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Fiji too strong for Tonga in final World Cup warm-up

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By RNZ

Fiji rounded out their preparations for the Rugby World Cup with a 29-19 victory over Tonga in the second game of the Pasifika Challenge in Auckland on Saturday.

‘Ikale Tahi captain Siale Piutau opened the scoring with a third minute try but Fiji capitalised on a Tongan error six minutes later to launch a long-range raid that ended in Josua Tuisova scoring to level the match at 7-7.

Tongan hooker Paula Ngauamo scored through an impressive rolling maul to put the kingdom back in front midway through the first half but despite having close to 90 percent possession in the opening quarter, Tonga were unable to convert most of that pressure into points. It was Fiji who pounced on another turnover four minutes later as Vereniki Goneva scored another thrilling try against the run of the play to tie the match at 12-12.

The Flying Fijians then scored either side of half-time, through former sevens star Semi Kunatani, who impressed throughout, and captain Dominko Waqaniburotu.

The 12 point buffer was extended when hooker Sam Matavesi scored Fiji’s fifth try of the day before the hour mark.

To complete a fine day for hookers, replacement Sefo Sakalia scored for Tonga early in the final quarter to close the deficit back to 12 points but Fiji’s defence held firm for the rest of the match.

Flying Fijian coach John McKee said it was an area where they performed very strongly.

“We knew we were in for a physical encounter and certainly we got that,” he said.

“I thought our defensive effort tonight was very good. We worked very hard in defence – in our phase defence and our goal-line defence at times – so that aspect of our game was for me very positive.

“I thought there was some good individual tackling as well so that worked well for us,” McKee said.

Tongan coach Toutai Kefu was pleased with the way his team started the match but said a string of turnovers and a failure to execute on attack proved too much to overcome.

“Turnovers killed us today,” he lamented post-match.

“I think we got about 15 turnovers so just being a little bit more clinical in attack, making better options (and) probably executing some simple stuff as well,” Kefu said.

“Bar probably three or four moments there we could have been 18-0 up but we made a few mistakes, they got two easy turnover tries but that’s Fiji.

“I thought there was enough good there to keep pressing on and enough there to keep the group positive.”

Tonga will announce their Rugby World Cup squad on Monday and Kefu said the coaching staff were still sorting through some of the final selections.

“We’ve got a squad of 33 so we’ll drop two out and we’ll just discuss like at the moment we’ve got nine front-rowers so we might even discuss whether we take one less and gamble on the props to allow maybe another back to come in so we’ll have those discussions later.”


Tongan church elder keen to highlight impact of measles as free vaccinations launch

By
Kaniva Staff
-

By Jessie Chiang, RNZ

A Tongan church elder in Auckland says there needs to be more awareness in the community about the seriousness of measles.

Free vaccinations are being offered in South Auckland today as a part of the response to the growing outbreak.

Free clinics are also operating at the Clendon Shopping Centre in Manurewa and Middlemore Hospital.

There more than 920 cases of measles across the country prompting outreach programmes like the one at the Free Church of Tonga in Māngere.

A church elder, Reverend Ifalame Teisi, said the church is concerned about what’s happening.

He said people need to get immunised and it’s important to spread the word.

“They need others to raise awareness; to talk to them and make sure they know this is serious in regard to their health and they need to make use of the opportunity we have here today [for vaccinations]. But there’ll be more people coming in.”

A community nurse says it’s important to have drop in centres for measles vaccinations to encourage people to get immunised.

There are now 778 in Auckland. Nationwide that number is more than 920.

That’s prompted vaccinations being offered without charge at three locations in South Auckland today.

Community nurse Sita Moala said it was important to have the drop in centres. More places where people could get vaccinated was crucial, she said.

She was working at the drop in centre at the Free Church of Tonga in Mangere today and said they had been busy.

“Some people because they are busy with working, and going to the doctors can be hard sometimes can be hard because you have to wait in a long queue and have to pay for it, but they come over here and we vaccinate and it’s free,” Ms Moala said.

The majority of the measles cases – 762 – are in Auckland.

The outbreak has caused the cancellation of a high school rugby league championship this weekend and health officials fear that herd immunity to the disease may already be lost.

School Sport New Zealand said 79 tournaments involving 20,000 students are being held around the country next week. They are in regular contact with health officials and will notify people if there are any cancellations.

Yesterday, the government announced it had activated a National Health Coordination Centre in response to the measles outbreak.

The centre will help coordinate the response to the outbreak and provide a single point of contact for district health boards.

