Tonga High School Ex-Students Web Site Newsletter |
WELCOMING MESSAGE.
Welcome to our second issue of the Tonga High School Ex-students Web Site(THSESWS) newsletter. The month of August has been very busy in terms of the influx of information coming from ex-students all over the globe. This has kept me on my toes. In fact, the information for our web site has reached a new threshold and our presence on the internet is now a force to be reckoned with.
I, the webmaster of this site is delighted with the progress of our site. We have definitely come a long way since the site went online in July,1999. Within just two months, the site has grown from a mere few pages to a volume which is now getting hard to manage. However, do not hold your breath yet, I will do my best to maintain the site in order to serve the Tonga High School Ex-students community. The help and co-operation of so many of our ex-students is a tribute to the feeling of pride and dedication we owe our beloved school(THS).
We are grateful to share the news from the Hawaiian chapter and the way they run their association is a "model" for the rest of other associations. Well done Hawaii and please keep us informed with the rest of what is going on down there.
The list of email and ex-students of particular year levels has grown well beyond my imagination. This meant that I had to break down the list to certain catergories to make them more manageable. I must admit that I did not think the site would be as successful at it has proved to be. We can now contact many of our colleagues all over the globe - thanks to the services provided by the Tonga High School Ex-students Web Site.
On behalf of THSESWS, I would like to convey my thanks to you all for the work that you have contributed to make this site as useful as possible for all of us.
Tu'a'ofa atu
Loseli M Hafoka (Webmaster - Tonga High School Ex-students Web Site)EX-STUDENTS CONTRIBUTION:
We would like to thank Phyllis 'Aho for supplying the information below on THSESA and excerpts from a letter in '97 by the President of THSESA.
This short article is to discuss in brief the Ex-students Association of Tonga High and the emphasis of the current administration of the above entity. Needless to say the THSESA present administrative staff is most desirous of perpetuating the relationship where not only the needs of the ex-students to assist the present school is made clear but to work in harmony with the Tonga High School's needs to be focus. The elected members for the Association are as follows:
President -Vuki Tangitau Vice-President -Hon. Fielakepa Treasurer -Mele Kamoto Vice-Treasurer -Soane Ramanlal Secretary -Sinilau Kolokihakaufisi Assistant Secretary -Siaosi Sovaleni Members -Sio Fifita & Siaosi Moeanganofo The THSESA Executive Committee has as its Sub-Committee members the following:
Tonga Islands:
Los Angeles -Simione Tukia San Francisco -Leafa T. Taumoepeau Sacramento -'Aiona Fakalata Hawaii -Steven Halapua Utah -Sione Kiasa Lui Sydney(Aust.) -Pua Lemoto Brisbane(Aust.) -Sioeli Mafi New Zealand -Sione Liava'a Fiji -Mafi Vaka'uta
Hahake District - Viliami Fukofuka Loto District - 'Ana Taufe'ulungaki Hihifo District - Sione Tu'alau Mangisi Kolomotu'a District - Tuna Fielakepa Kolofo'ou District - 'Ana Luani Ma'ufanga District - 'Ainise Sevele Vava'u District - Hon. Tu'i'afitu The remaining chapters and their corresponding executive sub-committes of which there are not many and this includes Ha'apai, Niuafo'ou, Niuatoputapu, and 'Eua have yet to inform the THSESE executive committee officers of their current members. The President requests the assistance of the members of these areas so that a continuation of the activities of these chapters could proceed with least interruption thus assuring the main executive committee of the activites pertaining to these areas.
A letter from the president to the already known executive officers of each of the above mentioned chapters have been sent out. It is hoped that this correspondence ( a form letter) conveys to all the true spirit of "KI HE LELEI TAHA" and that our efforts be supportive of that very ideal. The Association Executive Commitee earnestly desires that whatever we do as ex-students of Tonga High School will be to the benefit of the present student-body and total THS community. There is much to fo and to accomplish and all are achievable but the school PTA, the Ex-Students Association, and the present School Administration must work together for the common good of our beloved Tonga High School.
Excerpts from the President's Letter
To set the stage right, allow me as your Association President the opportunity to suggest the expressed need for closer co-ordination of our programmes particularly our fund raising activities etc. so that we could all feel that motivating influence of interdependence. The opposing forces of dependence and independence do have a dibilitating effect on our desire to be productive and to positively initiate changes for the benefit of our students. Total dependence will undoubtedly bring with it a group of people hell-bent on getting something for nothing. Similarly with independence the outcome of which will again be seen in a group of people whose visions are as limited as their selfish attitude would take them.
Sharing of what one has with those ones one knows is an element of our culture that has been our legacy. Distribution has been witnessed by other cultures as a strength to be maintained whenever and wherever Polynesians meet. In essence we must keep a society where egotistical and selfish individuals will find it necessary to change. " KI HE LELEI TAHA " means that only the best be the dominant element in our relationship. Any positive influence that will induce the self to act and to motivate those in our society to be productive citizens must never be overlooked. I sincerely believe that all of us ought to be ready to influence others as well as ourselves to be involved in all those activities which will truly manifest the spirit of " KI HE LELEI TAHA!"
To all members of the Association both here and abroad, the old and young, and to the present Student Body of THS as well as the Administrative Staff and Faculty of the school and to the President and members of the PTA let us be together in our efforts. Bringing all the righteous desires of the Principal and the students of our school to fruiton is our focus. Our willingness and dedication to share and to cooperate thereby providing for the needs, financial or otherwise, of the very school we all cherish is vital. May the future be as bright and as promising as the spirit that prevailed at our celebration and association during the Golden Jubilee.
