Somewhere out there someone knows how to spell that word.

Tonight/Last night Fiona and Kalisitoni unwrapped a special evening they’ve been preparing with the Petersham youth.

Which begins with the ever present feeding, in the Ozzie style BBQ (no puaka? where’s Tonga gone when we can’t even get puaka for a get together?) Thanks to the fire tending by Rose and ‘Anau.

The kids were having a blast playing around outside, while the final touches were being put up on the stage with Ilavalu and ‘Ita putting up the ‘star’ and getting some lights up for the outdoor, evening show.

Soon enough, there was enough food not yet eaten to invite all the adults and the invited Petersham neighborhood guests to the table to share in the frivolity.

Hey, some of those people look like they’ve gone back for seconds already!!

The youth band started us the formal program for the evening with some Christmas music, hymns, and popular tunes (well, as popular as some of the Tongan music can be.) Sisitoutai got up during the band session and did a shimmy disco that endeared him to the crowd (ma’u he tangata ee mafana ‘a Ngalo’afe)

But soon enough it was time to get off the mats and get ready for tonights performance.

The children replayed the nativity scene in a very well presented play. And the prize for the weary is more work. The parents agreed they wanted to see it all over again, so everyone has to dust off the dirt from tonights performance and we can go through it all again tomorrow noon for the regular church service.

Isn’t it sweet that the Australian Government would like everyone to realise that we hold the moral high ground.

Time to end Bush’s wretched war. (excerpt)

Yesterday, the Australian Government, via the Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, reiterated its opposition to the death penalty. "We urge countries who continue to apply capital punishment not to do so," he told the ABC, adding that Australia would co-sponsor a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly calling for a moratorium on capital punishment.

Just as we hold the moral high ground on all those other International Treatise signed on the rights of children, or the rights of asylum seekers, after which we close the doors from any critics and go ahead and literally drive people to self-harm, suicide, mental illness.

But we are white, and white is might, so it must be right.

The Pacific Solution.

Feb 2008: As promised prior to the 2007 Federal Election, the ALP on assuming government, quickly moved to shut down the Australian-run detention centre on Nauru in the remote South Pacific. However, it has not withdrawn the controversial September 2001 legislation that created the offshore detention and processing system that came to be known as the 'Pacific Solution'. Instead of transferring asylum seekers en route to Australia to Nauru, it now transfers all asylum seekers to the detention centre on Christmas Island off Australia's far North-West coast. They still have have no rights under Australian law and are processed separately.

Oh, and they didn’t get the chance to enact a new legislation with greater powers similar to what allows the above ‘solution’ because those fool citizens didn’t give the ALP a majority in the Senate.

Commenting on the announcement, James Thomson, spokesperson for the National Council of Churches’ refugee program, which coordinated the statement, said that if it were not for the sustained pressure that churches and community brought to bear in the debate, and the pivitol role played by key parliamentarians who stood their ground against the Bill, it would have been passed.

Flight from Nauru ends Pacific Solution

"The Pacific solution was a cynical, costly and ultimately unsuccessful exercise introduced on the eve of a federal election (in 2001) by the Howard government," Senator Evans said.

He said the department had spent $289 million between September 2001 and June 2007 to run the Nauru and Manus centres.

Mark Getchell, from the International Organisation for Migration, which ran the Nauru facility, said there were now no asylum seekers left on Nauru.

"It is the end of an era," Mr Getchell said.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) welcomed the end of the policy.

"Many bona fide refugees caught by the policy spent long periods of isolation, mental hardship and uncertainty - and prolonged separation from their families," UNHCR's Richard Towle said in a statement

We won, and there were free tickets at some of the sports stores (although free is as in spend $100+ dollars and get a free ticket?)

Rugby league world cup match between Ireland and Tonga at Parramatta stadium. Picture Brent McGilvary

 

http://parramatta-advertiser.whereilive.com.au/photos/gallery/tonga-vs-ireland/

 

A few pics for you!

 

cheers,

I used to look up to our wizened elders and wonder

"will I contribute to this life a shadow of the amount they've contributed?"

Taholo Kami just sent out an email of some musical recordings by his daughter Tae. To know just a little about what the family, and Tae have gone through in the past couple of years is to wonder at the contribution that they have made to this life.

1 March 2008 Update

Tae singing His Eyes are on the Sparrow  Click to hear/download song

Tae is still in hospital this morning. Tae was smiling by the time I got to hospital last night - the small session in surgery to drain the infection beside her nose seemed to have worked out well and Sina had called for me to pick up a hot chocolate and fish fillet burger from Mcdonalds for her to snack on. We hope all goes well from here on - her breathing has cleared up a little but we have to see what the doctors say today.

We had a long discussion yesterday while she lay on the bed and she says to me "Dad - I've accepted the situation - have you?"  She then proceeded to explain that she has been so richly blessed in her short life, she's had her miracle and she has overcome all her challenges, she is ready to go home  if God decides its time. The surgeon was stunned by her frankness on issues and spent more time discussing life and faith issues with her yesterday  then her condition...

