Auckland is celebrating Tongan language week with dancing, music, story telling and the launch of a new book, Tongan Heroes.
Tonga Language Week / Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga concludes on September 10.
Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said Tongan Language Week was focussed on how the loto (spirit) of the Tongan people had contributed to New Zealand.
“It looks at how Tongan culture has played a major role in shaping modern New Zealand’s Pacific identity,” Mr Lotu-Iiga said.
“It is an opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate and promote Tongan language in New Zealand.”
Tongan people are the third largest Pacific group in New Zealand. At the time of the 2013 census, more than 60,000 New Zealanders identified as Tongan.
More Tongan people were born in New Zealand than in Tonga. This gives lea faka-Tonga (the Tonga language) and anga faka-Tonga (Tonga culture) a special place in New Zealand.
“The number of people who speak Tongan has been growing, from just over 23,000 people in 2001 to nearly 32,000 in 2013,” the Minister said.
He told Radio New Zealand it was important to promote the teaching and learning of lea faka-Tonga at home, at work and in everyday situations.
The Tongan language continues to play a vital role in the diasporic Tongan community in Auckland.
Member for Manukau Jenny Salesa told the Manukau Courier being able to speak Tongan was valuable in her electorate office.
“Speaking Tongan helps me empathize more, understand and to listen well to this large Pacific constituency,” Salesa said.
“As Nelson Mandela famously said, ‘if you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart’.”
Tailulu Lu’isa Fonua-Faeamani, clinical director of Auckland health and social services The Fono West, said being able to speak Tongan helped her deal with many of her patients.
Speaking at the launch of Tongan Language Week in Wellington, she said it was easier to improve the health of communities when people spoke their language.
“They can understand, they can tell you what their needs are, rather than through a translator which is really, really important,” Dr Fonua-Faeamani said.
“We need more people in the health force who can communicate in different languages in order to provide for the Pacific people,” she said.
Events in libraries
Auckland’s libraries are playing a major role in hosting events for the week.
On Monday Botany Library held a Tongan language morning where people could learn basic Tongan words. Yesterday Mangere Town Centre Library hosted a Ma’ulu’ulu tutorial dance session and Manukau Library held a session where people coupled learn to play a Tongan song on a ukelele.
Today people had the chance to learn how to make Tongan dancing accessories like vesa and kahoa.
On Friday morning there is an opportunity to hear a Tongan legend spoken in Tongan, followed by performances by pre-schoolers at Mangere Town Centre Library.
On Friday night Tupu Youth Library will the site for the launch of a new book, Tongan Heroes. The book tells the stories of achievers who have Tongan ancestry, including legends, historical figures such as Queen Salote Tupou III and contemporary heroes like Jonah Lomu.
The main points
- Auckland is celebrating Tongan language week with dancing, music, story telling and the launch of a new book, Tongan Heroes.
- Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga said Tongan Language Week was focussed on how the loto (spirit) of the Tongan people had contributed to New Zealand.
- Tongan people are the third largest Pacific group in New Zealand, with just over 60,000 people identifying as Tongan.
- This gives lea faka-Tonga (the Tonga language) and anga faka-Tonga (Tonga culture) a special place in New Zealand.
For more information
Tongan language week; It’s about respect (Manukaur Courier)
Tongan Language Week (Ministry for Pacific Peoples)
Tongan Language Week kicks off in NZ (Radio New Zealand)
