Tongan language week

Pacific Peoples Minister Barbara Edmonds said language is more than a means of communication.

She said it's an important way to link generations and maintain connections to ancestral roots.

There are more than 82,000 Tongans in Aotearoa.

This year's Uike Lea Faka-Tonga or Tongan Language week was a virtual affair because of the nation-wide lockdowns for COVID-19 said Minister Aupito William Sio.

The theme is Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa 'aki 'a e Ako Lelei, which in English, it means, Enriching Aotearoa New Zealand with holistic education.

"Of course, right now, learning the traditional way - such as attending school or university - was on hold due to the current COVID-19 restrictions.

"Alert Level 4 and 3 means students must learn from home, and follow the golden rules," Sio said.

The theme of this week’s Tongan Language Week is Fakakoloa ‘o Aotearoa ‘aki ‘a e Ako Lelei, which means enriching Aotearoa with holistic education.

Sio, who is also the Member for Mangere, said young people should also feel comfortable learning their language, culture and genealogy.

Speaking from his backyard, the Minister said Language week was being launched online as a way of keeping the community safe from Covid-19.

He said the government would encourage Island communities to be vaccinated over the next four months.

Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa 'aki 'a e Lotu Mo'oni, which translates to enriching Aotearoa New Zealand through prayer and faith, was a theme decided upon by the Tongan language week committee in September 2019.

For Dr. Linita Manu'atu, chairperson of the committee, said the term Lotu Mo'oni is more about God's spirit in us.

"With that spirit, people worship God in spirit and in truth and practice God's commandment, that is, love God with all your heart and love your neighbours as you love yourself," she explained.

Tongan academic and former MP, Dr Sitiveni Halapua, says it was the missionaries' support and advice that made a huge impact on shaping Tonga’s political formation and system.

“Tonga moved very fast. Their constitution was written by the Prime Minister Shirley Baker and other missionaries in 1875 after being declared a Christian nation by Taufa’ahau, who was later crowned as King George Tupou," says Halapua.     

“It made bigger nations like German and the British recognise Tonga as a civilized country and a sovereign nation. 

Tongan academic and former MP, Dr Sitiveni Halapua, says it was the missionaries' support and advice that made a huge impact on shaping Tonga’s political formation and system.

“Tonga moved very fast. Their constitution was written by the Prime Minister Shirley Baker and other missionaries in 1875 after being declared a Christian nation by Taufa’ahau, who was later crowned as King George Tupou," says Halapua.     

“It made bigger nations like German and the British recognise Tonga as a civilized country and a sovereign nation. 

The theme for the 2020 Uike Lea Faka-Tonga is "Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa aki 'a e Lotu Mo'oni", which in English means "Enriching Aotearoa New Zealand through prayer and faith".

Aupito William Sio said in his experience the Tongan community throughout Aotearoa were deeply spiritual people, and their theme reflected their strong faith-based belief system like many in the Pacific.

"[The theme] underscores the practicality that faith and works must go hand in hand."

MP Jenny Salesa, who was the first Tongan-born woman to enter the New Zealand Parliament, said as Tongan was her first language it has helped her serve the community effectively.

"You know I see quite a lot of people that come and see me because I am the only Tongan speaking MP.

"They come from all sorts of areas in Auckland, but I also get phone calls from right across Aotearoa because of the language issue.

"So many of our people don't speak very good English," she said.

The University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology are known to have an unspoken rivalry as neighbouring institutions.

The vice president of the Tongan Student Association of the University of Auckland (TAUA) Eleni Lokotui said it was not a dramatic, serious rivalry, but there was always a competitiveness between the two.

Ms Lokotui said the rivalry was more prominent during the annual gathering 'Amatakiloa' which all New Zealand Tongan groups attend.

Tongan Language Week is being celebrated this week and its theme this year theme is 'Fakakoloa Aotearoa 'Aki 'Ae Nofo 'A Kainga' or 'Enriching Aotearoa with our Family Values'.

Sio Kihe La'a Talakai-'Alatini from the Pasifika Education Centre in Auckland said the emphasis on family values was crucial.

"For my children growing up in Aotearoa, this is how I want them to understand the Tongan language, through the values," she said.

She said Tongan values will help keep the language alive.