Emancipation Day or Independence Day, commemorates the abolition of serfdom in Tonga by King George Tupou in 1862, and the independence of Tonga from the British protectorate in 1970. (Tonga)

Emancipation Day

Holiday to celebrate emancipation of enslaved people

Emancipation Day is observed in many former European colonies in the West Indies and parts of the United States on various dates to commemorate the emancipation of slaves of African descent.

List of national independence days

An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a military occupation, or after a major change in government. Many countries…

Serfdom

Status of peasants under feudalism

Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery. It developed during late antiquity and the Early…

George Tupou I

King of Tonga from 1845 to 1893

George Tupou I, originally known as Tāufaʻāhau I, was the first king of modern Tonga. Originally controlling a disputed piece of land in Haʻapai, he expanded to control Vavaʻu, Tongatapu, and other islands.

British protectorate

Territory over which the British government exercised limited jurisdiction

British protectorates were protectorates under the jurisdiction of the British government. Many territories which became British protectorates already had local rulers with whom the Crown negotiated through treaty, acknowledging their status whilst simultaneously offering…

Tonga

Country in the South Pacific

Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 sq mi), scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 sq mi) in the southern Pacific Ocean. As…