• 5 daily Tongan greetings you can use today!

    Mālō e lelei is hello in Tongan . It literally means thank you for being good. But did you know that Tongan greetings are more than just a one word hello. It is a beautiful phrase that acknowledges and shows gratitude. There are variations and using these phrases can help to build relationships and connection.…

  • Tongan concept of Māfana’?

    I came across this video which is timely with ‘Aotearoa celebrating yet another Tongan language week. To add to Isoa’ great explanation, I want to bring some language and my own personal insight into how Tongans view this important concept. In any types of faiva (artistry performances) the key objective is mālie which can be…

  • Hiva: Si’i Tonga – Makamaile

    ‘Oku ou malie’ia he hiva ko ‘eni, fakamanatu melie pe ki he taimi kuo hili moe famili ‘i Tonga’ na. Mou mamata atu mo hivehiva pe mo Makamaile. Malo ma’u koloa . Beautiful song describing village life in Tonga, brings back many memories. I will attempt to translate as best I can. Makamaile talk about…

  • Hiva: Si’i matangi kuo ma’ilinoa

  • Lau Ā faka-Tonga faka Kilisimasi’

    ʻOfa ke mou maʻu ha Kilisimasi fiefia mo homou siʻi ngaahi fāmili. Ko e kiʻi meʻaʻofa eni maʻamoutolu kau mātua’ ke kau aipē ki he teuteuʻi kilisimasi homou loto fale. ʻOfa atu mei he sino ni ki he sino na. Christmas greetings and a gift from me to you. Feel free to print and add…

  • GAME: Sai ke tau ‘ilo

    An important feature about our Tongan culture is our value of Tauhi vā (keeping our relations close).  However as our extended families grow and move further away it does get harder to keep in touch. It is important to take advantage of the times that families do get together to bond and keep those family…

  • Open Day Bazaar

    Mālō e lelei kaunga ako, siʻotoʻofa! Hello fellow learners! I am always thinking of how i can engage my young learners not only to ignite in them a love of learning for our language but also give them an authentic learning experience. This school term we are learning about clothes and Tongan clothes in particular…

  • Tongan superhero in training

    Tongan superhero in training

    For a tiny nation we have so much to be proud of. Pita Lolo carried our flag proudly at Rio Olympic Games in 2016 and this year we are cheering as Mate Maʻa Tonga play to victory #RLWC2017. When I consider how a tiny nation continues to accomplish despite its size, I am reminded of these…

  • Lea ʻoe Uike: Siʻoto ʻofa

    Koe lea ʻoe Uike’. The word of the week! Greetings, our learning journey for this new year begins with a word of the week or more like my favourite word or a new word that iʻve come across.  It is a Tongan greeting which you donʻt often hear as the more popular greeting of mālō e…

  • Foʻilea ‘oe Uike’: Ako

    Mālō e lelei! To encourage the use of the Tongan language we are posting a word of the week that can be used with children or beginners.  Ako (ah-koh) is a wonderful word in Tongan. It is the word for learning. It is also the word for teaching. In our culture, ako is about the collective…