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Tongan Language Week helps foster relationships between schools and families Featured

Lupeta Langi, Viliami Tuimana and Stephen Latu perform during a visit by the Tongan Society to Timaru Christian School. Lupeta Langi, Viliami Tuimana and Stephen Latu perform during a visit by the Tongan Society to Timaru Christian School.

8 September, 2016. The hard work that went into preparing for Tongan language week has paid off, Tongan Society South Canterbury president Sina Latu says.

Members of the society visited 11 schools and early learning centres in Timaru between Monday and Thursday.

Tongan pupils at each place helped society members put on a presentation about Tongan culture.

"It has been great, really," Latu said.

While a lot of work had gone into putting the week together, she had been amazed by the level of support from the parents, she said.

"It was really good for the parents to come and support their children, and also to build a good relationship with the parents and the teachers."

The children were proud to share their culture with their classmates and friends, she said.

Latu had taken calls from people at schools and early learning centres wanting the society to visit.

"We will make time in the next few weeks."

As the society, which has between 150 and 200 members, only formed earlier this year, it was the first Tongan Language Week it had celebrated.

Latu was sure it would be celebrated in South Canterbury again next year.

At Timaru Christian School on Thursday afternoon, some of the presenters wore traditional outfits and spoke Tongan.

They introduced themselves, and spoke about their parents, which schools they were attending, how much they loved church and what their favourite hymns were.

During a question and answer session, society member Latai Tu'imana fielded a lot of questions from the Timaru Christian School pupils, including what kind of food people ate in Tonga, what kind of insects there were, what kind of jobs people had and whether it was hot there.

"I love being Tongan, wearing my traditional clothes all the time," Tu'imana told the pupils.

"In Tonga we eat lots of starchy foods like taro and tapioca."

She told the pupils it got as hot as 42 degrees Celsius in Tonga during the summer.

The society will hold a Fiefia Night on Friday night at Caroline Bay Hall which will feature traditional food, dance and fashion.

Latu said a competition was held for the primary and high school Tongan students, most of whom had been born in New Zealand, or born in Tonga and raised in New Zealand.

The students were asked to focus on why Tongan culture was important to them.

Latu said many wrote that they valued being able to speak two languages and being able to learn perform Tongan dances. "They enjoy dancing."

Initially Latu questioned if there would be many entries. "Everyone has been so excited to put in their essay."

Results would be announced on Friday.

LEARN SOME TONGAN

Hello – Malo e lelei

Good bye – Nofo aa

How are you? – Fefee hake?

What is your name? – Ko hai ho hingoa?

Mum – Fa'ee

Dad – Tamai

Where are you from? – Ko ho'o ha'u mei fe?

Thank you – Malo

Yes – 'io

No – 'ikai

Eat – kai

Pray – lotu

- Stuff

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