Time is running out for aspiring contestants as enrollment for the prestigious Miss Heilala 2025/2026 pageant officially closes today.
Miss Malia Toatepi Tongauiha contestant Tika Way honours her Tongan heritage while vying for the Miss Heilala 2025/2026 crown.
Organisers are urging young Tongan women not to miss this opportunity to showcase their talent, intelligence, and cultural pride, declaring: “Don’t miss your chance to be part of this celebration of Tongan culture”.
While the official number of registrants remains undisclosed, several confident contestants have already announced their participation on social media, generating early excitement for the national competition.
Miss Racheal Guttenbeil is the reigning Miss Heilala 2024/2025.
Miss Guttenbeil, the current Miss Heilala 2024/2025, has seen her reign overshadowed by controversy stemming from the Miss Pacific 2024/2025 pageant in the Solomon Islands.
Despite placing second to Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia Allan, persistent allegations of vote-rigging have led many to believe Guttenbeil was the rightful winner.
As an entity of Tonga Tourism, the Miss Heilala pageant promotes Tonga domestically and abroad.
Beyond tourism, it also champions local charitable initiatives and community-driven development projects.
A former ‘Ikale Tahi coach and player, Quddus Fielea, has condemned the Tongatapu Rugby Union (TRU), accusing officials of failing to apply appropriate punishments to players accused of violence during recent matches.
Quddus Fielea
It follows last month’s conviction and fines of a rugby player for the Liahona Old Boys, Afimeimo’unga Hola, after pleading guilty to charges of serious bodily harm and common assault of two rugby union referees. He was ordered to pay $4,500 to both victims.
Fielea, the current coach of the Kolomotu’a rugby team, spoke out this afternoon after images surfaced on social media showing rugby players fighting in mud during recent matches, igniting public anger.
The controversy stems from two high-profile incidents in recent weeks where players were subjected to brutal on-field attacks. However, the TRU dismissed formal complaints and allegedly sided with what Fielea had described as referees’ flawed decisions rather than enforce proper disciplinary measures.
During last Saturday’s match, a Kolomotu’a player was allegedly assaulted by members of the Marist Club, Fielea claimed.
Despite video evidence and a formal complaint, the TRU—led by a voting majority of club representatives—chose to accept the “referee’s decision to red card both the aggressor and the Kolomotu’a player, who was clearly acting in self-defense”, according to Fielea.
The week prior, a Ngeleʻia player was allegedly kicked in the head by a Toloa Old Boys (TOB) player while lying defenceless on the ground.
Fielea claimed the victim was red-carded for pointing out the offender, while the attacker escaped punishment. Despite supporting evidence, the TRU again dismissed the complaint, urging the club to “let it go,” Fielea said.
Fielea said: “It is deeply saddening to witness the stance taken by the Tongatapu Rugby Union meeting yesterday (10/06/2025) regarding a series of violent and unsportsmanlike incidents that have recently marred our local rugby competition.”
TRU could not be reached for comment.
World Rugby Regulations Flouted
Fielea said: “World Rugby’s disciplinary framework exists to uphold the integrity of the sport and to protect all players from intentional acts of foul play. Under World Rugby Regulation 17, serious offences such as punching, kicking, stamping, or striking an opponent are classified as acts of misconduct and can result in significant penalties”.
He said These range from a minimum suspension of 2 weeks for low end offenses, up to 52 weeks or more for top-end breaches involving intentional and dangerous contact.
“The framework also mandates that incidents involving foul play especially those missed or misjudged during the match must be subject to independent citing, investigation, and disciplinary hearings. These procedures are not optional; they are binding on all unions affiliated with World Rugby”.
He said the Kolomotu’a and Ngeleʻia clubs, backed by other concerned stakeholders, are demanding “immediate transparency and reform in disciplinary procedures.”
“My role as a coach is to protect the safety of my players in every way available, especially when decision-makers fail to apply the proper protocols”.
Gripping footage circulating on Facebook has laid bare the daily dangers Niuafo’ou residents face as they wrestle with the island’s treacherous seas.
The video captures a heart-stopping moment as local men, battling monstrous waves, struggle to grab an iron rope fastened to a crane’s bucket—their critical tool for securing and lifting fuel drums ashore.