Tongan based US artist wins New Zealand award

By
Kalino Latu
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A Tongan multi-disciplinary artist in the US has won a New Zealand Pacific artists’ award.

Vaimoana Niumeitolu has been awarded the Tautai International Artist Residency for 2019.

Vaimoana is a celebrated writer, actor, painter, community muralist, educator and filmmaker.

Born in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, raised in Hawai’i and Utah, Vaimoana now lives and works in New York City. She graduated from New York University in painting and performance, earned the Ellen Stoekel Fellowship in painting and drawing from Yale University and attended Columbia University’s Graduate Program in Acting.

Vaimoana has completed 24 community murals in Australia, Kenya, Jordan, New Zealand, Palestine, South Africa and in the United States: California, New York (Brooklyn and the Bronx) and Utah.

The Tautai International Artist Residency is offered bi-annually to Pacific artists beyond New Zealand. Provided with return airfares, accommodation and a stipend the ‘gift of time’ gives the resident artist opportunities to meet and interact with the local Pacific arts community, and to dedicate time to research and the creation of new work.

Tautai Director Courtney Sina Meredith says she is thrilled to have Vaimoana in Aotearoa during an exciting time of growth and expansion at Tautai.

Vaimoana Niumeitolu will be a featured speaker at the next Tautai First Fridays event, September 6th at Audio Foundation.

Vaimoana will be available for media interviews during her stay, from September 2 to September 29 2019.

Tonga Police win regional ‘highly prestigious’ award

By
Kalino Latu
-

Thrilled and honoured were the emotions experienced by Tonga Police Detective Acting Superintendent Halatoa Tāufa as he received a regional prestigious police award.

Tāufa received the recognition for Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) Chair Award 2019 for his leadership and commitment as the Head of the Police Drug Enforcement Taskforce, during the 48th PICP conference.

It was held in American Samoa from the 21 – 23 August 2019.

He is a member of Tonga police force for 19 years.

His father Mōleni Tāufa was a former prison guard chief before he retired from the job.

Halatoa said the award has a significant contribution to the efforts police play on the region’s and Tonga’s “war on drugs.”

This is the second time that Tonga Police has been awarded with the PICP Chair Award, with the first award presented to Acting Chief Superintendent Tevita Vailea in 2016.

Since the launch of the Drug Enforcement Taskforce in April 2018, police have arrested 270 people to date with the youngest arrest a 13-year-old youth, seized 33.8 kilograms of methamphetamine as well as other illicit drugs and 45 illegally imported firearms, Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell said.   

The high rate of drugs arrest by the Drug Enforcement Taskforce has had a significant impact on serious crimes in Tonga. A reduction in homicide from 10 last year to 1 this year, robberies from 22 in 2018 to 1, housebreaking from 396 to 153 and a decrease in road fatalities from 21 in 2018 to only 3 this year.

Preventing drug harm within the communities was the focus of the 2019 PICP Conference that was attended by the Commissioner Caldwell and accompanied by Superintendent Ashley Fua and Detective Acting Superintendent Tāufa.

Tonga Police was a key presenter, presenting its journey in combating illicit drugs, the challenges, policy response and changing policing approach in moving forward. 

The PICP focus for this year’s conference is in line with the Tonga Police strategy flowing from the Police Commissioner’s priority, to strengthen its partnership with communities through education and awareness campaign in the fight against illicit drugs. 

“We understand the importance of working together as a community to ensure the safety of everyone. One way to improve this community partnership is allowing  communities to take ownership of existing security issues and working together to come up with viable solutions.”

“During the conference it was noted that the Pacific region has seen an increase in the shipment of both methamphetamine and cocaine. For transit countries the risk of a local user market developing is very high with some countries recording increase in use and harm. To address this problem the Pacific Chiefs are committed to cross jurisdictional co-operation and working together.” 

Detective Halatoa said he was thrilled and honoured to receive the award. He said he has been picked among candidates from 21 countries in the Pacific region.

“Thanks for the support I have from the Ministry and the prayers the country has made,” he told Kaniva news.

Lavulavus must face trial together on charges of fraud at ‘Unuaki ‘O Tonga Royal Institute

By
Philip Cass
-

The Supreme Court has ruled that ‘Etuate and Akosita Lavulavu must jointly stand trial on three counts of obtaining money  by false pretenses and three counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents.

The charges arise from an investigation of the finances of the ‘Unuaki ‘O Tonga Royal Institute, a private education provider.

