Since the 1960s Tongans have developed extensive transnational ties between the homeland and the overseas populations, including remittances that for many years have bolstered Tonga's economy. This paper examines how these ties have been transformed over time, and focuses on the question of whether the children of Tongan migrants are likely to sustain such ties in the future. Drawing on data collected from ‘second generation’ Tongans in Australia, the paper explores their attitudes towards transnational practices and the extent to which they maintain connections with their parents' homeland. I argue that although Tonga's need for support from the diaspora is growing, migrants' children are unlikely to sustain the current level of remittances. Without an ongoing flow of new migrants, transnational ties are likely to weaken and levels of remittances will suffer a significant decline, with potentially devastating consequences for Tonga.
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