The real Lord of the Flies: A story of survival and solidarity

Key topics:

• Real-life castaways thrived through teamwork and mutual care

• Tongan boys built a peaceful, organised society on a deserted island

• Their survival challenges the bleak view of human nature in "Lord of the Flies"

Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.

Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.

If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.

By Alex Thompson

There is no darker cautionary tale than William Golding’s 1954 novel Lord of the Flies. A group of boys stranded on a deserted island descend into savagery and chaos. Civilisation is a thin veneer, and once removed, all that remains is humanity’s inherent brutality. Golding’s narrative, drawing from his pessimistic view of human nature, posits that civilization is a thin and fragile construct, easily torn apart when survival is at stake. Without the constraints of society, the boys revert to primitive instincts and cruelty. It is a powerful book and a narrative that remains popular. And while dark, deep and depressing remains an oddly popular way to see the world, the truth about human nature may not be nearly as brutal as Golding imagined. Because in 1965, a real-life story took place that mirrored the premise of Golding’s dark tale – but it turned out very differently.

In June 1965, six teenage boys from Tonga embarked on what they thought would be an adventurous escape from their strict boarding school. However, their impromptu journey turned into a harrowing real-life survival story that would see them stranded on a deserted island for 15 months. This story, often referred to as the tale of the Tongan castaways, remains one of the most extraordinary examples of human resilience, teamwork, and resourcefulness.

The boys—Sione, Stephen, Kolo, David, Luke, and Mano—were aged between 13 and 16 when they decided to “borrow” a small fishing boat to sail from Tonga to Fiji, a distance of more than 500 miles. They had no navigational tools, very little food, and no practical survival experience. It wasn’t long before their reckless adventure turned into a life-threatening ordeal. Just a few days after they set off, a violent storm hit the Pacific, tearing the sails from their boat and disabling the rudder. For eight days, they drifted aimlessly, surviving on small amounts of rainwater and what little food they had brought with them. By sheer luck, they eventually spotted land. The island they had reached was ‘Ata, a volcanic outcrop more than 100 miles away from their home in Tonga. Once inhabited, ‘Ata had been abandoned for over a century, and now the boys were its only residents.

The island of ‘Ata was a rocky, inhospitable place with little natural food sources. Unlike a tropical paradise, it was barren, with steep cliffs and no immediate access to fresh water. The first days on the island were the most difficult, as the boys had no clear plan or knowledge of how to survive. However, their instinct for survival and their bond of friendship quickly became their greatest assets.

The boys discovered an ancient cave where they initially took shelter. Realizing they would need more permanent shelter, they began working together to build huts using driftwood, banana leaves, and palm fronds. They even managed to create a makeshift gym and sports field to maintain their physical health, a testament to their ingenuity and optimism.

Each of the six boys had a specific role. They worked on a roster system, taking turns to cook, guard the fire (which they had managed to create by friction and kept burning for over a year), and tend to the small garden they had planted with seeds they found on the island. They foraged for food, hunted birds, and caught fish in the nearby waters.

While the island offered few resources, they were incredibly resourceful in what they found. They made knives from old pieces of metal, built containers to store fresh rainwater, and used banana leaves to collect water during storms. Eventually, they discovered the ruins of an old village, which provided them with some useful materials, including abandoned tools and remnants of gardens planted by the island’s former inhabitants.

Incredibly, the boys also established a system for resolving conflicts. Whenever tempers flared, they would take timeouts, allowing emotions to cool before continuing with their work. This system of self-governance helped them avoid the descent into chaos that often plagues survival situations.

Despite the physical challenges of island life, the boys managed to stay healthy throughout their time on ‘Ata. This was not only due to their resourcefulness in securing food and water, but also because of their strong commitment to maintaining physical and mental well-being. They created a daily routine that included exercise, building shelters, and maintaining a positive outlook despite their dire circumstances.

Kolo, one of the boys, even fashioned a makeshift guitar from driftwood and coconut shells, which became a source of entertainment and comfort. Music, along with storytelling and prayer, became an essential part of their routine. This creative expression helped maintain morale during the long months of isolation.

The boys’ survival on ‘Ata is not just a story of physical endurance but also of remarkable mental resilience. Without any outside contact, and with no idea of when—or if—they would be rescued, they remained hopeful and proactive.

As time passed, the boys fell into a rhythm, fully adapting to their harsh environment. They had created a functioning society that allowed them to survive with relative stability. However, they never stopped hoping for rescue, and they regularly scanned the horizon for passing ships.

In September 1966, after 15 months of isolation, their prayers were finally answered. Peter Warner, an Australian sea captain, was sailing near ‘Ata when he noticed unusual activity on the island. Curious, he anchored his boat and went ashore, where he was met by the boys, who were overjoyed to see another human being after more than a year. The boys told Warner their incredible story, and he immediately offered to bring them back to Tonga.

Warner was astonished by their physical condition and the order they had maintained. He later said, “These boys didn’t just survive, they thrived.”

The story of the Tongan castaways offers a powerful contrast to the grim depiction of human nature in Lord of the Flies. Rather than descending into violence and chaos, the boys survived by working together, sharing responsibilities, and maintaining hope. Their story is a testament to the strength of community, the power of cooperation, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Their tale teaches us that, in times of crisis, human beings are not doomed to selfishness or savagery. Instead, we have an innate capacity for compassion, cooperation, and problem-solving. While the island presented them with immense challenges, the boys’ collective strength and resourcefulness allowed them not just to endure but to build a functioning mini-society. Their experience underscores the importance of friendship, shared purpose, and cultural values in overcoming adversity.

Ultimately, the Tongan castaways’ story is a hopeful reminder that humanity is capable of great things, even in the most extreme circumstances. Their survival, built on cooperation and mutual care, challenges the notion that civilization is merely a thin veneer over our base instincts. Instead, it shows that, given the right conditions and mindset, humans are capable of creating harmony and order even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.