Akosita Lavulavu was the director and ‘Etuate was the president.

An investigation in 2016 concluded that the Institute had been overpaid by hundreds of thousands of pa’anga.

‘Etuate Lavulavu, who did not have legal representation, argued that he and his wife should have separate trials.

The Attorney General argued that the prosecution case was based on a joint enterprise by Mr and Mrs Lavulavu who allegedly gave instructions or information to their staff to engage in activities which allowed them to gain government subsidies.

They had applied money allegedly derived from the false accounting to their private bank accounts either individually or together.

Two material witnesses who Akosita Lavulavu admitted were accomplices had been given indemnities to give evidence of the allegedly dishonest instructions they received.

This resulted in a significant amount of money being received by the institute and then being transferred to the Lavulavu’s bank accounts.

The Attorney General argued that there was an established judicial principle that it was destrable that the same verdict and same treatment should be brought against those concerned in the same offence.

Mr Justice Cato, presiding, said he was satisfied that much of the evidence, particularly from the Auditor General’s office and the indemnified accomplices, would apply to both the Lavulavus.

The judge rejected ‘Etuate Lavulavu’s application for a seperate trial.

He also recommended that Mr Lavulavyu should consider being represented by legal counsel.

“Long trials of this kind can become complex and protracted and difficult for a lay person to conduct properly.”

The main points

  • The Supreme Court has ruled that ‘Etuate and Akosita Lavulavu must jointly stand trial on three counts of obtaining money  by false pretences and three counts of knowingly dealing with forged documents.
  • The charges arise from an investigation of the finances of the ‘Unuaki ‘O Tonga Royal Institute, a private education provider.

Big range of free events at Auckland libraries to celebrate Tongan language week

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Auckland city libraries will host a range of activities during Tongan language week, which begins next Monday, September 2.

They include children’s story telling, Tongan literature and traditional dancing.

All events are free.

Auckland is home to most of New Zealand’s Tongan population.

Monday, September 2

From 11-11.30am, Te Matariki Clendon Library in Manukau will host Tongan story time in partnership with Sia Mo’ui – Finlayson Park school’s Tongan unit.

On the same day Mangare Town Centre Library will host a Wriggle and Rhyme session incorporating Tongan songs for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Tuesday, September 3

Te Matariki Clendon Library in Manukau will offer a session on making Tapa a with its Tutubugs children’s club from 3.30-4.30pm.

Also on Tuesday, Mangare Town Centre Library will hold a special after-school programme for students focusing on Tongan language and crafts.

Wednesday, September 4

Te Matariki Clendon Library will hold a Tongan-themed treasure hunt at the Tutubugs children’s club from 3.30-4.30pm.

Thursday, September 5

Mangare Town Centre Library’s special guest Susana Vunipola will share some of her favourite Tongan children’s stories. She will also teach about Tongan ceremonial dancing. This session will run from 10.30-11am.

On the same day there will be a demonstration of Tau’olunga, a traditional Tongan dance, at the Waitakere library in Henderson from 3.30-5pm.

Next Thursday Mangere and Otahuhu local libraries will host food demonstrations, traditional dance and fun family activities from 4-8pm.

Te Matariki Clendon Library will show how to make Otai at the Tutubugs children’s club from 3.30-4.30pm.

Friday, September 6

There will be a special Tongan story time at Manurewa Library from 10.30-11am, along with simple yoga and stretches for children.

Glen Innes Library will hold a bilingual story time with stories, songs and rhymes from 10-10.30am.

The main points

  • Auckland city libraries will host a range of activities during Tongan language week, which begins on Monday, September 2.
  • They include children’s story telling, Tongan literature and traditional dancing.

For more information

Tongan language week at Auckland libraries

https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/pages/search-results.aspx?k=Tongan%2BLanguage%2BWeek#k=Tongan%2BLanguage%2BWeek

Prestigious scholarship takes young Tongan tenor Manase Lātū to Royal College of Music

By
Philip Cass
-

Young Tongan tenor Manase Lātū begins studying at the Royal College of Music in London next month thanks to a major scholarship.

Lātū won the prestigious $20,000 Circle100 Scholarship.

The initiative to support promising young New Zealand singers has been running since 1996.

The judging panel was led by Director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Programme at the New York Metropolitan Opera, Sophie Joyce.

Joyce told RNZ Concert said she was in tears listening to Lātū and praised what she called the ”intimate” quality of his singing.

She said that because singing was now so competitive, those who were going to succeed must have a hunger and drive and be prepared to sacrifice a great deal for their career.

