Scroll down to watch the video
The rain came down and the ground turned into mud, but revellers at St Peter Chanel College last week thought it just added to the fun of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Men and women marched into the mud and danced holding hands.
Soon somebody fell over and decided that sitting and lying in the mud in their formal attire was just the thing.
And then the small boy in every college alumni took over and people began sliding and rolling and wrestling in the mud.
The college’s celebrations in the Neiafu mud were captured on video and show the joyful, if very muddy, conclusion to four days of celebration.
The event attracted alumni and family members from Tonga and overseas.
They were attended by the head of the Catholic church in Tonga, Cardinal Mafi and the Minister of Health, Hon. Saia Piukala, who is an ex-student of the college.
The alumni raised TP$$540,000 during the celebrations.
St Peter Chanel college is also widely known as Kelana college.
Head boy death
However, the celebrations were marred by news of the death of the college’s head boy, Kelekolio Fahiua.
Police described his death as “unexpected”.
The Tongan Broadcasting Commission said Fahiua died on Saturday morning after joining the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Police Superintendent Netane Falakiseni said a post mortem on Kelekolio Fahiuaʻs body had been completed and his body released to the family.
He said Fahiua was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
They said a Tongan soldier in His Majesty’s Armed Forces in Fungamisi was trying to break up a fight among the village’s youth when Fahiua appeared with friends.
The soldier confronted him and knocked him down.
Falakiseni said Fahiua was not involved in the fight or have anything to do with it.
The TBC reported that the soldier, who has since been charged with manslaughter, rushed Fahiua to hospital.
The schoolboy was declared dead two hours later.
The main points
- St Peter Chanel College’s 50th anniversary celebrations ended in a joyful romp through the mud.
- As the rain came down, men and women marched into the mud and danced holding hands.
- The event attracted alumni and family members from Tonga and overseas.
- The alumni TP$$540,000 during the celebrations.
For more information
