Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 11:31 AM EADT

I think our blog page is working now!

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 11:39 AM EADT

testing 1,2,3

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 1:10 PM EADT

I think its great!!

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 1:19 PM EADT

Hey Selu

Ko koe oku ke fuofua polopolo'i our blog page. Hows the strike over there?

Etu

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 3:47 PM EADT

Hi etu, hi Selu...hi all:) Ko e 'atunga eni e puke loi 'o nofo 'i 'api, ko e surf holo he neti 'o 'ilo 'etau ki'i blog page lol!

It's a great idea Etuate, he mahalo kuo mei tuli au he ngaue he lahi e lau personal emails hehe! Just don't complain if I hog the blog page :(

I've been reading up on the updates from Tonga regarding the strike, and I'm having mixed feelings about the whole thing. Na'e kamata mai e strike, peaceful as it was, it had my support etc. Ko eni kuo fakahoko e ngaahi violent acts tupunga 'i he strike ko eni..and frankly, I don't condone anything that invokes violence. Kuo fahi 'e he kauleka ako 'a 'Atele, and just this morning, 4 govt vehicles were burnt at the back of the old Bank of Tonga, and I read of threats to burn down govt homes/buildings from a student group calling themselves 'Ulu Tongo. He fanga ki'i 'Ulu Hoho mo'oni (hufanga he fakatapu) hehe!

Kapau na'e fakalalahi e vela ko eni 'o kapui atu e ngaahi 'api he tafa'aki pea hoko 'o mole ai ha ngaahi mo'ui, koe ha e me'a 'e hoko atu kiai? An eye for an eye perhaps?

Kou tui 'oku tutulu e 'Eiki he 'afio hifo ki he ngaahi me'a 'oku hoko. Pea 'oku ou tui lahi kapau na'e hanga 'e he ongo tafa'aki..(govt & civil servants) 'o fakakau 'a e 'Eiki 'i he'ena fakakaukau 'e 'ikai ke tau iku ki he tu'unga ko eni. For God's sake, compromise already, ka tau sio kimu'a. Kapau 'e ki'i loto ma'ulalo hifo e ex-principal mo e ex-head tutors 'o 'Atele 'o kole ki he fanauako ke tuku e ngaahi 'ulungaanga koia, mahalo na'a tuku ai. Ka koe pango kuo fefeka e ngaahi loto kotoa, pea 'e takitaha tuli 'ene mo'oni. Fefe nai 'a Sisu? An abbreviated profile of His life would be - Here is a man that was born in a manger in a obscure little village (hangee pe ko 'Utulau hahaha! 'oua lau mai). He started out as a carpenter, never went to college, had no credentials, he humbled himself and washed his disciples' feet, and when he died, he was buried in a borrowed grave. Ko 'ene ngaahi ngaue kotoa pe ke fklangilangi'i 'a e 'Otua....would that be so hard for us to do?

Kataki kautama, ki'i sio faka-ve'ehala atu pe ia, tau toki oko atu kau laka fksio ha me'a ke fai ha kuki.

'ofa lahi atu...and be forewarned..I'll be back LOL!

Lakai

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 6:03 PM EADT

Koe 'ai pe eni ia pe ko hai e tika taha hono hingoa Blog - hehe

Thank you for your comments Lakai, some very good points raised. Hello again Selu. I'll join this interesting conversation, and will take no sides but feinga pe ke keep a balanced discussion going.

Hange na'e faka'ofa e kamata mai 'ae strike ihe ene kei peaceful, and although it still is, ko eni it is starting to escalete kihe tu'unga oku violent which we commonly see on TV from other countries etc.

Ko hono mooni foki, there will always be those whom will always find the strike an excuse to vent their violent Tongan warrior genetic tendencies (lol). Koe toe fakatu'utamaki foki because Tonga really hasnt seen anything of this scale(and still growing), and therefore has no experienced leadership to handle such crises, however, it seems like our extremely submissive Tongan culture which had kept our people under the feet of the traditional leaders for so long is now finally wearing thin from the peoples backs as they rise up to express themselves... Welcome to the 21st Century :)

I heard about hono tutu e 'u me'alele 'ae pule'anga. Koe masii ko Pita Vi na'ane fanongo kihe pahuu 'ae me'alele (RE: Matangi Tonga news). Koe 'ai ai ha kii kuma sii, kae toe tutu e kinautolu ia hono iku ke nounou ange (lol).

If things continue at this rate, the economic consequences could be disasterous for Tonga. Which puts the ball back in the court 'oe kau ma'u mafai, where they have to act fast and wise to alleviate any further damages that could seriously hamstring the government.

