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“We are still very much with you,” Deputy PM tells ‘Ikale Tahi after loss to Georgia

By
Kalino Latu
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The ‘Ikale Tahi’s upset loss to Georgia in their opening game during the Rugby World Cup 2015 in Gloucester last week hurt many Tongan die hard supporters, including the Deputy Prime Minister.

But deputy leader Siaosi Sovaleni said his support for the team would only grow.

“Although the ‘Ikale Tahis were defeated, causing disappointment, that would not deter any further supports for them [translated]. All the best boys for the next couple of games…we are still very much with you. More so now!” Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni wrote on Facebook.

Georgia beat Tonga by 17-10 points, a result that put it in one of the five “Biggest Climbers” teams after the first week of the tournament. On the other hand Tonga dropped and became part of the five “Biggest Fallers” of the Rugby World Cup along with Russia, Scotland, USA and Italy.

The defeat has divided Tongan supporters, with many accusing head coach Mana ‘Otai of  failing to adjust the game plan in the second half after it was clear Georgia had gained control of the game by making good use of its heavier forward players.

The loss has dented Tonga’s chances of gaining at least a third place in pool C and a guarantee of qualification for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

‘Otai has admitted his team made “technical errors” leading to their unexpected loss.

The “fight isn’t over yet”, he told British media.

The Ikale Tahi’s failure to compete at scrums and lineouts was central to their defeat by Georgia, Reuters news agency quoted ʻOtai as saying.

Tonga is scheduled to play Namibia next Tuesday, September 29, with two more games scheduled against Argentina on October 4 and the mighty All Blacks on October 9.

Yesterday the Tongan Legislative Assembly released an emotional statement calling on the nation to continue their supports for the ‘Ikale Tahi.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Fe’ao Vakata, who is also in charge of Sports and Athletics, was quoted in the statement as saying that although Tonga had been defeated, the team still had a chance of competing in the World Cup match series.

“Our constituencies and Government ministries need to support our rugby players,” Hon. Vakatā said.

“Continue wearing red and attend the float parade in support of our team.”

The parliamentary statement was made to revive the level of support seen in the kingdom before the Rugby World Cup 2015 kicked off.

According to the statement the Noble MPs offered their encouragement, with Lord Tuʻilakepa saying Tonga should continue to give support to the ʻIkale Tahis for the sacrifices they had made to represent Tonga.

“The players left their family and loved ones to commit their time to go and represent Tonga in the World Cup,” Lord Tu’ilakepa said.

Tuʻilakepa said he believed that it would make a big difference if the team’s Tongan fans revived and increased their support before Tuesday’s battle with Namibia.

“That’s not the end of the game series … we all pray for Tonga to win, but in sports there is always a winner and a loser. So I ask MPs to support our ‘Ikale Tahi team,” Lord Tu’ilakepa said.

The Speaker of Parliament, Lord Tu’ivakano, told the House the Ikale Tahis were representing the country and that was a heavy burden to carry with them during the Rugby World Cup.

“We hope and pray the ‘Ikale Tahi will continue to be brave and strong in their endeavour,” Lord Tu’ivakano said.

The main points

  • Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni said this week the ‘Ikale Tahi’s upset loss to Georgia would only make his support for the team grow.
  • Georgia beat Tonga by 17-10 points. Tonga joined Russia, Scotland, USA and Italy as one of the biggest losers in the Rugby World Cup so far.
  • Yesterday the Tongan Legislative Assembly released an emotional statement calling on the nation to continue their supports for the ‘Ikale Tahi.
  • Lord Tu’ilakepa said it would make a big difference if the team’s Tongan fans increased their support before Tuesday’s battle with Argentina.

Lotofale’ia youth learn to love their neighbours on Auckland’s streets   

By
Tevita Katoa
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Young people from the Lotofale’ia Methodist church in Mangere were out in force in Queen Street last Friday evening, making a real demonstration of loving their neighbour.

They were responding to a call from church leader Teisina Falala to share their love with the homeless in a simple way.

