Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Newsletter
Support Kaniva
Home Blog Page 824

Valerie Adams honoured as Lord Vaea’s new herald

By
Kalino Latu
-

The New Zealand-Tongan shotput golden girl Valerie Adams has been formally appointed as Lord Vaea’s herald with the name Tongitupe-ʻO e-Funga Taua.

The appointment is the highest honour given to commoners in Tongan culture.

Adams will be greeted with her heraldic title whenever she attends any formal occasion in the Tongan community.

She was appointed to the title in Tonga on January 2 while attending a double celebrations in her mother’s village, Houma. Houma is Lord Vaea’s estate.

Tongan women are rarely given heraldic names because the position is mainly associated with male activities like the kava ceremony at which heralds may be required to spend a lot of time drinking kava.

They may also be required to stay at places where the occasions take place to receive visitors.

Women usually can perform minor roles of heralds such as formally presenting gifts on special occasions but they never formally appointed heraldic names.  At this stage they can only use the names of appointed heralds in their villages or clans.

Although her new title means Adams now has obligations to fulfil if she is at functions where Lord Vaea is present, her appointment was apparently made to express Lord Vaea’s appreciation for her great sporting achievements.

Lord Vaea is chairman of the Tonga Traditions Committee and brother-in-law and second cousin of King Tupou VI. He has served as a Master of the Royal Household and as palace archivist.

The roles

When a person is given a heraldic title, their duties include sitting down in front of the chief when he is giving an audience. The herald’s chief duty is to speak to the people attending the audience on behalf of the chief.

On occasions like funerals or weddings, heralds must stay in a separate small building (palepale) with men who drink kava. The herald’s job is to formally receive visitors, thank them on behalf of the family and tell them about the programme and what they are expected to do.

Adams’ appointment involved being presented to the chief in a kava ceremony at which she drank a coconut shell cup of kava. From now on she will be referred to at formal occasions within the Tongan communities as Tongitupe-ʻO e-Funga Taua and not Valerie Adams.

If Adams attends formal Tongan occasions in New Zealand or abroad the heralds or organisers of the events will honour her by calling out her name and say: “Tapu mo Tongitupe – ‘O e – Funga – Taua,” which means “Saying Adams is a taboo and I ask to be excused from speaking while she is here with us in case I say things that might not please her.”

Adams tweeted to say she had completed her first kava ceremony in Houma with Lord Vaea: “An amazing honour. Got a new name: Tongi Tupe oe Fungataua”.

Adams was crowned World Champion in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013. She was the World Indoor Champion in 2008, 2012 and again in 2014. She also has 13 National titles to date.

Tongitupe – ‘O e – Funga-Taua

Adams’ title is a combination of two poetical terms. Tongi Tupe comes from lafo, a game mostly played by chiefs and their heralds or for the chiefs to watch. The words refer to a situation when a thrower throws their tupe (a disc made from coconut shell) against the opponent’s disc, moving it further within the lafo mat and giving the thrower extra points. Poetically this can only be referred to a person with huge achievement.

Funga Taua refers to the top of the tower, a poetical reference that sometimes refers to something incomprehensible or higher than the king or queen.

The late Queen Salote composed a lullaby for her eldest grandchild, the Late King George V, when he was born in 1948. The first and second line said: “Ke fakatulou mo e taua, Kau feia ‘a e fakana’ana’a.”

This was translated by Dr Melenaite Taumoefolau as “My deference be to the Tower, While I compose this song.”

The reference in the first line to the Taua can be interpreted as meaning the Queen lowered herself even though she held the highest social and political position in Tonga, and sent her respect to the tower so she can compose the song. Poetically she may have used taua as a metaphor which stands for how she felt about the song as something that was composed for something of great importance – her first grandson, who became king of Tonga.

The  main points

  • The New Zealand-Tongan shotput golden girl Valerie Adams has been formally appointed as Lord Vaea’s herald, with the name Tongitupe-ʻO e-Funga Taua.
  • The appointment is the highest honour given to commoners in Tongan culture.
  • Adams will be greeted with her heraldic title whenever she attends any formal occasion in the Tongan community.
  • Lord Vaea is chairman of the Tonga Traditions Committee and brother-in-law of King Tupou VI. He has served as a Master of the Royal Household and as palace archivist.

