessed at Auckland's Central City Library in March 2026 before being made publicly accessible, with members of the Hettig family and Tongan community involved in the ceremony.
As we celebrate Tongan Language Week, the collection provides another powerful way to connect with our history, preserve our stories and pass them on to the next generation.
Explore the August Hettig Collection through Auckland Libraries' digital heritage collections.