August Hettig also known as Okusi/Aokosi Heti in Tonga. Portrait cropped from Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1951-060-008.
From royal ceremonies to community and village life, the story of 20th century Tonga is vividly documented through the lens of August Hettig.
For more than 50 years, Tonga's only resident professional photographer captured the everyday moments that shaped the Kingdom during a period when much of its history was recorded through colonial narratives. Where written accounts often failed to reflect the richness and diversity of Tongan life, Hettig's camera offered an invaluable visual record. The August Hettig Collection is now cared for by Auckland Council Libraries and highlights the cultural vibrancy of Tonga throughout the 20th century.
Who was August Hettig?
August Hettig was of German and Tongan heritage. From around 1916 until his death in 1974, he was for all intents and purposes the only professional photographer working in Tonga, documenting the Kingdom's people and events throughout the 20th century. Largely self-taught, Hettig learned the practice of photography through books, while teaching himself how to take photographs and develop film. What began as a hobby eventually grew into a successful business and a lifelong commitment to capturing Tongan life.
Due to Tonga's tropical climate and the natural deterioration of photographic materials, the vast majority of Hettig's negatives have not survived. The negatives acquired by Auckland Council Libraries in late 2025 therefore represent only a portion of his life's work, making their preservation all the more important.
Blessing the collection
August Hettig Collection blessing. Hettig family, MC Ana Poloniati and Head of Library and Learning Services Catherine Leonard. 2026.
The August Hettig Collection was blessed in March 2026 at Central City Library. Before being made publicly accessible, cultural protocols were observed to ensure it was handled with the utmost care and respect. Pasifika specialists from Auckland Council Libraries provided guidance throughout the process, helping to mark this significant milestone in the collection's journey.
The blessing ceremony was led by community leader Ana Poloniati as MC and conducted by Rev. Viliami Koloamatangi. Members of the Hettig family were also present, making the occasion all the more meaningful. The gathering recognised the transfer of the collection into the care of Auckland Council Libraries and celebrated its preservation for future generations.
August Hettig Collection blessing. Frederick Hettig presenting. 2026.
August Hettig Collection blessing. 2026.
The importance of photographs
The August Hettig Collection came into the care of Auckland Libraries through the efforts of Curator Photographs Keith Giles, who was first alerted to its existence by the Auckland-based Pacific researcher Tony Brunt.
After being introduced to Hettig's son, Frederick Hettig, Keith successfully negotiated the transfer of the collection, ensuring this important photographic archive would be preserved and made accessible for future generations. The collection comprises an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 negatives.
The container of negatives on its arrival from San Francisco.
For Keith, photographs offer something that written records often cannot, an unfiltered glimpse into lived experience. While written accounts often reflect particular perspectives, photographs capture moments of everyday life, revealing both the challenges and joys experienced by the communities. Among the collection's standout treasures is an envelope labelled Royalty, containing over 150 photographs of Queen Sālote Tupou III and members of the Tongan Royal Family. These images span significant moments in Tonga's history, from Queen Sālote's coronation in 1918 through to the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
August Hettig Collection unpacked.
Like many historical photographic collections, one of the challenges lies in identifying the people, places and events depicted. With very few notes accompanying the negatives, much of the collection's story remains untold. This creates exciting opportunities for further research and community participation, inviting people to contribute their knowledge to the collection.
Conservation of photographs
At Auckland Council Libraries, conservation goes beyond protecting old photographs, it is about preserving cultural heritage for future generations. Conservation work helps preserve fragile negatives and prepares them for digitisation, ensuring access through high-quality digital copies while minimising handling of the original material.
Negatives undergoing treatment.
August Hettig was aware that age, climate, insects and environmental conditions would eventually affect the longevity of his photographic work. With the support of Auckland Council Libraries' Photographs Conservator, Caroline Garratt, careful preservation measures help ensure that Hettig's photographs can continue to be appreciated and studied for generations to come.
The collection was brought to the Conservation Lab for cleaning and stabilisation before being rehoused in archival-quality enclosures for long-term storage. Tonga's high heat and humidity would have created ideal conditions for biological agents of deterioration, particularly mould and insects, to cause damage to photographic materials over time. While evidence of these factors is visible throughout the collection, much of the image content has remained intact.
August Hettig Collection blessing conservation lab tour with Caroline Garratt. 2026.
The tropical climate also accelerated the chemical deterioration of the early plastic film supports commonly used during the first half of the 20th century. According to Frederick Hettig, only a third of his father's photographic negatives are believed to have survived. Although the deterioration of early film plastics is unavoidable, it can be greatly slowed through storage in cold and dry conditions.
Once cleaned and digitised, the negatives are stored in Auckland Libraries' specialised 5-degree Celsius photographic store, where controlled conditions will help preserve them for future generations.
August Hettig Collection blessing. 2026.
Community and cultural knowledge
August Hettig documented Tonga at a time when very few photographic records were being created locally. His work provides a unique window into Tongan society across generations. These photographs are important cultural records that preserve the social life of Tonga throughout the 20th century.
Princess Te Puea in Tonga, 1947. August Hettig. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1951-027-035.
One of the collection's strengths is its breadth. It not only captures the Royal Family and formal occasions, but also families and children, material culture, workers, church communities, sporting events, ceremonies, village environments and landscapes. This range presents a much fuller picture of Tonga than is often found in historical records.
The photographs offer valuable insights into how people lived and the rhythms of daily life. Together, they document both the continuity of cultural practices and the social changes Tonga has experienced over time.
Wedding of Princess Sālote, 1917. August Hettig. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1951-00001.
1st Tonga Scouts, Manamo'ui. August Hettig. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1951-060-030.
For many Pasifika communities, photographs serve as important connections between generations. They provide opportunities to recognise family members, villages, events, and cultural practices that may otherwise exist only in oral histories and family memories. In doing so, the collection supports intergenerational knowledge-sharing.
The August Hettig Collection has also fostered meaningful partnerships between Auckland Council Libraries, Pasifika Specialists and the wider Tongan community. Through the contributions of community members, cultural experts and council staff, new information continues to be added to individual records, enriching the collection and improving the accuracy of descriptions.
Each identification, family connection, story and cultural insight contributes to a deeper understanding of the collection. In this way, the collection remains an active and meaningful resource for present and future generations.
Royal Wedding, Tonga, 1947. August Hettig. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1951-027-074.
Podcast episode
To learn more, listen to the podcast Awekura with Sue Berman in conversation with curators Pamata Toelafoa, Keith Giles and photographs specialist Caroline Garratt.
Explore the collection online
References:
Düring, Kurt. Pathways to the Tongan Present = ’Uuni Hala Ki Tonga He Kuonga Ni. Government Printing Department, 1990.
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