Thousands of dollars worth of two and twenty paʻanga banknotes which were thrown from a plane during the 150 anniversary celebration of Tupou College was made to remember the college’s ex-students who worked in the aviation industry.
The Master of Ceremonies announced the event was organised to mark the first Tongan to become a pilot in New Zealand, Late Baron Vaea and another ex-student, Kelepi Tu’ipulotu who worked as a pilot in the United States and is currently employed by the Real Tonga Airline.
They are both ex-students of Tupou College.
Vaea, a former Prime Minister of Tonga, was also believed to be the first Pacific Islander to enlist with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, operating No 6 Squadron Catalina planes in the Pacific during the Second World War.
Tuʻipulotu went to Tupou College from 1981 to 1987.
The Tongan paʻanga notes were carried by the winds and scattered through the college’s compound for several minutes and some had ended up at the surrounding bushes and cattle farms.
The organisers of the event were Tupou College ex-students in the United States.
Representatives of the Tupou College alumni in New Zealand said many abandoned the marquees and tents they were in in order to get their hands on the notes blowing down the school.
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