It reveals a life-threatening ballet – the crane’s hooked rope lashes like a metal whip a desperate sailor, their boat tossed by waves, attempting to catch it without being crushed by the swinging iron.
With no wharf to dock safely, their open boat pitches violently as one man fights to steer clear of jagged rocks, showcasing the extraordinary seamanship required to survive in Tonga’s most isolated northern outpost.
The scene epitomises Niuafo‘ou’s harsh reality – an island so rugged that steep cliffs prevent harbour construction, forcing locals to master these death-defying transfers.
Supplies from Tongatapu arrive just once a month, turning each delivery into a high-stakes ordeal.
As waves slam the boat sideways, the crew’s precision—threading the rope’s pre-shaped end onto the drums—reveals years of hard-won expertise.
As Kaniva Tonga News reported in 2015, photos documented a capsized barge, though no injuries occurred.
The images also revealed how ferries must maintain their position in open waters while cargo and passengers transfer to barges.
The six-meter-long barge then transports people and goods to shore, where locals carefully assist them ashore.
About Niuafo’ou
Niuafo’ou is regarded as one of the most isolated islands in the world.
Located in the north of the kingdom, the furthest island from the mainland, Tongatapu, where the capital city Nuku’alofa is located.
It is a volcanic island, meaning no surrounding reefs protect the land from the sea.
It is understood that people from inland who do the unloading and disembarkation at sea must be experienced people who know how to read the patterns of the waves.
They have to count several big waves before allowing the barge to come ashore.
While at the jetty the barge has to be unloaded and passengers disembarked as quickly as possible and put out to sea or the next big waves strike it against the rocks.
A vessel from Tongatapu arrives at Niuafo’ou once a month with passengers, goods for the shops, petrol and mail.
Niuafo’ou is 574 km away from Tongatapu. According to the 2006 census, it has a population of 650.
Tonga’s Supreme Court has handed down life sentences to two individuals convicted of attempting to smuggle a substantial quantity of methamphetamine into the country.
Mr Fine Tevita Fifita, 31, and Miss Vaivevea Mafi, 45, had been found guilty of importing 1,157.4 grams of the illicit drug concealed within a shipping container from the United States.
The prosecution’s case focused on a shipping crate belonging to Lolani Finau in the US, which was transported by the MV Mount Cameron from the US to Tonga in April 2023. While originally consigned to another party, the court document shows that the receiver’s name had been suspiciously modified to designate Mafi as the recipient.
Authorities discovered the methamphetamine hidden inside laundry powder buckets, despite the cargo being declared as containing innocent items like clothes, shoes, and candy.
Under Tonga’s strict Illicit Drugs Control Act, anyone found in possession of 28 grams or more of an illicit drug faces mandatory life imprisonment.
Fifita was also convicted of two counts of bribing law enforcement officers.
Evidence revealed he had referred to the packages as “ice” and attempted to pay off officials when the drugs were discovered.
Mafi was found complicit in facilitating the shipment by changing the consignee details.
Overwhelming Evidence Presented
Justice Petunia Tupou delivered a scathing assessment of the defendants’ actions.
She noted that Fifita and Mafi admitted to being at Ma’ufanga on 27 April 2024 to clear the consignment.
Justice Tupou said the duo claimed it was intended to cover petrol and worker expenses for exporting agricultural produce to the United States, where Lolani Finau would market the goods.
The court was told that Lolani Finau was also known by the Facebook name “Lion Finau”.
The defendants further acknowledged that two packages discovered inside the laundry buckets within the consignment were tested and confirmed to contain 1,157.4 grams of methamphetamine.
Justice Tupou also found that the pair had no legal justification for facilitating the import of these prohibited substances into Tonga.
The Judge then dismissed the pair’s denial of “any knowledge of the packages”, pointing to a trail of incriminating evidence. This included suspicious Facebook communications, falsified import documents, and Fifita’s attempts to obstruct the investigation.
Justice Tupou emphasised that their coordinated efforts demonstrated clear knowledge of and participation in the drug operation.
The Judge said: “For those reasons, I am satisfied that the Prosecution has proven beyond any reasonable doubt so that I am sure that Fifita on 27 April, 2023 at Ma’ufanga, did knowingly, without lawful excuse imported 1157.4 grams of methamphetamine, a class A illicit drug.
As for Mafi, she was a willing party in all of this and knew that the crate contained illicit drugs. She agreed to be the consignee and I am not persuaded of the reason for using her name.”
