Our Tutu on the Beach tokos, Josh and Nox take time out from their Niu Initiative "Young Pacific Change Makers" workshop to teach us a few Tongan phrases and words for Tonga Language Week here in New Zealand. Try out the words and phrases along with Nox in the video above -

Like us on Facebook Subscribe to our YouTube Let nothing stop you from eating! Canned food? but no can opener? NO PROBLEM! Join us on this episode of Tips n Trix for 3 Fresh ways to open your can without a can opener!

Food for the champs a.k.a the Tongan Steroids, Taro.  Learn how to Peel Taro and impress your Island fams.

Toko gives us a step by step demonstration of how to do the Mate Ma'a Tonga Sipi Tau so you can practise it up for the next MMT game - he's joined by his Dad, brother and his buddies from the Pome'e clan! 

"It represents culture, continuity but also tradition ... it keeps us grounded in that spiritual and cultural way" We look at the beginning of Fofo'anga Fai Kava clubs in New Zealand and how the younger generation are embracing it to learn the Tongan language, music & songs as well as learning from and bonding with the older generation.

Mother & daughter Mele and Ileini Tuipulotu show us how to make 2 types of Kahoa Lole (Ula Lole or Lolly Lei). Perfect for when you're celebrating achievements or graduations, birthdays and even weddings.

Us Island girls and our beautiful thick curls, sometimes need to get creative with how we tame it. Tongan Hair stylist Sesalina Simonetti aka Shezel shows us how to do an all-around Dutch Braid!!  Sesalina is also available to style or braid your hair - contact deets below: Facebook - Shezel Starlish Instagram - _shezel Cell - 021 168 8928

Us Island girls and our beautiful thick curls, sometimes need to get creative with how we tame it. Tongan Hair stylist Sesalina Simonetti aka Shezel shows us how to do a Two Rope Braid into an under side bun. Sesalina is also available to style or braid your hair - contact deets below: Facebook - Shezel Starlish Instagram - _shezel Cell - 021 168 8928

Tongan Hair stylist Sesalina Simonetti aka Shezel shows us how to do a Two Rope Braid into an under side bun. Sesalina is also available to style or braid your hair - contact deets below: Facebook - Shezel Starlish Instagram - _shezel Cell - 021 168 8928

Nox shows us the different occasions the Ta'ovala is worn and the different mats used for these occasions. What is a Ta'ovala? Why are they worn? When are the best occasions for certain Ta'ovala? From the Everyday Ta'ovala to the Funeral and Wedding Ta'ovala, Nox helps us Navigate our way through the special Tongan attire.

Prof. Futa Helu's fahu, HRH Princess Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu, performing one of the last duties of a fahu, the FAKAMALELE.  When in mourning everything is silent, no music, no tv, & no laughter. When the mourning process is over, the fahu makes noise or plays music. - FAHU: Is ones fathers eldest sister (MEHIKITANGA 'EIKI), if she is not present then one of her sisters or their children sit in for her but the fahu's koloa should still always be called to the mehikitanga 'eiki. If none of ones fathers sisters or their children is present, the FAHU LOA (your fathers fathers eldest sister) will fahu. If the fahu loa isn't present her children or grandchildren (only from her daughters) will fahu.  There is no way that anyone can fahu on their fathers family. A man can fahu over his mothers side but his children can't. Cousins of the opposite sex also can't fahu because of the taboo over tuonga'ane & tuofefine.  If the deceased is male & his mehikitanga, her children & lohu loa isn't present, the to'ukai mo hono lohu (sisters eldest daughter) will fahu. 

With Kiekie Extraordinaire Mel from the amazing Kanumez where the best custom made Kiekie are created.  Kanumez Kiekie designer & owner Mele Tonga Tamanilo shares the origin of the Kiekie in Tongan culture, what it means to them as Tongan women and how they've 'bling blinged' it up to appeal to this generation!   

For the past six years a group of women have met at the Onehunga Community Centre on a Monday night to take part in a weaving and craft class called Laukaupo'uli. Laukaupo'uli is funded by the Harmony Trust  and Mele Lopasi Latu who is a counsellor and group facilitator explains how they came up with the name of the group "Laukaupo'uli" "Laukaupo’uli is a plant that has beautiful flowers which bloom at night. They start blooming at the start of evening and reach full bloom at mid-night. Its heavy fragrance fills the evening air.  Moonlit nights have their own beauty. They close when the sun light touches their petals. Imagine a beautiful night with cool breeze touching the cheeks softly, sweet fragrance of night blooming flowers spread in the air, a mug of coffee or tea steaming in your hands and your family by your side, sharing therapy interactions. Nothing can be more beautiful, pleasing and comforting than this after a hard day at work" The class also features a therapy session where the women talk about their lives and seek to support each other through tough times. Now, their children and grandchildren are also involved and Laukaupo'uli is a place where craft skills, language, stories and song are passed on.      