Falala said he had been searching for a long time for a way for the youth to share their love.

About 20 of the church youth had prepared sandwiches and gifts to give to homeless people living in the centre of Auckland.

According to the young people the response from those they fed was: “Thank you so much and God bless.”

Apart from fulfilling the command to love one another, the purpose of the evening was to help the young people value what they had, like clothes, foods, shelter and parents.

Tonga has core cultural values known as the four golden pillars (Faaʻi Kavei Koula)  of the Tongan culture. They are:  Faka’apa’apa (respect), Tauhi-vaha’a (maintaining good relationship), Mamahi’i-me’a (devotion), and Lototō (willing to accept something especially when someone is asked to do or take).

These values connect the six pillars that hold the well-being of individuals; the life of the Mind, Body, Soul, Economy, History/Traditional and Environment.

Tevita ‘Ahoafi said his personal experiences of living a humble life had led him appreciate everything he possessed. He said people should not forget that the house they were living in was a palace to the homeless and any food they had was a beautiful fast to the hungry.

“We are all part of a whole and we are all branches of one tree and waves of one ocean,” he said.

Giving food and gifts to the homeless was a way of reminding the young people of the commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” Teisina said.

They also learned that loving their neighbour meant not just the people living next door, but every member of the greater family of the human race.

Youth leaders

The church recently elected Loketi and Paea Hausia as Guardians of its  youth, and Tupou Pine and Maliumoeao Tufui as their assistants.

Teisina Falala has been appointed leader of the boys and his assistant is Siupeli ‘Ahoafi. Siueli Lafo’ou ‘is the leader for girls and her assistant is Temaleti Hausia.

According to Tevita ‘Ahoafi, the church has divided this year into sections and committees have been elected to implement their activities on Friday nights.

The main points

  • Young people from the Loto Fale’ia Methodist Church in Mangere were out in force in Queen Street last Friday evening, making a real demonstration of loving their neighbour.
  • About 20 of the church youth had prepared sandwiches and gifts to give to homeless people living in the centre of Auckland.
  • Apart from fulfilling the command to love one another, the purpose of the evening was to help the young people value what they had, like clothes, foods, shelter and parents.
  • They also learned that loving their neighbour meant not just the people living next door, but every member of the greater family of the human race.

Born to Dance movie star Sione Tui swaps pālangi suit for Tongan vala at premiere

By
Kalino Latu
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Before attending the premiere of Born to Dance at the Manukau Event Cinemas this evening Tongan film star Sione Tui struggled to accept his mother’s plea to put away the new suit he had just bought for the occasion and wear his Tongan vala.

His father Viliami Tui told Kaniva News outside the Event Centre that it took time before Sione decided to wear Tongan formal attire, which consist of a tupenu, ta’ovala, kote and hekesi.

Viliami was emotional and tried to compose himself while looking at the other men at the function wearing suits and palangi clothes.

Sione, a 40-year old Tongan-Auckland born actor, is starring in Born to Dance with Stan Walker, Tia Maipi, Paris Goebel and American actress Kherington Payne.

Sione Tui BD
Sione Tui (right) in Born to Dance. Photo/Youtube

The movie is directed by Tammy Davis and is the New Zealand’s first hip hop dance movie. The film is packed with dancing from three-time world hip-hop dance champion Paris Goebels and her dance crew, the Royal Family.

It will be released publicly tomorrow, September 24.

Sione said the movie had a great story about family, poverty, loyalty and the importance of chasing your dreams.

“This movie reflects on all of our youth who are raised in other countries, especially New Zealand, Australia and even the States,” he said.

“It’s our story of struggle to pursue what we love going against all odds.

“Our youth have a lot of negative influences out there pulling them towards gangs, drugs, suicide and teen pregnancy.”

Stan W
Australian Idol winner Stan Walker and American dancer Kherington Payne also star in the film. Photo/Youtube

The inspiring film shows the power of youth when trying to be positive and the power of passion. The heart of it is youth and relationships through.