Judge Tupou sentenced both Fifita and Mafi to life imprisonment for knowingly importing the methamphetamine – a Class A illicit drug – without lawful excuse.
The Tongan government has declared October 26 of this year a public holiday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the appearance of a cross believed to represent Jesus Christ at the Free Wesleyan Church compound in Pangai, Ha’apai, in 1975.
The cemented outline of the miraculous cross that appeared at the Free Wesleyan Church of Pangai, Haʻapai, in 1975—now a sacred site commemorated with a national holiday.
As Kaniva News reported previously, Late Rev Mohenoa Puloka said that, on the day the cross appeared, the Minister in Charge of Young People and Evangelism Ministries, Rev Kalavite ‘Uhila, was on his way to the church for a preaching service at about 5am when he saw a bright light in the church grounds.
Rev ‘Uhila braved himself by walking straight toward the light, which he discerned as a cross lying on the ground to the east of the church.
After the early service, Rev ‘Uhila revealed the existence of the mysterious cross to the senior pastor, Rev. Vili Fatai Koli, Rev. Haitini Fīnau, the Principal of Taufaʻāhau and Pilolevu College, and the congregation.
“They all went outside and confirmed the presence of the mystery cross,” Rev Puloka told Kaniva News.
“By then the light had gone out, but the outline of this mystery cross was permanently embedded on the ground and the grass turned deep yellowish green.”
The cross was 30 feet and eight inches (10 metres and 20 cm) long and 23 feet four inches (seven metres and 10 cm) along the crossbar. The long part of the cross was three feet and four inches (one metre) wide. It is understood that the outline of the mysterious cross was later cemented to maintain its original shape.
Rev Dr Puloka said he believed: “The mystery cross is the only known and confirmed imprimatur cross delivered by angelic hosts from heaven.”
“The instance was quickly relayed to the President of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, the Rev. Dr. Sione ‘Amanaki Havea, at Nukuʻalofa. “After confirming the existence of the cross, Rev. Dr. Havea duly informed his Majesty, King Taufaʻāhau Tupou IV.
About a week later, His Majesty paid a visit to the mystery cross at Pangai, Haʻapai.” After the king confirmed for himself the presence of the cross, he held a brief press conference and said the mystery cross found its home at the hereditary home of King Taufaʻāhau Tupou I.
His Majesty said the magical cross appeared on the same ground where Taufaʻāhau knelt for baptism by the Rev. John Thomas on August 7, 1831.
”This cross is God’s confirmation of that 1839 covenant in which King Taufaʻāhau Tupou I offered the people and the land of Tonga to God: God and Tonga are my heritage,” Rev Dr Puloka said.
Commentary—This week, Tonga’s lawmakers urged the Speaker of Parliament to consult the Attorney General (AG) on legal impasses, reviving a legal expert’s warning that failing to address these issues will continue to harm the nation’s democracy.
Attorney General Linda Folaumoetu’i. Photo/TBC
The latest stalemate, prompting calls for the AG’s advice, stems from a debate between the Opposition and the government over whether the law on revolving funds permits transferring money to the recurrent budget. This was a clear example of lawmakers regularly engaging in lengthy debates on legal issues—issues that could have been resolved in minutes if the AG had been present.
The absence of the nation’s top legal advisor in the legislative chamber not only highlights a structural deficiency but also underscores the troubling lack of legal expertise among many lawmakers.
The root of this issue traces back to Tonga’s contentious 2010 constitutional reforms, which removed the AG from government and placed them in the Privy Council.
This decision has long been debated, as it effectively silos legal counsel away from the very institution that needs it most.
The consequences are palpable: Time and again, we’ve witnessed the Legislative Assembly deadlocked, urgently demanding advice from the Attorney General, particularly during critical debates like Votes of No Confidence or annual budget deliberations.
Embedding the AG within Parliament would provide real-time clarity, ensuring decisions are grounded rather than political manoeuvring.
This isn’t just about procedural reform—it’s about restoring competence to Tonga’s democracy.
If the AG’s role is to advise the government, then they should be alongside those crafting the laws. Anything less is a disservice to the nation.