Tongan-Australia's heaviest man vows to lose weight

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Ulu Tuʻipulotu, 26, who is of Tongan descent and weighs 337kg, is said to be Australia’s heaviest man.

In a desperate bid to save his life Mr Tuʻipulotu has vowed to slim down by losing 15 kilos over a period of one month.

He suffered with weight problems and his doctors have warned that he will die if he cannot lose weight, according to the Daily Mail.

Tuʻipulotu has attempted diets, such as Lite ‘N’ Easy packaged food plans. He’s tried Optifast, a milkshake weight loss plan, as well as going to the gym but nothing has worked so far, the paper says

He is living with his Tongan family in Quaker’s Hill and he has gone public with his weight loss struggle after signing up to a two-year sponsored psychological and physiological program ran by a Sydney hypnotherapist.

PM Pōhiva’s family and friends in Auckland celebrate his election as kingdom’s Prime Minister

By
Kalino Latu
-

Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s family and supporters in Auckland gathered in Mangere last Saturday for an emotional and joyous celebration of his election.

Speeches and talk on the day were a mixture of good memories, thankfulness and honour for a man who grew up in poverty and rose to the top job in the country.

The family members remembered how they struggled to pay for the Prime Minister’s study at Tupou College in the 1960s.

They recalled how they reacted to his lawsuit that led to the late King Taufaʻāhau Tupou IV summoning Parliament in 1991 to amend Tonga’s constitution to legalise the sale of Tongan passports.

One of Pōhiva’s nieces remembered how her father, a first cousin of ‘Akilisi, contributed to the future premier’s high school fees from income from his village shop.

She recalled that at the time, goods from retail shops in Tonga were usually exchanged for copra coconuts.  The shop owner would then turn the coconut into copra which he would sell them to the Tonga Copra Board in exchange for cash.

Dr Fotu Fisiʻiahi, a lecturer at Unitec’s Mt Albert campus, congratulated the family for organising such a wonderful occasion to celebrate ‘Akilisi’s premiership.

Family and supporters of Mr. ʻPōhiva in Auckland celebrating his victory. Front row L-R in the middle were Samuela Pōhiva and Ula.
Family and supporters of Mr. ʻPōhiva in Auckland celebrating his victory. Front row L-R in the middle were Samuela Pōhiva and Ula.

Dr Fisi’iahi said he believed this was the best government Tonga had ever had. Apart from the support for Pōhiva’s political beliefs over many years, the cabinet ministers were highly educated and had a lot of experience in government matters.

The Prime Minister’s nephew Samuela remembered when Pōhiva was sacked from public service in 1985 and his visit to Auckland in 1986.

Speaking to Kaniva News, Samuela recalled how he was shocked when ‘Akilisi told him he was coming to New Zealand to meet his lawyer because he wanted to sue the king and the government of Tonga in matters related to the selling of Tongan passports.

“I was really panicked and repeatedly asked ‘Akilisi whether he was serious about it or not,” Samuela said.

Samuela, who shares the Prime Minister’s first name, said he quickly contacted his cousins in Auckland and told them about ‘Akilisi’s plan.

There were mixed reactions to the news.

“One of my cousins turned up and jokingly told ‘Akilisi to be careful otherwise the family would all be arrested and imprisoned for what he was doing,” Samuela said.

But the future Prime Minister told them there was nothing to fear as the lawsuit was done according to Tonga’s laws and constitution and it was for the benefit of the people of Tonga.

“We are the Lotava family and we should all shout for joy and be jubilant that one of us has been elected to become Tonga’s Prime Minister,” Samuela told the gathering.

Lōtava was one of ‘Akilisi’s great grandparent.  The family holds a family reunion in Auckland once a year.

Samuela recalled how ‘Akilisi struggled financially when he was sacked from the public service because of his political views. He said he and some family in Auckland collected money and sent it to ‘Akilisi’s wife Neo while he stayed with them in Auckland after his dismissal.

‘Akilisi had a strong connection with his family and supporters in New Zealand and he has regularly visited Auckland since the 1980s.

His long-time legal counsel Dr Rodney Harrison is in Auckland. His Keleʻa newspaper is registered as a company in New Zealand and is printed in Auckland.

Pohiva’s niece told the gathering that when Pōhiva arrived in Auckland to meet his lawyer about the passport case he asked for help dropping off a bag containing documents to his lawyer.

