The Moana Reo Media Fund seeks to support innovative media projects that promote Pacific languages.
1. Mr Kalino Latu’s CV. Click here.
2. Kalino and our Lead Guitarist, Sisi Langakali Lātū (Kalino’s son), in some of their practice sessions. Click the link below.
3. Here are some photos of Sisi performing while studying music, guitar performance, and theories at MAINZ, Mangere, Auckland, in 2022.
4. We drove more than 250km down from Mangere, South Auckland, to perform at the Millennium Cup Sailing Regatta 2018 in Russel, Bay of Islands. Our performance at the function was highly acknowledged and appreciated, click here for more information. Also click here to see more information about our communication with Lysaght Marine.
In this short demo video, click here, one of our youngest singers ‘Elisiva Angelica Lātū (Kalino’s daughter), is singing, backed by Kalino, in keyboard and one of the best Tongan steel guitarists and ukulele and fangufangu player Tu’ifonualava Kaivelata. Mr Kaivelata is a member of our band. He founded the Hikule’o ‘o Ono’aho, which aimed at reviving ancient Tongan musical instruments. Click here for more information about Mr Kaivelata’s Hikule’o ‘o Ono’aho project. The demo video was quickly created after Lysaght Marine (NZ) requested it in 2018. They wanted to see if we could perform some slow Tongan songs, including jazz and blues. The request was part of their decision-making process to hire us to entertain at the Millennium Cup Sailing Regatta 2018 in Russel.
5. Kalino (acoustic guitar), his daughter Angelica (keyboard), and son Sisi (electric guitar) during their daily practices of Tongan songs in 2014.
6. The following photo gallery includes photos taken at Otahuhu’s Church of Kumuni Loto at Church Street. Lead singer was Kalino’s daughter Angelica backed by Kalino, ‘Okusitino (leader guitar), ‘Atatui Tavake (keyboard) and Tu’ifonualava Kaivelata (‘Ukulele and steel guitar).
7. Kalino was featured on the Matala Po’uli Facebook Livestream show 2020, presenting his new composition, Lose Koula ‘o Naila. It was composed at the request of a friend, the owner of the Matala Po’uli show, to commemorate his daughter Fifita Vava’u Pāongo’s 1st birthday. Lose Koula ‘O Naila, Music and lyrics by Kalino Latu; Keyboard Kalino Latu, Producer Kalino Latu; sung by Liukava Fulivai. You can follow Liukava on YouTube here.
8. One of our dancers and assistant choreographers, Malia Lēsina Kelela Jr Lātū (Kalino’s eldest daughter), performing the Selaniume hiva kakala tau’olunga song composed by Kalino to celebrate her graduation from AUT with a Master’s Thesis in Communication in 2020. See the photo gallery below. Clear here for the Selaniume lyrics
9. Here is one of the fakatangi (lamentation) songs composed by Kalino in memory of his first mokopuna, Nalani, who died in 2018. The song is sung by Angelica, Nalani’s paternal aunty and backed by Malia, Nalani’s eldest paternal aunty and Kalino. See YouTube below.
The following YouTube features Angelica recording the Talita Kumi song at the Manuka Studio, Orewa
10. Kalino and Louis Bernstone at Ellamy Studio, Blockhouse Bay 2019
11. Kalino, Sia, and Hollaray singing practice with Atatui on the keyboard. It is important for our young people to be able to sing Tongan songs accurately, and it is beneficial for them to develop the ability to improvise and harmonize by honing their listening and auditory skills. This will not only help them master the art of singing but will also contribute to their overall musical development and creativity.
12. Hiva Tau’olunga Song
Here is one of the Tau’olunga (dance) songs composed by Kalino at the request of a family to commemorate their daughter after graduating with a Bachelor of Science from Unitec. Many of his Tau’olunga songs are not available online. We are in the process of digitising all of his tau’olunga recorded songs.
Lyrics by Kalino Latu, music ‘Atatui Tavake. Go to 1:13:43 of the YouTube timeline, to watch the tau’olunga. Click here for the lyrics
13. The Kaniva Tonga band has come a long way and made significant progress. Kalino taught his children music, singing Tongan songs and performing from a young age. In 2015, the band was officially launched at Glen Innes during the Tu’ivailala family reunion. Our youth needs to be able to sing Tongan songs accurately, improvise, and harmonise melodies using their listening and hearing skills. See the following photos featuring Kalino and his wife Patelesia and their children, as well as steel guitar Tu’i Kaivelata and Sefita Hao’uli, one of our guitarists. You can follow Sefita on internet here.