Lātū graduated from the University of Auckland, where he majored in classical vocal performance. He has  been a member of vocal group Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir and is an alumnus of Auckland Chamber Choir and New Zealand Youth Choir.

Alongside his operatic involvement, Lātū has also been a member of The Shades, a group of four classically trained singers who perform operatic classics, Mariachi favourites, Pacific Island melodies and popular contemporary greats.

Her has sung in a variety of locations, from the Islander Hotel in Raratonga to the Christchurch law courts and the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Manase Lātū is from South Auckland and was educated at St Kentigern’s. He joined the high school choir in 2011.

In 2018 he was a Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist with New Zealand Opera and won the NZ Aria award.

“Representing my family and my little country of Tonga makes me incredibly proud,” he said at the time.

“Being the first full Tongan to win this prestigious award is just an indescribable feeling.”

“I am passionate to bring awareness to my Pacific Island and Tongan heritage through my music.”

Lātū described his father as a huge inspiration.

“Although he is not classically inclined, he loves to sing.”

The main points

  • Young Tongan tenor Manase Latu  begins studying at the Royal College of Music in London next month thanks to a major scholarship.
  • Latu won the $20,000 Circle 100 Scholarships were awarded in Auckland.

King disappointed commoner not chosen as PM after 2010 election, says new research

By
Philip Cass
-

King George V was disappointed when Lord Tu’ivakanō became Prime Minister in 2010, new research has claimed.

In her PhD thesis, Democratisation in Asia – Pacific Monarchies , former New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, Christine Bogle, said the king had hoped to see the first election under the new system come up with a commoner as Prime Minister, presumably to give additional legitimacy and democratic credentials to the reforms.

She described the Tu’ivakanō and successive Pōhiva governments as “lacklustre” and subject to unsuccessful attempts at a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.

In August 2017, King Tupou VI dissolved parliament and called elections for November 2017 on the basis of a number of concerns about the government expressed by the Speaker.

Bogle described the king’s actions as “constitutional, but hardly democratic.”

Australia and New Zealand

In her thesis, Bogle highlighted the role of younger members of the royal family in pushing for the democratic reforms that were finally brought to fruition in 2010.

However, she also said Australia and New Zealand actively supported the slow move towards democracy at the beginning of the century.

Australia and New Zealand provided consistent support for political reform from the time Tonga announced its decision in 2005 to launch the National Committee for Political and Constitutional Reform.

While open promotion of democratic reform was not welcomed by Tongan authorities in the early part of the 21st century, years of exposure to Australia’s and New Zealand’s democracies had its effect.

Those countries encouraged human rights-focused NGOs within Tonga, as well as helping pay judges’ salaries over a number of years.

During this period Prince Tu’ipelehake emerged as a champion of political reform.

He kept in regular contact with New Zealand, Australian and UK diplomats.  The prince wrote formally to Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer stating that Tonga needed both political and economic reform together, as they would “complement each other.”

He argued that “with the encouragement from the Australian government and the governments in the Commonwealth, the Tongan government may be persuaded to implement the necessary political reforms.”

Following the public service strike in 2005, the Tongan government agreed to Prince Tu’ipelehake’s proposal for a national consultative process on political reform.

Bogle said this provided an opportunity for New Zealand and Australia to support Tonga’s decision to democratise. Australia and New Zealand also helped fund the subsequent Constitutional and Electoral Commission.

“Tonga’s international environment has encouraged, rather than impeded, its transition to democracy, although Tonga has always proudly insisted on doing things on its own terms and following its own timetable,” she said.

The main points

  • King George V was disappointed when Lord Tu’ivakanō became Prime Minister in 2010, new research has claimed.
  • Former New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, Christine Bogle, said the king had hoped to see the first election under the new system come up with a commoner as Prime Minister, presumably to give additional legitimacy and democratic credentials to the reforms.

For more information

Former High Commissioner’s work highlights role of royal family in helping transition to democracy

Former High Commissioner’s work highlights role of royal family in helping transition to democracy

Democratisation in Asia-Pacific monarchies: Drivers and impediments. A study of Bhutan, Tonga, Nepal and Thailand

Videos show confrontation of Tongan woman accused of leading a ‘satanic’ cult; young woman appeared ‘possessed’

By
Kalino Latu
-

A Tongan cult leader in Australia has been accused of telling followers that a young woman has been possessed by Jesus’s spirit.