“I was in fear when I found out that what we had in the bag were documents to help in a trial that involved the king and the government, but today I stand in front of you trying to hold back my tears as ‘Akilisi stood for the people’s rights,” she said, while wiping her tears.

The family’s fear when they heard about Pōhiva’s  plan to sue the king and the government in 1980s was one of the main reasons he became popular with the majority of Tongans.

His action was rare because Tongan culture demanded that commoners must not challenge the king publicly because his body was taboo. Those who did so would receive from the king’s supporters strong words like fieme’a (snobbish) and ngututamulea (a poetical word meant to describe someone who speaks against the king as a dumb person).

Samuela’s eldest daughter Sita said in her speech that the family should continue to support Pohiva in whatever way fits the situation.

She said they had helped the Prime Minister for many decades and they should stand by him while in his premiership.

Pōhiva’s first cousin Ula was emotional as he recalled the hardship he endured and working hard to help pay ‘Akilisi’s school fees when he went to Tupou College.

“Today is a joyous day to us all Lōtava family,” he said.

“I am so proud that Akilisi became Prime Minister while I am alive today to witness it.”

Samuela, who is in Tonga to join his uncle for his official appointment by the king, said he would ask the Prime Minister when he could fly to Auckland to meet with the family for a private gathering.

The main points

  • Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s family and supporters in Auckland gathered in Mangere last Saturday for an emotional and joyous celebration of his election.
  • Speeches and talk on the day were a mixture of good memories, thankfulness and honour for a man who grew up in poverty and rose to the top job in the country.
  • Pōhiva’s first cousin ‘Ula said he was proud he had lived to see him become Prime Minister.
  • Dr Fotu Fisi’iahi, a lecturer at Unitec’s Mt Albert campus, said he believed Pohiva’s government was the best government Tonga had ever had.

Navutoka man in court over wife pouring hot liquid death

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

A 43-year-old man from Navutoka will appear at Mu‘a district court on Monday 12 after he was arrested and charged over the death of his wife.

Police have yet to release the identity of the accused and the victim but they alleged the husband scalded his sleeping wife. She was then rushed to hospital by relatives where she died shortly after arrival.

The accused has been remanded in Police custody.

Real Tonga airline investigated after emergency landing

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

Tonga has suspended its national airline’s permit to operate a Jetstream 32 after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing at Fua’amotu airport today.

Tonga’s Minister for Infrastructure, Hon. ‘Etuate Sungalu Lavulavu said he was notified this morning the aircraft had been required to make an emergency landing due to engine failure.

The cause of the incident has yet to be confirmed but the minister said one of the aircraft’s double engine failed to operate. An investigation was underway he added.

For precautionary measure, when the engine failure was known just after the plane left Vava’u this morning January 7 the two New Zealand pilots, Simon Peter J. Butler and Athol Aaron M. Isaac along with 19 passengers on board endured more than two hours flight bypassing  the Ha’apai airport and headed straight to Tongatapu.

The incident was the third within 12 months after the airline’s B-65 Queenair crash landed at ‘Eua’s Kaufana Airport in April 2014. None of the seven passengers or the pilot were injured.

On Thursday last week January 2 the Real Tonga’s Chinese-made Harbin Y12’s brakes failed to operate while taxiing causing it to slide off the runway. The plane was scheduled to depart for ‘Eua.

New Zealand -Tongan Olympic shot-put champion Valerie Adams boarded the plane after she attended a double celebration at her mother’s hometown in Tongatapu. .

A caption of a photo she posted after the incident read: “…the Real Tonga Airlines on their way to ‘Eua only to find out the breaks [sic] don’t work as the plane started to slide off the runway…thank goodness everyone was safe and no one got hurt.

Adams also wrote on her Instagram account and said: “Back in Tonga cause [sic] problems with brakes haha so waiting on eta for our flight zzzzz.”

Hon. Lavulavu said he spoke with the aviation CEO and also Tevita Palu, CEO of the Real Tonga Airline after the incident and they agreed to ground the plane.

He said full report of the incident must be submitted to him by the airline before further decision can be made.

In 2012, the New Zealand government warned New Zealand tourists they would be flying at their own risk in Tonga because Real Tonga was using an MA60 aircraft, which did not meet New Zealand air safety standards. The MA60 has been involved in a number of incidents in different parts of the world.