14. Kalino’s son Tony Latu performing while studying music and performance arts at Mt Roskill Grammar, Auckland, NZ. See photo gallery below.
15. Our new home recording studio is finally set up and ready! We’re thrilled that Kalino has composed and recorded their first song in the studio. It has been an exciting journey and we are proud to share our test results on YouTube. We are still refining this song before its final stage. Tangimeimuli was composed at a customer’s request in memory of his eldest brother Siosiua Tangimeimuli’s death.
Music and lyrics by Kalino Latu, instrumentalisation by Kalino Latu, Producer Kalino Latu, Sound & Recording Engineer and Mixer – Sisi Langakali Latu, and sung by Melenau Lino, backed by Angelica.
16. Kalino was the first to establish and conduct digital recording of songs and music in Tonga in 2002, using his home recording studio in his village of Koloua/Tofoa. The story gained attention when the Catholic newspaper Taumu’a Lelei published an interview and photo of Kalino and his studio in June 2004. This was just a few months before he relocated to New Zealand in December of that year. Click here to read the Taumu’a Lelei story to read the Taumu’a Lelei story.
17. Below is a collection of miscellaneous photos from some of our performances in Auckland at different venues and events.
18. More photos from our performance at Velata Bar and various functions in Auckland 2018 – 2024
19. Some of Kalino’s recorded songs available online.
Kalino showcases Tongan classical vocals by singing with the unique improvisation skills known as fakahēhē, which is exceptionally associated with Tongan traditional singing vocality. Click here.
20. Kalino, Sisi and Tongan singer Hollaray ‘Uhila performing at a function at Otara, Auckland. You can find Hollaray’s YouTube here
21. Kalino performing as a one-man band during Mate Ma’a Tonga rugby league team reception and parades in Otahuhu sponsored by
22. Kalino also performed a livestream video of a popular contemporary song in 2020 on Facebook, receiving hundreds of reactions and thousands of shares. Click here
23. Our band performed at Titilupe Night Club. Click here to see some of the banners shared on Facebook to promote the band at the time.
24. Kalino performing one-man-band live at GMana Auto in Otahuhu, sponsored by G-Mana Wholesale Autos Ltd.
25. Kaniva Tonga News website was founded by Kalino Latu in 2009. For more information, please click here.
26. The Akoola website, now known as Ako’aTonga Educational Services was funded by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ Provider Languages Fund 2021. Kalino and Ta’angafonua Trust designed the website to help teach Tongan grammar in both Tongan and English.
We also received $40,000 in funding from the Ministry for Pacific Peoples in 2022 under its Pacific Aotearoa Community Outreach Fund (the Fund), which was established to support Pacific communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the social and health impacts of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
27.“If your plan is for one year plant rice. If your plan is for ten years plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years educate children. ”― Confucius. Kalino always maintains that our home is the first and foremost school. What children learn in their childhood will not only shape their future but also form a solid foundation for their later endeavours. In these photos, Kalino is introducing his moko, Katinia Hafoka, to keyboard and guitar tabular. Kalino did this for his children when they were babies, and as a result, they grew up to be music lovers and inherited beautiful musical talents.
28. About Ako’aTonga missions. Click here.
29. Character references:
https://kanivatonga.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/From-Greg-for-music.pdf
https://kanivatonga.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kalino-Latu-by-Mike-McCharthy.pdf
https://kanivatonga.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Melenau-Lino-letter.pdf
https://kanivatonga.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kalino-Latu-from-Fr-Aisake.pdf
30. Some songs performed by Melenau Lino and our lead keyboardist ‘Atatui Tu’itavake. Click here.
31. Kalino is a musician, composer, qualified journalist, and educator. Over the past twenty years, he has interviewed numerous top Tongan musicians, singers, artists, and choreographers as part of his work in the news industry and reported them on his Kaniva Tonga News Website. Below, are some of those stories.
Opinion divided over moves to trademark Tongan hakas in New Zealand
Tongan composers spelled out the name of their beloved in their song lyrics
Songs reveal the tragedy of the policeman and the princess
Lead guitarist who recorded the famous song ‘Hā‘ele ki Pilitānia’ dies in Seattle
Prolific punake who began his career with ukulele made from coconut shells believes he has out-recorded all other Tongan musicians
Desire for love forces a great punake to start composing in her teens
Song reveals connection between Tu‘imala and King of Ukulele, Sione ‘Āleki