The guys from the studio dropped off samples of her song yesterday. There is a version of Tae singing "His Eyes are on the Sparrow" and the song she wrote "Walk on, Walk Strong". The studio guys also did their own version of "Walk on, Walk Strong" which was quite stunning. I will upload it once I figure how to do it. We hope the song can be used to raise funds for a "Tae Kami Foundation" which can  assist with cases of Pacific Island kids who face a cancer challenge .  Check soon for a download.

Thank you all for your prayers and support - I will post an update from Tae later

Visit with the Kami's on Tae's website, or find her on Bebo. Definitely inspirational and sometimes quite devotional.

Well, we knew that people were reading the National Geographic, and we were a little disappointed with their recent article on Tonga, so I guess it wouldn't have gone unnoticed that someone should extend a hand to correct some at least one or two of the suspected errors in the article.

Mayor Miller Sends Letter to King of Tonga

...

I enjoyed reading about Tonga in the November 2007 issue of National Geographic. It was with great interest that I learned about your country and its current struggles. May I also extend my condolences on the passing of your father, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV.

In the article, you noted that America has a reputation for wealth and power, yet it also has poor people in inner cities and rural areas such as Lubbock, Texas. I was surprised to read the reference to our city, and felt compelled to contact you.

...

In Texas, there are a gazillion (as in a whole lot of them) Tongans. As I understand, the population of Tongans in Texas centres around the Dallas / Fort Worth due to previous adventures of the local governments to increase population and increase the work force.

The high schools in the area have their history pages filled with Tongan kids in their athletics / football programs.

As a student at the Fort Worth based Texas Wesleyan College (now University) I had a chance to visit with friends living in Lubbock. Texas is definitely a country of its own, and proud of it.

Going to Texas from Tonga, the car rides are definitely looonger to get places.

The 3^rd Annual “Battle of the Bands” is a music festival of ethnic youth and young people within Victoria. The night will include ethnic action dancing, sway of the pacific, the glitter of Asia, Bands from the church groups will range from heavy rock to gospel country.

Many of the stars of the music festival will be “Second Generation” Australian born children of immigrants and refugees as performers.

Everyone is welcome to come and join in the fun and audience members are encouraged to come in costume of your ethnic heritage which include Anglo, European background.(Dutch, German, Scottish, English, Wales, etc)

It is proudly supported by the Uniting Church in Australia.

Date 22 November 2008.

Location Box Hill Wesley Uniting Church in 2-6 Oxford Street, Box Hill, Melbourne.

Times 3pm to 9.30pm

parking details Street parking

Tickets secretary. Tee Makoni - talaheumakoni@hotmail.com

Adults $5.00

Young people 12 to 25 Goldcoin donation

Children under 12 free.

Food stalls will be available

New Performers wishing to join in should contact:

Don Ikitoelagi (03) 9251- 5287 email Don.Ikitoelagi@victas.uca.org.au

Looks like it’s Tonga week over at Cumberland Newspapers with news through again through Glenn Mitchell.

1st Up: Royal Touch from the Mt. Druitt Standard

King George Tupou V (left) enters the church grounds in traditional style. He is accompanied by an unidentified security official. Picture: ARMEN DEUSHIAN

MORE than 2000 people turned up at Glendenning last week to witness the official opening of a new $7.3 million church by the King of Tonga.

King George Tupou V ushered in a new era for the Australian-Tongan community when he opened the King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV Memorial Church.

Head on over to see the rest of the dialogue, including finding yourself in one of those kai polas?

2nd Up: Williams to fire up for Tonga from the Manly Daily, of all places?

Tonga's Tony Williams in action against Ireland on Monday night.

TONGAN World Cup coach Jim Dymock believes Sea Eagles 2009 recruit Tony Williams could be the “X-factor” in securing a win over rivals Samoa on Friday night. Williams will be named in Dymock’s 17-man squad on Wednesday.

I guess since William’s is running on for Manly next year, it’s appropriate that the locals there want to know what’s happening with their players (and we’re all ‘locals’ when it comes to news of the Tonga boys.

Local representation, national presence. Thanks to Cumberland Newspapers, so read you local daily/dairy.

p.s. I think they need to water-mark their photos, ‘cause we know how you young un’s love to share your favourite pics …

Ma'ata's school held their Meet the Teacher Night today so we trotted off with 'Ofa to get a briefing on ... 'something.'

Wow, there's a lot of teachers taking care of Kindergarten at Chullora Public School.

Anyhow, nothing drastic is happening, they just wanted us to have an idea of what they are doing and how we can participate with our children's education (i.e. it's a partnership between school and home, not a one way thang)

We asked the teacher if she can give us a list of the music cd's they are using so we can get a copy for Ma'ata (not not the torrent versions, although ...) Apparently Ma'ata's teacher is using stuff mostly from the ABC Shop, so they're quite accessible.

Of course, Ma'ata Ngalo'afe is a little behind on her "Advance Australia Faire" but she pumps out some gusto words of her own during these and other songs (she just enjoys singing even if the words aren't quite right.)