Its also a dangerous mix with the Tu'ipelehake (being of the Kings blood) being behind the people. The people then feel they are endorsed by royalty equal to the Kings house. Its a volatile mix!

At the end of the day, we go back to square one hange koia na'ake lave kiai Lakai... only Christianity (Christ), the very thing the government and their leaders have taken lightly in the past, can diffuse this whole situation peacefully. Anything / and anyone else is a recipe for disaster.

RE: Your joke emailed earlier on Lakai... I think if we pour enough ikale tahi beer into uafu vuna, the striking people together with the government leaders can then sing the hymn "Let us gather at the river", drink up, forget about their worries, get married and live happy ever with lots of kids - hehehehe.

Hope you guys have a great evening.

Ofa atu
Etu

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 9:25 PM EADT

Hi all:)...(again) hehe!

I'm so tired and aching all over...my hammock beckons, but I just had to write again haha!

Te u ki'i malolo mei he comment he strike (for tonight pe lol!) na'a 'ita mai e kau Tonga he'eku fiekau ta'e 'ilo ki ha me'a haha! Kataki atu kapau ne faasi'i 'eku sio, koe fu'u lahi pe 'eku fa'a gather he river, pea hangee ko ho'o lau Etu, tonuu ke nau oo ki uafu, drink up, be merry, and obey the commandment - go forth and multiply haha! Pea kapau 'oku kei fai pe ha 'ita...pea nau oo 'o hangee ko Taniela - hanga ki Selusalema 'o lotu tokotaha haha!

So anyway, last week my younger sibling decided that she'd like to move out with her husband...mahalo kuo fo'i ia hono fa'a lea'i haha! So we've all decided to go our separate ways. Hoko 'eku fo'i puke loi he 'aho ni keu tangutu ai au he computer 'o fksio ha ki'i falekaa ha feitu'u keu nofo ai. I called a couple of places and made arrangements keu 'alu ange 'o sio he flat. The 1st one I called was in St Johns.... as soon as I gave my name he 'osi e alea fetaulaki, he kinda hesitated, then 10 mins later the guy calls me back, talamai - sorry I've decided to rent it out to someone else. Lahi e lea, mahalo ko e fanongo mai pe ki he hingoa kokanati kuo liliu 'ene fkkaukau 'ana he koe predominantly white area foki haha! The 2nd place I called was in Onehunga...kou tataha atu eni ki he ki'i flat after calling the current tenant asking if I could come see the place. It looks shabby & untidy from the outside, but reasonably tidy inside. I had taken my uncle along with me for a second opinion cos I'm so impulsive and easy to please haha! So anyway, after taking a look around inside, poking in the corners etc, I made up my mind I wanted to take it. Never mind that the paint is peeling in the shower booth *mate he kata*...teu toki kolekole atu ha kapa vali ke fklelei'i'aki. My uncle agreed that it looked pretty safe & secure (from the inside anyway lol), so after a frantic call to the landlady in case she changes her mind like the other redneck *haha*, I can now say...I'm proud to call Onehunga my home again haha!

Sooooo....I'll be moving to my little shack this weekend, peau toe ofi aipe ki he'etau potluck dinner next Friday! What that translates to is,...I won't have far to crawl next Friday night haha!

Ok, enough blabbing for one night, kae fa'o ha kulo, pea mahalo 'e 'ume'umea pe ia he tahaa 'e 'i ai ha me'a ke fa'o kiai haha! Hangee koe lau, koloaa pe 'etau kei puhipuhi.

Goodnight Selu, Nitey nite Etu...Good night John Boy (koia koaa from The Waltons? LOL)

over n out...
Lakai

[Elvis has left the building]

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 9:53 PM EADT

Update from Auckland NZ:

Its nearing the election season again in NZ, and all parties are reving up their campaign machines (or saliotes) and starting to chew up the roads to peoples doors via TV, Newspaper, Radio campaigning for votes on Sept 17th which is now less than a month away.

One of NZ's great Prime Ministers, David Lange, recently passed away as a result of severe diabetes. It was only a week aga when he had his leg amputated (cut of) as well. David Lange was born and raised in South Auckland, the poorer part of Auckland. His father was a medical doctor and his mother was a nurse. They were devote methodists (he taimi ia na'e te'ekiai fakasotoma ai e metotisi obviously). David Lange was reknowned as the poor-mans-lawyer, someone whom always stood up for the poor and needy in court, before he became Prime Minister. He always had a genuine compassion for those in need in his electorate of Mangere (and South Auckland), one of the poorer suburbs of Auckland which has a large Pacific Island and Maori population. David Lange was one of the good guys, and will be remembered by many :)

Thursday, 18 August 2005 - 10:10 PM EADT

Hey Lakai, sai tama oku mo vaofi aipe mo Pauline kihe potluck dinner on Saturday. A few more kilometres over the Mangere bridge, and you wouldve qualified to vote for me this year too (lol)... just so hard to stop the campaigning mode eh - hehe.

