About

Join us in celebrating the language and culture of the Tonga. Come and take part in our free workshops on traditional and contemporary arts and crafts. Hear community knowledge holders as they share their inspirations and motivations on why and how they are preserving the language and culture of the Tonga in Aotearoa

Community groups will work together with Auckland Museum and Te Oro to celebrate and perpetuate Tongan language and culture. Te Oro will become alive with the sounds language stories colour and beauty of Tongan culture. A free & open cultural celebrations day suitable for all

10.00–2.00: Ngatu: A labour of love and the art of Tongan bark cloth. Join Sulieti Burrows and group as they share their knowledge about ngatu. Suitable for 10 year olds and over

11.00-11.45: Faiva tānafa mo e faiva talāli: The performance arts of Tongan skin and slit-drum. Join percussion artists Tu'ifonualava Kaivelata, Tukia Siale and 'Akata Siale and explore the world of skin & slit-drum music: Suitable for all ages

11.45-12.30: Faito`o faka-Tonga: A look at Tongan traditional medicines and healing. Join Mele Kaufusi Takai as she shares her knowledge on traditional medications. Suitable for 10 year olds and over

12.30-1.15: Faiva tāfangufangu, faiva tukipitu and faiva ifimimiha: Performance arts of nose flute, stamping tube and panpipe playing. Join NZ based artists Tu'ifonualava Kaivelata & Hufanga `Ōkusitino Māhina as they take you on a journey into the mystical and mythical world of nose flute, stamping tube and panpipes. Suitable for all ages

1.15-2.00: Ifi palasa: Tonga Brass band and traditional tunes comes together. Join our very own Glen Innes based Selusalema Tonga Youth Brass Band as they play a blend of traditional and contemporary tunes. Suitable for 10 year olds and over

Auckland Museum

Auckland War Memorial Museum is New Zealand's first Museum.

The Museum tells the story of New Zealand, its place in the Pacific and its people. The Museum is a war memorial for the province of Auckland and holds one of New Zealand's top three heritage libraries.

It has pre-eminent Māori and Pacific collections, significant natural history resources and major social and military history collections, as well as decorative arts and pictorial collections.