Peanut / Nut Allergy can kill. I remember a couple years back, here in Australia, reading the news about a boy who died at a camp because although he was allergic to nuts the camp played a game where children were given different tasks. The boy volunteered to eat the peanut sandwich because no one else in his group would eat the peanuts, and for the remaining hours of his life the camp participants (staff and children) could only watch as he suffered and died (they did not have the training or the medication on hand to deal with the sudden death.)

Deaths from peanut allergy

Approximately 125 people die in the United States each year from food allergies.^[8][9] Peanut allergy is the most common cause of death from food allergies. ^[10]

The dangers of peanut allergy are real, even if sometimes misrepresented in the popular press.

Australian schools (at least here in Sydney anyway) seem to have become seriously aware of the issues, as a consequence both Ma'ata's school (Chullora Public School) and Sisitoutai's school (Bankstown Montessori Center) are "Nut Free Zones" to encourage awareness and prevent failure to save children's lives.

Unfortunately, some parents just choose not to understand the severity of this ailment.

Being from Tonga, we don't recall ever hearing of anyone with this kind of food allergy (the only food allergy common in Tonga is obesity, ha ha ha) but we've stopped buying peanut products for the kids as there are plenty of other foods for energy etc.

One mother at tonights meeting just had to argue that her kids don't eat anything else but Nutella (i.e. chocolate with peanuts.) Pray tell, what is she supposed to do? She can't argue with her kids about their food selection, God forbid?

Knock knock, anyone home ?

We would rather that our kids get peanut butter in their sandwiches for additional nutritional content, but I wouldn't wish the pain of an allergy attack on my kids let alone someone elses. Get a clue, educate yourself.

Looks like we're making more headway into getting this up and running.

Hope to see everyone there, click on the timetable image to get a larger picture (possibly easier to read for those with ageing eyes, or artificially assisted eyes.)

Key Dates: Monday September 29th ~ Wednesday October 1st

Remember to bring your video camera, audio recording equipment etc. Best of all, make sure if you have a real job to get this booked on your calendar.

The devils in the details.

We finished last-weeks yap rounds with an evening of drinks at the Dupinisia Restaurant and Bar. As I recall, I was soo late that the entrees were already finished, and there wasn't anything after that except liquids.

It's a good thing we had a BBQ going at the house, even if I missed out on that one as well. This isn't looking so good.

Briefing

Subject: National ICT Strategy Development to Augment National Development

The National ICT Strategic Planning workshop brought together stakeholders from Government, Civil Society and the Private Sector. Workshop delegates assessed and initiated various policies, programmes, project proposals which they have committed to refining over the next four months. Likewise, Government is ensuring a minimal number of these projects are fully functional, at the launch of the National ICT direction scheduled for mid 2008.

Government having finalised our National Strategic Plan in 2006, have embedded significant ICT within capacity development, service development, and provisioning. In recognition of the interdependency between ICT and National Development, the Government of Tonga has long sought and accepted assistance for various ICT initiatives including the recent SOPAC sponsored e-Readiness Assessment, and the National ICT Strategic Planning workshops held with the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Commitments from the Prime Minister and senior Government officials to workshop delegates have strengthened their resolve to pursue refinements of ICT Strategies for National Development. Although various Ministers continue pushing ICT as a significant enabler of National Development, the statements from the Prime Minister at the workshop was the first public direction to stakeholders

Participants have clearly identified human capacity retention and development as a core requirement for engaging the benefits of ICT. Several options are being investigated within the working groups targeting both long-term policies and short-term projects.

Augmenting the National Strategic Plan through ICT, six Working Groups have been formed from the workshop to refine ICT plans for: Education, e-Government, Homes and Communities, Industry, Legislation, Technology and Infrastructure.

“To ensure greater involvement of Civil Society and the Private Sector, Government must be a catalyst in the ICT arena.” says Alfred Soakai of the Department of Communications. “Government recognises and promotes long term economic growth must be led by Civil Society and the Private Sector, this Workshop is one of the initiatives of Government in the ICT field to move us all forward. We can do more, and bringing together all stake holders is an important beginning.”

The Department of Communications, again with assistance from the Commonwealth Secretariat continue to support and direct discourse.

Where to Now ?

Interested individuals and organisations are invited to participate in online discourse at the following addresses:

http://groups.google.com/group/tg-educ/ Education Working Group
http://groups.google.com/group/tg-egov/ e-Government Working Group
http://groups.google.com/group/tg-home/ Homes and Communities Working Group
http://groups.google.com/group/tg-indus/ Industry Working Group
http://groups.google.com/group/tg-legis/ Legislation Working Group
http://groups.google.com/group/tg-tech/ Technology and Infrastructure Working Group
The discussions are public, including various documents, directions related to each group.

Endnotes:

The Tonga Strategic Development Plan is available online at http://www.tonga-now.to/Article.aspx?ID=600

The Working Groups currently meet online using GoogleGroups.