Anyway, have a good evening [Until Elvis returns] lol.

Friday, 19 August 2005 - 8:49 AM EADT

Hi Tafue maea ua and Fuetahi!! fakarata ho mo fo'i hingoa 'eti faiva!! Koe 'atunga ia e strike pe 'i 'apingaue koe lahilahi pe kihe surf he neti. Kaekehe 'oku ou tui tatau pe mo moua, at first ne te fu'u support 'aupito kihe strike ka koe taimi ni ia kou sio au ia 'oku 'ikai pe 'iai ha fa'ahi ia 'e fie tukulolo, pea kou sio he tv he ngaahi talanga mei Pangai 'oku 'alu eni ia ke fu'u angata'efklotu 'aupito. I mean after the minister say the lotu kamata pea hoko leva ngaahi lea moe 'ita pea kau ai ngaahi lea kovi 'ikai ke toe 'ilo e faka'apa'apa ia, kia au mo 'eku ki'i lotu vaivai kou pehe 'oku fehangahangai e lotu ia ne si'i fakahoko he faifekau moe ngaahi me'a 'oku takitaha omi 'o hua'i mai, ka kohai koaa tene fakamaau'i? 'Oku 'ikai ke te kei oli'ia he sio he ngaahi me'a 'oku hoko 'i Pangai he taimi ni he kuo fu'u fuoloa pea 'oku 'ikai ke te sio atu 'oku tatau 'enau to'onga moe lotu 'oku nau lau. Koe anga pe ia 'eku sio ta 'oku sai pe a keu lelelele pe a kita ia he gather at the river ngali pau ange pe ia Lakai e? I pray and hope that very soon kuo tukulolo a ha fa'ahi. Mo'oni koe 'Etu forget about the worries, get married and have lots of kids he!!!! It's raining in Tonga now mahalo pe koe kamata eni ke fufulu atu e 'uli e ngaahi loto!! Til next time

'Ofa atu
Selu

Friday, 19 August 2005 - 11:03 AM EADT

The unrest in Tonga is spreading here as well. According to update from Lakai, theres a demonstration march organised here ma'ae kau Tonga from Three Kings ki Atalanga where the King resides. Koe me'a ia oku iku kiai he ikai lelei (moral) 'ae leadership 'i Tonga, kuo a'u mai e dirty laundry 'a Tonga to the streets of Auckland. I hear theres also a public meeting held in Otara tonite, though I dont have any details on that as yet.

Ihe felafoaki oe po Falaite kuo 'osi (mid-nite to 2am) ihe 531PI, it was obvious ai e 'ita lahi 'ae kakai on radio kihe kau taki 'o Tonga especially e fale 'alo. It is sad that it is developing into a violent situation.

Tau toki sio
Tafue (hehe)

Friday, 19 August 2005 - 3:54 PM EADT

Hi Selu & Etu....Kuou tu'u tatau au mo Sepi he taimi lunch pea 'alu e kakai ia 'o kai ho'ataa kau 'ela au koe ta'elunch 'o fetakai he lomi! Sai pe kou tui when Etu gets into parliament, 'e 'iai ha ki'i momo 'e too mai ke tau 'inasi ai hehe!

Poupou atu Selu ki ho'o sio ki he strike....kapau 'oku 'osi pe lotu 'a e faifekau pea hoko atu leva 'a e kau strike ki he ngaahi lea kovi etc..then it defeats the whole purpose of praying! But regardless of who's right and who's wrong, I'm sure we all hope and pray that it will all end soon!

I've got nothing planned for the weekend, except for the exciting task of moving house :(. Pea sai pe kapau na'a koau pe 'oku hiki...I'm moving with my other sister's stuff, my mum's , my dad's, my uncle's..you know how they come and stay with you pea nau foki nautolu ki Tonga kae tuku mai honau vala etc he kuo fonu foki e kato ia he $2.00 shop hehe! Koe hiki pe kuo felupe holo aipe 'a e fele 'a e famili. Pea koe pehee ai ke ma'u ha hoa haha!

'Etu, I totally agree with you about David Lange..I think he could teach political figures a thing or two about humility.

I hear the sound of cans being opened...and it's calling my name haha! I'll post again later from home!! In the meantime...take care & no more burning ya hear hehe!

'ofas..
Lakai