New Zealand’s Foreign Affair Minister Murray McCully withheld a large grant meant to help the kingdom’s tourism industry to pressure the Tongan government into taking action over the MA60.

ICAO

In September last year Kaniva News published a confidential letter Tonga’s former Prime Minister Lord Tuʻivakanō sent to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on July 15, 2014 in response to two Mandatory Information Requests concerning the certification of the MA60.

In the letter the then Prime Minister promised to revise Tonga’s civil aviation rules and regulations within 60-90 days and committed the kingdom to meeting New Zealand aviation standards.

Lord Tuʻivakanō undertook to review certain areas in Tonga’s aviation system like the Air Operator Certificates, Foreign Air Operator Certificates, Maintenance Organisation Certificates, Aerodrome Operator Certificates, Airworthiness Certificates, Aircraft Certificate of Registration and Type Acceptable Certificates.

The letter was apparently written to please the ICAO after it was reported the international body was not satisfied with how the Tongan government treated its demand to review its aviation system following the arrival of the controversial aircraft in 2012.

Pope appoints Tonga’s first Catholic cardinal

By
Kalino Latu
-

Bishop Sōane Patita Mafi of the diocese of Tonga and Niuē has been appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis.

This is the first time the title has been bestowed on a priest from the kingdom.

At 53, Bishop Mafi is the youngest of the Catholic Church’s 15 new cardinals. Among the other appointments is 95-year-old Archbishop Pimiento Rodriguez, Archbishop Emeritus of Manizales, Colombia.

The new cardinals have been chosen from 13 countries.

A Vatican statement said the Pontiff would summon a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals, known as a Consistory, on February 14, at which they would reflect on the proposals for the reform of the Roman Curia.

The Vatican statement quoted Pope Francis as saying the new Cardinals “manifest the indissoluble links between the Church of Rome and the particular Churches present in the world.”

On February 15 the newly created Cardinal Mafi will take part in a concelebrated mass presided over by the Pope.

Bishop Mafi was the third Tongan to be appointed a Catholic Bishop.

The first Tongan bishop was Pātelesio Fīnau, who served from 1972 – 1993. He was succeeded by Sōane Lilo Foliaki, who served from 1994 – 2008.

The Catholic Church was established in the kingdom in 1842.

Tribute

The news of Bishop Mafi’s elevation has been welcomed by Catholics in the kingdom who see the appointment as making Tonga’s mark in the history of the world’s largest Christian denomination.

Many Tongans have used Facebook to pay tribute to Bishop Mafi.

On the Kainga Fo’ou ‘o ‘Aotearoa forum, a page used by Tongan Catholics in Auckland, a tribute says in Tongan: “Wake up! Let’s shout for joy and be jubilant for the news. Let’s be happy all Tongan Catholic for the honour given to Bishop Soane Patita Mafi. He is cardinal of the church. He is the first Tongan to be appointed to the post.”

Bishop Mafi was born on December 19, 1961 in Nuku’alofa and was ordained as a priest in June 1991.

On October 4, 2007 he was ordained Bishop with the title of Co-adjutor (assistant) Bishop of Tonga and Niue.

On Apr, 18, 2008 he succeeded to the title of the Bishop of Tonga and Niue.

Cardinals

Cardinals hold the highest ecclesiastical positions in the Catholic Church and elect one of their number as Pope.

Known as the Princes of the Church, the Cardinals can wield immense power.

Most are in charge of a diocese or archdiocese, but they may also run departments in the Vatican administration.

In his battle to reform the church, Pope Francis has been highly critical of officials involved in the running of the Vatican, accusing them of vanity, corruption and self interest.

The main points

  • Bishop Sōane Patita Mafi of the diocese of Tonga and Niuē has been appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis.
  • This is the first time the title has been bestowed on a priest from the kingdom.
  • At 53, Bishop Mafi is the youngest of the Catholic Church’s 15 new cardinals. The new cardinals have been chosen from 13 countries.
  • On February 15 the newly created Cardinal Mafi will take part in a concelebrated mass presided over by the Pope.

For more information

http://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

‘Pope announces names of new Cardinals’ (Official Vatican News)

Valerie Adams on Real Tonga aircraft as it slides off runway at Fua’amotu

By
Kalino Latu
-

New Zealand -Tongan world shot-put champion Valerie Adams’ decision to join a double celebration in her homeland could have ended in tragedy after the plane she was on slid off the runway at Fuaʻamotu Airport in Tongatapu during the weekend.