The film industry

Sione has been in the film industry for about 15 years and he said there were not many Tongans in the field.

He said he had a passion for filming when he was growing up.

“I always wanted to be an actor and performer,” he said.

“A lot of Tongan parents push their children to do jobs that have security such as a doctor, lawyer, and business and so forth, which is good, but there’s a lot of pressure that comes with it if it’s not their passion.

“Being a father of four I try to nurture any talent in my children and support them to succeed.”

Sione said working in the film industry was not easy.

Dance Sione
Tui said he encouraged his kids to be passionate about something. Photo/Youtube

He said Polynesians and Tongans were cast in stereotypical roles that reflected how mainstream society saw them.

“We are more beautiful and exotic than how we get portrayed,” he said.

However, he said things were getting better and more Polynesians were being given lead roles and influential roles in film and TV.

“A lot of roles I’ve played are away from my culture. I’ve played Hawai’ian, African American, Latino and Maori roles to name a few.

“I see acting as a craft and an art form I went to drama school to better my understanding of it and to be taking seriously as an actor. I didn’t want to be seen as a person who looked like he walked off a rugby field and into an audition room.”

Tongan background

Sione was born in 1975 in Auckland and grew up in Manurewa in South Auckland. His father Viliami is from Ha’asini and Talafo’ou. His mother is Nenase Tui from Ma’ufanga and Hofoa.

Sione T
SIone Tui in Born to Dance. This is his fourth film role having already starred in Sione’s Wedding, The Hobbit, and the international blockbuster Battleship. Photo/Youtube

He is the oldest son of nine children. One of his sisters died in Tonga when Sione was five years.

“I never forget her and acknowledge she lived,” he said.

“I call myself a Kiwi of Tongan descent and heritage, but I identify 100 percent with Tonga as my tofi’a (heritage). I‘m proud and love my Tongan roots and pay homage to my beloved parents for trying to do better for us and working hard to raise us. Everything I do is to make my parents and all of my family proud.”

Sione said his Tongan background played a huge influence on his love for the craft.

He said he truly believed the performing arts were in the blood of Tongans because of their culture.

“It’s in our way of worship, our songs, and our tau’olunga (dance),” he said.

“We’re naturals the same way we are athletes. I just wish we supported our artists the same way we support our athletes because Tonga has a lot to contribute to the world. We have stories, beliefs and beauty that I would love the world to see.”

Dance Sione T
The story explores the tension created when a father from a military background pushes his son into joining the army, when the son would rather dance for a living. Photo/Youtube

He is determined that one day he will direct some stories from Tongan perspectives and not people from other cultures.

“We need more Tongan writers, producers, directors and more Tongan journalists and see them supported,” Sione said.

“It is so easy for people to sit at home and criticise. We are our own worst enemy. We put ourselves down and that doesn’t help us as a people. Some people born outside Tonga lose their connection to the mainland.

“I myself am the opposite. I feel the need to connect with it, to honour it and to honour my family because we are Tongan and we are proud no matter where we are in the world. I’ll do my best to not embarrass that, but honour it.”

Encouraging

Sione had a message for our youth: “If you want to get into it, the first attitude to have is to speak up and have a voice. This business and craft is not for the faint of heart, trust me. Your ego and insecurities will be tested and our humble nature taken advantage of. Every time I get approached by our youth about wanting to pursue acting I ask them: ‘Why?’ A lot of them responded  saying they wanted to be famous’.”

He said he advised these people that this was not a good idea because if that was their goal, they would get hurt.

Fame was the result of a lot of hard work. It was not guaranteed,  nor was it a form of wealth.

He said a lot of success came from a combination of talent, patience, consistency, self-development, sacrifice and timing.

“For every TV and movie role I got I had about 20 to 40 auditions where I came close and then was told no, or I was too big or the wrong culture or whatever,” he said.

“I had to pick myself up and go try again with my own self-belief.

“In saying all of that my self-belief and pride in who I am and what I represent drives me to go forward.

