On June 4th, 1862, George Tupou I, the first Christian king of Tonga, issued a decree abolishing serfdom. This historic proclamation signified a pivotal moment as it granted commoners release from the virtual bondage of local chiefs. For centuries, serfdom had been employed by chiefs as a method of coerced labour. The official emancipation edict explicitly announced, “All chiefs and people are unequivocally freed from serfdom and vassalage by virtue of this law. Henceforth, it is prohibited for any chief or individual to forcibly seize, demand, or solicit, in accordance with Tongan tradition, goods or services from anyone.”