While Samoa and New Zealand seat their Attorney General in Parliament, and Fiji restricts theirs to Cabinet, Tonga persists with an indefensible paradox: a Parliament that routinely demands AG guidance during critical debates, yet systematically excludes its chief legal advisor from the legislative chamber.
Tonga can no longer ignore its broken political system, which the constitutional expert in the 2010 review condemned as the Commonwealth’s poorest constitution.
AG Post-Reform Critique
In his 2010 review of Tonga’s Constitution, Peter Pursglove critically examined the role of the Attorney General as stipulated by the new framework.
Hired by the nobility-backed government of Lord Tu’ivakanō—the first administration to test the post-reform democracy—Pursglove argued that placing the Attorney General within the “justice sector” alongside the Ministry of Justice and Lord Chancellor “is proving unworkable.”
“It is inefficient, ineffective, and unaffordable,” Pursglove stated, noting that maintaining separate administrative structures for the Lord Chancellor and Attorney General duplicated functions already adequately performed by the Ministry of Justice.
The report further warned that “the financial costs of the new judicial structure cannot be sustained from public funds” and that the reorganisation had eroded institutional accountability: while the Ministry of Justice answers to Parliament, the Lord Chancellor and Attorney General report only to the King in Privy Council. Pursglove concluded this structure “contradicts the democratic principles upon which the new Constitution was founded.”
Power Struggle Delays
Unfortunately, the Pursglove report was submitted to the King and tabled in Parliament for the next elected government to address—a decision timed just before the 2014 elections.
When Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva’s government took office in 2015, it pursued the report’s recommendations, including six reform bills. However, lawmakers from the previous Tuʻivakanō administration—the very ones who had commissioned the Pursglove report—mounted fierce opposition.
They misleadingly claimed the reforms had been a conspiracy to strip the King’s powers.
In 2019, the Nobility finally conceded their earlier political manoeuvre in the House and urged ʻAkilisi Pōhiva to reintroduce the six bills for debate. However, Pōhiva’s death late that year halted progress.
His successor, Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa, shelved the bills indefinitely, prioritising policies he deemed more urgent for the people.
Editorial – Tonga’s relationship with pigs is deeply rooted in tradition, economy, and daily life. These animals are not merely livestock—they are a cultural cornerstone, a source of income for families, and an essential part of celebrations, funerals, and rituals. Yet, the recent police campaign to shoot roaming pigs under the Animal Pound Act has sparked outrage and grief among Tongans who rely on these animals for survival.
All Eyes on the Minister of Police for Pig Policy Reform
In Tonga, pigs’ presence in feasts and fakapangai (formal events) is not just customary but often mandatory. No Tongan feast is considered complete without pigs on the table.
A viral video this week showing a dead pig on the roadside, with a police van driving away in the background, overlays a distraught woman’s voice asking a man moving the pig, “When did they shoot it?” This single frame captures both the devastation and the injustice of the policy. This harsh enforcement raises a critical question: Is it time to revise this outdated and indiscriminate law?
Stray vs Roaming Animals
It is important at this stage to clarify the difference between pigs roaming in Tonga and what is understood in the palangi (Western) context as stray animals, where shooting may be justified if they pose a threat or cause damage. In Tonga, pigs and dogs that roam are customarily part of the practice known as fakataka (intentionally letting them out to forage, often because owners cannot provide enough food). True stray animals, by contrast, are those without owners. Therefore, the police shooting campaign primarily targets roaming, not genuinely stray, animals, raising concerns about cultural and economic impacts.
Some nobility estates and villages have long practised controlled roaming, with fencing of boundaries set to protect crops. This system These communities recognized the balance between earnings and animal safety. However, the current law disregards this cultural context, enforcing a blanket policy that harms those it should protect.
When Policy Punishes Poverty
It is understood that before shooting roaming pigs and dogs, except collared dogs, the police issued prior warnings for owners to secure their animals. While this may seem reasonable, consider the case of a widow who relies on her pigs as the sole source of income to support her five school-aged children, in a country with virtually no social welfare system. Shouldn’t the government provide alternatives before authorising lethal enforcement if she cannot afford to build a pig pen?
Section 18 of the Animal Pound Act permits police to kill any pig found roaming on roads or public property. While the intent may have been to control nuisance animals, the law makes no distinction between truly stray pigs and those intentionally let loose under the traditional practice of fakataka puaka, where pigs are allowed to roam but are still owned and cared for. Many families raise pigs this way, selling piglets to pay for school fees or keeping them for ceremonial purposes. Shooting these pigs doesn’t just destroy livestock, it destroys livelihoods.
