The joyous sounds and sights of transplants from Tonga will fill the air Saturday at the Lihue United Church Parish Hall. “It’s very exciting,” said Lihue United Church Pastor Leni Namoa. “We’re now seeing a second generation of Tongan people
The joyous sounds and sights of transplants from Tonga will fill the air Saturday at the Lihue United Church Parish Hall.
“It’s very exciting,” said Lihue United Church Pastor Leni Namoa. “We’re now seeing a second generation of Tongan people being born on Kauai.”
Tonga, is an archipelago of 176 islands south of Western Samoa and about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand. They began immigrating to Oahu in the 1960s, and from there relocated to Maui and Kauai, according to Namoa.
In celebration of the community estimated to be between 200 and 300 Tongan people on Kauai, participants from three area churches will join together and perform their version of hula as well as singing in both Tongan and English.
“They will be singing an anthem that they perform in church that praises God and his kingdom,” said Namoa, adding how proud he is of the long hours the children and young adults have been putting into rehearsals the past couple weeks.
The celebration of their heritage will also include a war dance by the boys and men and music performed on guitar and banjo.
“The people from Tonga love the people in Hawaii. They love the island of Kauai and they love working here,” said Namoa.
Up to 50 children will be performing the native dances. Calling it a rainbow of colors, Namoa said each child will change into as many as eight different, traditional costumes.
“The costumes are very expensive and difficult to make,” he added. “They are all handmade out of shells, leaves, flowers and fabric.”
A fine craft display will include fiber woven taavalo (skirts), mats, baskets, fans, wood carvings, bone carvings, colorful decorations on fabric.
The free event is part of the Kauai Historical Society ‘s100th anniversary celebration and is sponsored in part by KHS as well as the Tongan people.
The location for the “Tongan Voices and Hearts” celebration is from 2 to 4 p.m. at Lihue Parish Hall, 4340 Nawiliwili Road. Light refreshments will be available. Donations to the Historical Society and the Tongan community will be accepted.
Info: 245-3373 or visit www.kauaihistoricalsociety.org.