On behalf of the Association and all executive members I personally wish to extend to the Principal of the school and its student-body a very successful year and that our association will always be uplifting and successful as ever. I also wish to extend my thanks to the former President and executive members of the Association for the time spent in organising the successful activities of the Golden Jubilee. The festivities of these public holidays commemorating the 50th anniversary of the school had cemented in our memory joyous and hard-to-forget reunion. A time worth remembering.
'Ofa Atu,
Vuki Tangitau
Association's President.
NEWS FROM THE HAWAIIAN CHAPTER:
Below is the news from the Hawaiian chapter and we are grateful to share this wonderful news among us the Tonga High School Ex-students community.
Aloha pea malo mu'a ho'o mou lelei kau Ako Tutuku tau moe faifatongia. Koha ki'i ongoongo nounou eni fekau'aki mo 'etau kautaha koia 'i Hawaii. Ko 'etau Kautaha ko eni, 'e lava pe keu pehe koe kautaha eni kuo maau taha hono fokotu'utu'u faka kautaha, neongo 'oku kei toe lahi pe 'ae ngaahi me'a ke fakalelei'i ai. Ko 'emau Kautaha 'ae fuofua 'uluaki Kautaha Tonga ke lesisita 'ihe pule'anga Hawaii (as a non profit organization).
Koe ngaue ko eni ne lava lelei ia 'ihe ta'u 1996 'iha tataki ne fai 'ehe Palesiteni 'oe taimi ko ia ko Fifita Finau 'Unga fakataha pea moe ngaahi tokoni ta'e fa'alaua 'a kinautolu na'a nau ngaue 'ihe 'ene Komiti 'o hange koia ko Dr. Sitiveni Halapua, Dr. Saia Kami, Latanoa Pikula, Meli Foliaki, Falepaini Harris, Mele Muna Ma'u, Filimone Ma'u, Lia Teu Maka, Taniela 'Otukolo Havili, Katalina Uili Tohi, Kepuloni Foliaki, pea mo 'Amelia Piutau foki. Koe hingoa leva 'emau Kautaha koe "Kihe Lelei Taha Alumni Association"-Hawaii.
Koe kautaha ko eni kuo 'osi 'iai hono Konisitutone pe (By-Laws) 'oku kanokato ai 'ae taumu'a ngaue pea moe fakahinohino ki hono fakalele 'oe Kautaha ni, 'aia 'e lava pe keu pehe 'oku totonu ke hoko ia koe sipinga kihe toenga kotoa 'o 'etau ngaahi kautaha ako tutuku 'i muli ni. 'E 'oatu fakakongokonga leva 'ae toenga 'oe ngaahi ongoongo 'o anga pehe ni:
Konga I:
Koe tafa'aki fakatu'asino 'ae kau memipa. Koe kau memipa koia 'i Hawaii ni, 'oku nau mo'ui lelei hono kotoa pea 'oku fakafuofua kihe toko 50-60 ho nau tokolahi. Koe 1/3 koe fanau ako 'oku nau kei ako 'ihe ngaahi kolisi taimi kakato, 1/3 koe nofo fakataimi mai pe ki Hawaii pea koe 1/3 leva 'a kinautolu 'oku nau nofo tu'u ma'u (permanent resident) 'i Hawaii. 'I he kau ako tutuku ko eni, koe tokolahi taha 'o kinautolu na'a nau 'i 'apiako he 70-90, pea koe 2/3 moe konga 'oe kau memipa 'oe vahe ni, koe kau 'single' kae 'ikai 'available'!!! Hange koia ko Mr. Latanoa Pikula, pea mo Meli Foliaki! 'Aia koe kau memipa ko eni, koe tokolahi 'o kinautolu koho nau ta'umotu'a koe ta'u 16 moe 17!!!!! Koe kau mana'ia na'e se'e 'e Hikule'o mei Pulotu, pea 'oku kehenga atu pe foki 'enau hoihoifua mo 'enau faka'ofo'ofa! Kaikehe a foki.....
Koe me'a makehe 'e taha fekau'aki mo 'etau kautaha ko eni 'i Hawaii, 'oku 'ikai ngata pe he tokolahi ai 'ae kau faifekau 'oku nau fakakaungatamaki he ngaue 'ae lotu hange ko Faifekau Filimone Ma'u pea mo Taike Lolohea, ka 'oku toe tokolahi kehe atu foki 'ae kau faka'amu fie faifekau ia 'o hange koia ko Dr. Sitiveni Halapua, Ma'afu Wendt, 'aia koha faka'ilonga lelei eni kihe tukunga 'oku 'iai 'etau kau kolisi tutuku, he 'oku ha sino mai ai 'ae palanisi koia 'ae mo'ui fakatu'asino moe fakalaumalie!! Te tau toki hoko atu kihe tafa'aki fakangaue 'a 'emau Kautaha 'ihe kaha'u vave mai, kae mahalo 'oku sai pe ke mou 'ai mai ha ki'i pasipasi ma'ae tamaiki mei loto Waikiki..... Mou me'a a ka tau toki hoko atu.....
Hawaiian Chapter
For all chapters, you may submit similar articles like the above to be posted on our next newsletter.
T H E K I N G D O M O F TONGA
WEBMASTER Copyright: Loseli Hafoka 1999.