It appeared that the leader was trying to convince her followers that their prayer through her had been accepted by God and that God had shown His approval by manifesting His spirit through the young woman.

Videos believed to have been taken at a gathering in a room in Melbourne showed the young woman appearing act as if she was possessed.

A group of men, women and children attended what appeared to be an exorcism during which the woman attempted to drive out a supposed evil spirit from the young woman or urging the woman to witness how the spirit of God entered her.

A Tongan woman arrived at the gathering and confronted the leader, telling her to read the Bible to understand that God’s spirit did not enter a human body in this way.

She called the leader’s action “Satanic.”

The leader warned the woman that she did not know what she was doing.

The young ’possessed’  woman screamed and shouted in what appeared to be non-existent language including calling out words like mono – mono- sono- poono. She appeared to be struggling physically. 

She began to attack the woman who confronted the leader before she fell down on the floor and continued yelling.   

The incident has been caught on camera by a man who was stopped by the leader, but who continued on taking the video.

The video man and the woman who confronted the leader were overheard urging the gatherers not to believe in the leader and what she was doing.

At one stage the man was overheard saying the young woman was sick.   

He asked one of the men in the room whether he believed in what the leader has done in which the man agreed.

One of the clips has been widely shared on social media last night and this evening it has been viewed more than 100,000 times.

The incident has drawn public condemnation with online users calling the act as “barbaric,” from the “dark ages” and “uncivilised.”

Last year Kaniva News reported on Australian-based Tongan preacher, ‘Esita Smith, who claims she is God and who allegedly urged her followers to injure themselves.

The main points

  • A Tongan cult leader in Australia has been accused of telling followers that a young woman has been possessed by Jesus’s spirit.
  • It appeared that the leader was trying to convince her follower that their prayer through her had been accepted by God and that God had shown His approval by manifesting His spirit through the young woman.

For more information

Concerns mount as video, photos, emerge of bloody ritual led by Tongan cult leader who now claims she is God

Minister lashes out as woman who claims she is God’s messenger gains growing following

Former High Commissioner’s work highlights role of royal family in helping transition to democracy

By
Philip Cass
-

Research by a former High Commissioner to Tonga says that King George V played a vital role in Tonga’s transition to democracy.

The work by New Zealand diplomat Christine Bogle, said strong leadership of the democratisation process by His Majesty greatly helped a successful transition to democracy.

She said monarchs who used their charisma to promote and lead a move to democracy were a critical factor in whether a transition was successful, while securing the future of the monarchy for their heirs.

Bogle, who was awarded her doctorate by Victoria University in Wellington, served as High Commissioner in Tonga from 2008-2010.

Her time in Tonga coincided with the kingdom’s first democratic election and a major reviews of the constitution.

She is in Nuku’alofa this week to make a presentation about her doctoral thesis, Democratisation in Asia – Pacific Monarchies. Her work looks at monarchies in Bhutan, Tonga, Nepal, and Thailand.

None of the countries studied was colonised, despite strong influence from western empires, particularly Great Britain.

She said Tonga and Bhutan succeeded in reforming their governments and introducing democracy, while Thailand and Nepal followed different paths.

In her work, Bogle noted the role of younger, western-educated members of the royal family, who pushed for change.

“A younger generation of royals, educated outside Tonga, were quietly thinking about how to modernise the monarchy and make Tonga more democratic,” she wrote.

“Crown Prince Tupouto’a (later King George V) did not enunciate these ideas publicly while his father was alive, but shared his thoughts with close friends.

“His cousin, Prince Tu’ipelehake, brought them to parliament, proposing a nationwide consultation on political reform, known as the National Committee for Political and Constitutional Reform (NCPR), which got underway in 2006, partly in response to a lengthy public service strike in 2005.

“Before this, in late 2004, Tupouto’a had persuaded his (elderly and unwell) father to bring four elected members of parliament – something unprecedented in Tonga.”

After serving in Tonga, Bogle was appointed as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Mexico. She also served as Ambassador to Spain and held postings in Lima and Rome.

Following her diplomatic career she became head of the International Secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels.

The main points

  • Research by a former High Commissioner to Tonga says that King George V played a vital role in Tonga’s transition to democracy.
  • It said strong leadership of the democratisation process by His Majesty greatly helped a successful transition to democracy.

For more information

Former NZ diplomat presents thesis on monarchies moving to democracy in Tonga

Democratisation in Asia-Pacific monarchies: Drivers and impediments. A study of Bhutan, Tonga, Nepal and Thailand

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