“My family, friends and being that Tongan actor out there when there aren’t many drives me and I’m proud to give it a shot.

“A lot of Hollywood personalities from the likes of Liam Neeson, Rihanna, Taylor Kitch, Peter Burg, Peter Jackson just to name a few can say they’ve worked with a Tongan actor on their movies and not mean security or catering,” he laughed.

The main points

  • Tongan film star Sione Tui lined up for the premiere of Born to Dance at the Manukau Event Centre this evening, but first he had to agree to his mother’s request for him to wear his Tongan vala rather than a palangi suit.
  • Tui, who honours his Tongan culture, is starring in Born to Dance with Stan Walker, Tia Maipi, Paris Goebel and American actress Kherington Payne.
  • The movie is directed by Tammy Davis and is the New Zealand’s first hip hop dance movie.
  • It opens publicly tomorrow, September 24.

For more information

Born to Dance (IMDB)

The rise and rise of Paris Goebel

Teenager stabbed following altercation in Lapaha

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tongan Police have confirmed an 18-year-old male teenager was released from hospital Sunday after being stabbed following an altercation in Lapaha last Saturday.

Police have arrested another 18-year-old male teenager from Lapaha and charged him in relation to the stabbing.

Police did not release further details.

The accused remains in Police custody.

Tongan government blasted over frozen chicken sale ban

By
Kaniva Staff
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The Tongan government is facing a social media criticism after announcing it has temporarily banned retailing of imported frozen chicken in the kingdom.

The government has been criticized for its lack of committment with many said there should have been better options  to make sure the low-income earners, the majority of the people,  were not affected by its decision.

Critics also questioned how did the expired products bypassed customs and quarantine control services allowing their importers to bring them inland.

In a press statement from the Ministry of Agriculture (MAFF) on September 21 obtained by Kaniva News it says there has been proof expired imported frozen poultry products had been sold locally.

The statement, written in Tongan, also says the authority has decided  to ban any further  retailing of imported frozen chicken effective September 21 until further announcement.

It said the government has done this to protect the people of the nation from any harms the expired products may have caused.

It was understood operators of  imported frozen poultry products are now only allowed to wholesale the product to the public with the chicken’s labels and boxes to make sure buyers could tell their expiry dates.

While some on social media acknowledged the government efforts to make sure the public were safe many blasted the decision as “unwise”.

Tongan business woman Yvette Guttenbeil Paea asked on Facebook: “Is this the only best way possible? I think not”.

She alleged the government made the decision after one of the chicken business operators in Tonga had imported expired frozen chicken boxes from US exporters. She claimed the business then removed the boxes and repacked the chicken into smaller plastic packs and sold them to the public.

She also claimed a Tongan staff who was working in the business later reported the incident to authority.

Affects

Some commentators on Facebook criticised the government action saying the majority of the public who cannot afford to buy boxes of chicken on wholesale prices were being penalised.

The normal wholesale prices for 15 KGs boxes of chicken were about TP$40.

Critics said the government did not do enough  to investigate all business operators who sold imported frozen chickens and deal directly with those who breached the laws.

Many said other food warehouses imported their chicken from New Zealand and Australia and they were still fresh and good for consumption but now they are being affected by the ban as people could not buy them on retail prices.  

Pedestrian killed after being hit by vehicle in Tufumāhina

By
Kaniva Staff
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A 58-year-old pedestrian from Pea has died after being hit by a car in Tufumāhina on Tuesday 15, the sixth such incident in the Tongatapu region in 2015.

Police have charged a 48-year-old man from Tofoa for committing an offence of causing death by careless driving when under the influence of alcohol.

According to local media Police alleged the accused ran into another car in front of him on Taufaʻahau Rd.

His car then veered off the road to the right side before it allegedly hit the victim who was walking down the roadside  opposite the accused’s car.

The victim was rushed to hospital in which he was pronounced dead.