In the past, when police shot pigs and dogs, communities responded with anger and frustration, often silently condemning the authorities. If it were a kāinga or community member who committed these acts, it would trigger the practice of fakamotumotu, severing familial and social ties.
Livelihoods Over Lethal Measures
This is a wake-up call for the government. The former two governments recently poured over $20 million into Lulutai Airlines’ failed venture, including a $2 million grant from Australia. Why isn’t the government investing in this instead?
This week, the Prime Minister announced a $30 million budget policy to launch a bond marketing program to support the private sector, specifically fisheries, including importing fish from Fiji. The goal is to provide locals with cheaper, healthier food alternatives to expensive, unhealthy red meats. While this sounds promising, its success remains uncertain, as such an approach has never been tried before.
Meanwhile, locally raised pigs have long been proven productive and effective in every respect—providing families with income and enabling them to fulfil their kavenga (cultural obligations). So why doesn’t the government invest in small-scale pig keeping? Financial support for feed and pigsties would be far more constructive than shooting these vital animals.
While public safety and property protection are important, the current enforcement is too extreme, indiscriminate, and destructive. The government must revisit this law, engage with communities, and find a solution that respects tradition and modern governance.
Shooting pigs should never be the first—or only—option. It’s time for a policy that reflects Tongan values, not undermines them.
Auckland, New Zealand – Authorities and family members are urgently seeking public assistance to locate Samiu, a 73-year-old man who went missing in Māngere at 10:30 this morning.
The Tongan elderly gentleman, who speaks only Tongan, was last seen wearing a maroon Adidas jersey, black pants, and black Crocs.
His family has notified police, and a search operation is currently underway.
Samiu’s limited English proficiency raises significant concerns about his ability to seek help or communicate with strangers.
The Māngere community, particularly members of Auckland’s Tongan population, are being asked to remain vigilant.
Police advise anyone who spots him to approach calmly and contact authorities immediately, as he may be confused or disoriented.
Family spokesperson Losaline Mahe expressed deep concern: “We’re extremely worried—he has never gone missing before.
If anyone has seen him, please call the police right away.”
Neighbors and local volunteers have begun checking nearby parks, shopping centers, and bus stops, while police continue their ground and CCTV search efforts.
How to Assist: ✔ Check surveillance cameras (homes/businesses near Māngere town center) ✔ Share this alert widely, especially among Tongan-speaking networks ✔ Call 111 or Crime Stoppers (0800 555 111) with any sightings
As night falls, urgency grows—anyone with information is urged to act immediately. Updates will be provided as the search progresses.
Nuku’alofa, Tonga – Miss Heilala Racheal Guttenbeil was spotted tending to her vegetable garden dressed in elegant Tongan formal attire to mark World Environment Day.
Miss Heilala Racheal Guttenbeil tends to an onion plant in her garden, dressed in elegant Tongan attire—blending culture with sustainability 🌱👑. This #WorldEnvironmentDay, she reminds us that every small action—whether planting, reducing plastic, or protecting water—helps build a healthier, greener future. Photo/Miss Heilala Pageant (Facebook)
This year’s global campaign, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” highlights the urgent need to combat the devastating effects of plastic waste on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.
The Miss Heilala Pageant shared a photo of Miss Guttenbeil crouching beside a vegetable planter box, gently touching the leaves of an onion plant.
The caption calls on the public to support environmental conservation and urges everyone to join their plant-growing initiatives, reduce plastic use, and preserve water sources.
It also states: “Remember: Every small action counts toward a healthier, cleaner, and greener future.”
The beauty queen’s symbolic gesture not only honoured Tonga’s rich traditions but also reinforced the importance of sustainable living.
By merging cultural heritage with environmental activism, Miss Heilala sent a powerful message about preserving natural and cultural treasures for future generations.
Her initiative follows Tonga’s recent Emancipation Day celebrations, where the reigning Beauty Queen paid tribute to the national holiday by donning the country’s colours—red and white—while holding a kele’a, a cultural symbol of something of great importance.
As nations worldwide unite to reduce plastic waste, Tonga’s beauty ambassadors are leading by example, proving that tradition and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
