Arts & Culture

PACIFIC HEARTBEAT: Tonga: The Last Place On Earth

Published May 13, 2013 at 11:07 AM PDT

The scene outside a prison gate, Tonga. "Tonga: Last Place On Earth" examines the deportation of convicted criminals of Tongan descent from the U.S. to the tiny island nation of Tonga for "rehabilitation."

Airs Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV

A rural home, Tonga. "Tonga: Last Place On Earth" examines the deportation of convicted criminals of Tongan descent from the U.S. to the tiny island nation of Tonga for "rehabilitation."

Sione Kaloamatangi, resident of Tonga. "Tonga: Last Place on Earth" examines the deportation of convicted criminals of Tongan descent from the U.S. to the tiny island nation of Tonga for "rehabilitation."

PACIFIC HEARTBEAT is a new anthology series that provides viewers a glimpse of the real Pacific—its people, cultures, languages, music, and contemporary issues. From revealing exposés to rousing musical performances, the series features a diverse array of programs that will draw viewers into the heart and soul of Pacific Island culture.

"Tonga: The Last Place On Earth" - Tonga, an archipelago of 169 islands in the South Pacific, cut off from modernity as it is physically from the Western world.

Each month, however, the United States deports ethnic Tongans convicted of murder, gang violence and other serious crimes to this peaceful island kingdom.

Become a KPBS sponsor

Forced to leave behind spouses, children, and family in the U.S., the convicts arrive to an unfamiliar homeland and met by a community wary of their presence.

The film explores whether Tonga can absorb this influx of hardened criminals and whether these men and women can adapt and survive in exile or revert to their violent ways.