Adams’ flew to Tonga to take part in celebrations of the first Houma Global Community Day and the diamond jubilee of the Catholic Church, which was established in the village 75 years ago.

This was the first time the village had organised such large events, which attracted hundreds of visitors from overseas.

Adams, whose mother Lilika Ngauamo came from Houma and Haveluloto, was one of the key speakers during the events.

She also attended a reception arranged by the royal family in Nukuʻalofa.

A caption of a photo she posted read: “…the Real Tonga Airlines on their way to ‘Eua only to find out the breaks [sic] don’t work as the plane started to slide off the runway…thank goodness everyone was safe and no one got hurt.”

A commentator who followed Adams status said: “Only in Tonga can the Olympic gold medallist go home to relax and almost end up in a plane crash.”

Adams also wrote on her Instagram account and said: “Back in Tonga cause [sic] problems with brakes haha so waiting on eta for our flight zzzzz.”

Real Tonga Airline’s Director Tevita Palu told Kaniva News the aircraft involved was a Chinese-made Harbin Y12, not the notorious MA60.

Palu said the aircraft’s brakes did not operate normally during taxiing. The aircraft returned to the gate normally.

He said the flight was delayed until the defect was fixed, but it was operating normally now.

April’s accident

Last April Real Tonga’s B-65 Queenair crash landed at ‘Eua’s Kaufana Airport.

At the time, the airline said the landing gear failed to lower, causing the pilot to belly land the aircraft.

None of the seven passengers or the pilot were injured.

In 2012, the New Zealand government warned New Zealand tourists they would be flying at their own risk in Tonga because Real Tonga was using an MA60 aircraft, which did not meet New Zealand air safety standards. The MA60 has been involved in a number of incidents in different parts of the world.

New Zealand’s Foreign Affair Minister Murray McCully withheld a large grant meant to help the kingdom’s tourism industry to pressure the Tongan government into taking action over the MA60.

ICAO

In September last year Kaniva News published a confidential letter Tonga’s former Prime Minister Lord Tuʻivakanō sent to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on July 15, 2014 in response to two Mandatory Information Requests concerning the certification of the MA60.

In the letter the then Prime Minister promised to revise Tonga’s civil aviation rules and regulations within 60-90 days and committed the kingdom to meeting New Zealand aviation standards.

Lord Tuʻivakanō undertook to review certain areas in Tonga’s aviation system like the Air Operator Certificates, Foreign Air Operator Certificates, Maintenance Organisation Certificates, Aerodrome Operator Certificates, Airworthiness Certificates, Aircraft Certificate of Registration and Type Acceptable Certificates.

The letter was apparently written to please the ICAO after it was reported the international body was not satisfied with how the Tongan government treated its demand to review its aviation system following the arrival of the controversial aircraft in 2012.

The main points

  • World shot-put champion Valerie Adams’ decision to join a double celebration in her homeland could have ended in tragedy after the plane she was on slid off the runway at Fuaʻamotu Airport on the weekend.
  • Adams was a key speaker at the celebrations of the first Houma Global Community Day and the diamond jubilee of the Catholic Church.
  • Real Tonga Airline’s Director Tevita Palu told Kaniva News the aircraft’s brakes did not operate normally during taxiing.
  • He said the aircraft returned to the gate normally, but was delayed until the defect was fixed.

For more information

‘PM revokes Real Tonga’s airline license’

‘Tonga to Receive First China-Made Y-12 in Late-July or Early August’

Pilot crash lands plane in Tonga

ICAO

Pōhiva’s meeting with King a “great opportunity,” but HM wants political boundaries to be respected

By
Kalino Latu
-

His Majesty King Tupou VI met with Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva in a meeting described as a “great opportunity” at the start of Mr Pōhiva’s four year premiership.

The Prime Minister said His Majesty wanted to make sure the boundaries of the executive bodies’ responsibilities were clearly defined and that they would not be overstepped.

Mr Pōhiva said the King wanted the cabinet to inform him once they came across any issues relating to His powers that might interfere with the smooth running of the new government.

Pōhiva said the king had raised the issue because when the last government was in power there were times when the Cabinet and the Privy Council overstepped each other and intruded into areas that were His Majesty’s responsibility.