Charged: drugs found hidden in food

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tongan Police have charged a 33-year-old man from Kolofoʻou after illicit drugs were found to be hidden in food intended to be given to his brother in a cell at Nukuʻalofa Police Station.

Samuela Hafoka was at the Police Station while Police were conducting normal search on the food but disappeared once he noticed the drugs had been discovered.

He was later arrested and charged with possession of cannabis and an illicit drug.

The food was intended to be given to his brother Tevita Hafoka who was in jail awaiting further court hearings after he was charged with the murder of a 24-year-old soldier in  July this year in the Central Business District.

Double tragedy for Tongan family in Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
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The family were able to find replacement housing. Photo/Daniel Hines

A Tongan family in Auckland is coming to term with the loss of house and the death of their father in one day apart.

A fire has destroyed the Maile’s Mt Roskill home on Tuesday one day before their father Tavalea Maile had lost his battle with cancer on Wednesday.

Fire investigators say the cause of the fire is still undetermined but is not suspicious.

The family are being supported by the school of their children, community and church.

Tavalea had been admitted to hospital hours before their house was caught on fire.

Members of the Tonga College alumni have paid tributes on Facebook to Tavalea.

Most of the tributes have revealed Tavalea was a very talented rugby player when he was at the college.

He was also described as an easy going and generous man.

The family have shared a message with their supporters through ‘Koha Shed – West Auckland’ page on Facebook. this morning.

“Our family has been re-housed after the fire that destroyed everything. Yesterday was the start of dealing with the overwhelming emotions of losing important papers, photos, precious memories and most importantly the sudden loss of Dad/Husband”.

 

ʻĪkale Tahi ready for clash

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Tonga’s head coach Manakaetau ‘Ōtai has officially announced the team to clash with Georgia tomorrow Saturday 19 September in Gloucester.

Tonga have made six changes to the starting XV from their last warm-up game with Romania during their World Cup preparations.

Telusa Veainu has been named on the wing and Vunga Lilo will play at full-back at Kingsholm.

Viliami Ma’afu will start at No 8, Sione Kalamafoni moves to blindside flanker and Steve Mafi switches into the second row following the 21-16 victory over Romania in Bucharest on September 5.

Winger Fetu’u Vainikolo, who has moved to Oyonnax after a spell with Exeter, needs one try to become Tonga’s leading Test try-scorer with 15.

Elvis Taione, Tevita Mailau, Sitiveni Mafi, Sonatane Takulua and Telusa Veaninu will make their World Cup debuts when the mtach with Georgia will be kicked off at noon UK time, which will be midnight Saturday Tongan time.

The ‘Ikale Tahi team:

  1. Tevita Mailau
  2. Elvis Taione
  3. Halani Aulika
  4. Steve Mafi
  5. Tukulua Lokotui
  6. Sione Kalamafoni
  7. Nili Latu (Captain)
  8. Viliami Ma’afu (Vice Captain)
  9. Sonatane Takulua
  10. Kurt Morath
  11. Fetu’u Vainikolo
  12. Siale Piutau (Vice Captain)
  13. William Helu
  14. Telusa Veainu
  15. Vungakoto Lilo
  16. Paula Ngauamo
  17. Sona Taumalolo
  18. Sila Puafisi
  19. Hale T. Pole
  20. Jack Ram
  21. Samisoni Fisilau
  22. Latiume Fosita
  23. Sione Piukala.

Tsunami alert cancelled for Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
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Tonga lifted its tsunami warning this morning Friday 18 at 2.45am hours after the 8.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile had led to fears of massive swells.

Tonga Met Services said: “Due to the tsunami wave being less than 1 foot it is expected that this tsunami no longer poses a threat to Tonga. Therefore the Tsunami Marine Warning previously in force for Tonga is now cancelled.

“Ocean currents however around Marine Coastal Areas may still be strong and erratic and special caution should be exercised”.

The Pacific Warning Centre in Hawaii said the tsunami alert has now largely passed and its impact was “minor” as it fluctuated up to 0.3 metres and below normal tides.

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