Tongan Tau’olunga The Tongan Tau’olunga is said to have been adopted into Tongan culture from the Samoan taualuga though many of the movements or motifs used in the tau’olunga come from the more ancient ‘ula’ dance. The ula, also known as fa’ahi-ula or faha’iula was a group dance for young chiefly daughters. With the introduction of the Samoan taualuga in the 19th Century, it became institutionalised amongst Tonga’s aristocracy (associated to the Tu’i Kanokupolu lineages) and soon became one of the most popular dances to end an occasion. In the 1950’s Queen Salote personally made the tau’olunga distinctly more Tongan by adding wrist flourishes and lakalaka leg transitions into her song ‘Manu ‘o Palataisi’ (Bird of Paradise). This led to what we see in composition and format of the modern tau’olunga today. Sisi’uno Helu shows us how to do some basic movements of the tau’olunga ranging from the ‘taulalo’, the ‘ha’o ta’, the ‘vete’, the 'kako', the ‘fu’, the ‘tongi’one’ and the ‘fakataupasi’. Check out how to tau’olunga. - Song credits:  Longi Brothers, Nepituno Longi Brothers, Sei o Fafine Pacific Soul, O le Taualuga 'Hala Kuo Papa' covered by Afokoula, originally written by the late Queen Salote composed by Vili Pusiaki and crafted/originally performed by the Lomipeau.

How To: Tongan Body Building Ever thought of doing body building? Well, we caught up with the Tongan Body Building Team and got a couple of tips on how to Tongan style. The Tongan body building team with Deirdre Corbett (Face of Beauty International) in centre The featured body building team is made up of participants from both the Tongan based Tongan Body Building Federation and members from the New Zealand based Tongan Body Building Association. We caught up with them as they were on their way to compete at the INBA South Pacific Natural Physique Competition where Manase Afuhaamango (Mr Tonga 2016) won the South Pacific Physique Champs Taupo overall.  Manase will also represent The Kingdom of Tonga at the 2016 Natural Olympia in Las Vegas Nevada Nov 10-13. All the best Manase! Mr Tonga 2016, Manase Afuhaamango Read more about Manase's story and his dream to get to the Natural Olympia International Championships in Las Vegas. Common let's get him there!! - https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/helpformrtonga2016

Sieni Mafile’o joins a Koka’anga group, to make a Ngatu. The age old custom of making Ngatu is broken down and demonstrated in Tonga’s Ancient Capital City, the village of Lapaha. Let the Ike beating begin!  

Stop in at any village in Tonga and you’re bound to come across a Kava hall or Club, a place to socialise, relax and partake in the age-old custom of a Kava ceremony. Find out more about one of the most valued root crops in the Pacific, how its prepared and how its served at a ‘fai kava’ circle in Tonga. At the head of this mostly male circle, is the often controversial figure of the Tou'a, who serves and oversees the fai kava ceremony. There are many ideas about this role and whether it has become increasingly exploitative of young girls in the modern age but the Tou'a continues to be an integral figure in fai kava ceremonies both in Tonga and overseas. At these informal fai kava ‘kalapus’ the Tou'a is an unmarried young woman, but there are other formal occasions where the Tou'a will be a male chief who for example, will preside over the highly prestigious pongipongi kava ceremony. Join Tou'a -Veisinia Tukuafu as she talks us through her role as a Tou'a and of the significance of Kava across the Pacific. Let us know your thoughts on this role, and your experience of kava ceremonies in the Pacific!

Hiding in the shadows of the Tongan reef, the mysterious Feke or Octopus taunts the hunter, its tentacles enticing him ever closer, then like fluid lighting, it slips beyond reach and all the hunter is left with is an empty belly. So, is it the fact that it’s so hard to catch what makes the Octopus delicious? Or is it the mystery of the creature itself? Here in the pacific we love a challenge combine that with eating and were down for anything!  Join our coconet guide Mafile’o as she takes you on a traditional Feke hunting trip.  Using the age old hunting techniques of The “Make Feke” and Spear, will their hard work pay off… or will our hunters go hungry? 

There is a secrete language wrapped up in a Tongan Ta’ovala or Mat. Everything from how and where it's worn, to its size, the grade of the weave, it's decorations and even how old the mat is, tells a tale at a simple glance. Nowhere else in the pacific are mats or Ta’ovalas worn so often, Queen Salote Tupou III even ordered the Taʻovala to become part of a Tongan civil servants' uniform. In this ‘How to’ our Coconet guide Benjamin Work learns Ta’ovala 101 from local Tongan expert Favine Fakahau Lumsden who explains the do's and don'ts of Ta’ovala wearing.  

There is nothing more Tongan than a huge, warm, welcoming smile.  In fact the unofficial name for the Kingdom of Tonga is 'The friendly Islands'. And for any Tongan a smile isn’t really compete without a flash of gold to adorn it! Getting your 'Nifo Koula' or Gold tooth, is almost a right of passage in the Kingdom; it signifies a coming of age, and says to the world “I’m a grown woman”!  And for our coconet 'How to' guide, Emily Mafile’o, it’s something she’s always wanted. So along with a gold ring left to her by her Grandmother, Emily goes on a journey to get a little bling added to her Tongan Grin.