He said the King did not want these problems to happen again.

In his first Cabinet meeting with his ministers on Monday, Mr Pōhiva reiterated His Majesty’s concerns and said it was important for the Cabinet to follow the guidelines regarding areas of responsibility.

Privy Council and Cabinet

Changes to the Tongan constitution made before the introduction of democracy in 2010 saw the King relinquish some of his powers, allowing the election of the 26 member Legislative Assembly.

However, His Majesty retains some of the fundamental powers laid down by the Tongan constitution such as the right to reject any laws passed by the Legislative Assembly and submitted to him for approval.

No law passed by the government is legitimate unless the king signs the legislation.

His Majesty remains Commander-in-Chief of the Tonga Defence Force and has the power to proclaim martial law over any part or over the whole of the country.

The government’s day-to-day matters are guided by an executive body controlled by the Prime Minister.

The Privy Council includes appointed law lords whose responsibility is to advise the king on certain decision making process according to his constitutional rights.

Pōhiva said an example of the problems that could occur was when His Majesty ordered the Privy Council to investigate the issuing of Tongan passports, but this was not done because of cabinet intervention.

“The Cabinet and the Privy Council were in a rift, that was how it appeared to us when it happened,” Pohiva said.

The Prime Minister said he understood that the King did not want this kind of incident to happen again.

The main points

  • His Majesty King Tupou VI wants the boundaries of responsibility between the Cabinet, Privy Council and himself to be clear under the new government.
  • The kingdom’s new Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, said after a meeting with His Majesty that the King did not want a repeat of certain incidents that occurred under the previous government.
  • Pohiva described the meeting at the start of his four year premiership as “a great opportunity.”
  • Pohiva met with the new Cabinet for the first time on Monday.

For more information

‘Surprise’ as veteran politician Akilisi Pohiva elected Tonga PM

Akilisi Pohiva Tonga’s new PM

22-year-old Tongan first to die on NZ roads in 2015

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

A young Tongan woman has become the first person to die on New Zealand roads in 2015 after the car she was passenger in hit a power pole shortly after 6.15am near East Tamaki.

Lavi Taimani, 22, of Onehunga was one of seven people in the car. Police said four of them were taken to Middlemore Hospital with minor injuries but they had since been discharged.

Police believed speed and alcohol were both factors in the fatal crash.

On her Facebook page Pou Tupou sent the dead woman a tribute and said: “R.I.P Lovey Taimani Still can’t believe that you’re Gone Ofa Lahi Atu ki ho kii fofonga malimali..What A Beautiful Girl with a Beautiful HEART…”

Police said the investigation into the crash was continuing.

Foul smell reported across Neiafutahi, more Red Blood Seas spotted

By
Kaniva Pacific
-

A strong rotten egg smell had locals of Neiafutahi in Vavaʻu crying foul as investigators scrambled to determine what caused the sea at the village’s beach turned blood red this week.

The sea at Neiafutahi beach turned red on Sunday and the colour remained until yesterday before it turned green and muddy followed by a fish die-off.

Locals were warned not to eat fish from the sea area and to keep away from the scene because of the odour while a geologist at Tonga’s Ministry of Natural Resources said they found more similar red blood seas in other sea areas of Vavaʻu.

Picture of dead fishes found at Neiafutahi sea yesterday January 1, 2015. Picture: Filomena Hansen
Picture of dead fishes found at Neiafutahi sea yesterday January 1, 2015. Picture: Filomena Hansen

Various unofficial theories have been proposed to explain why the sea changed its ocean colour but some believed it was caused by an algal bloom – “a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae (typically microscopic) in an aquatic system”.

Taniela Kula, the Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources and Geologist said they have yet to determine the cause of the red blood sea and how it can be linked to the fish die-off but investigation was continuing and they would release a statement soon.

He said the geologist in Vava’u has reported sightings of more red blood seas in other areas in  the islands.

The smell was reported as far away as central Neiafu, the capital of Vavaʻu.

A local broadcaster Manu Tapueluelu was at the scene yesterday and she commented on her Facebook page and said: “…Ugly Smells still going through Loto Neiafu right now which is sooo disturbing,message is ‘stay away from eating seafood,fish etc etc for awhile now people”.

1...823824825...904Page 824 of 904
© Copyright 2025 Kaniva Tonga News & Entertainment