WHAT IS IN MY CULTURE?

A fan with pink dyed chicken feathers.

Tongan crafts are awesome!  

A fan is very popular during hot season of Tonga.   Fans come in different styles and in colours and these fans are hand-made by women in Tonga.

Wood carving of suckling piglets in Tonga

Pigs play an important role in Tonga's culture and festivities.  
I always wonder:

•  why do my neighbours leave their pigs wonder around the community?  
• how do they know that pig belongs to Sione and this pig belongs to Pita? when both pigs look almost the same.

First Class basket in the eyes of a Tongan called Kato Alu.

Kato Alu is classified as first class basket in the eyes of a Tongan because of its history and uniqueness in the culture of gift presentations, funerals, weddings etc.  

The basket is weaved from a particular creeper type of plant which grows wild in the island of 'Eua.   

Coconut stands are used for strengthening and shaping out the design of the basket.  

YOU LOOK GREAT MUM

My mum's new hair style!

My mum & I went to the hairdresser last Saturday.  It was a rainy day and we decided to do something that we haven't done for quite long time.  We ended up at the hair dresser.

Gee isn't my mum look much younger at 16???

Dad will love this new look.

PROMISE ME DAD

One morning Viliami  woke up to find a little mouse swimming inside their bathroom. The mouse got trapped inside the toilet bowl.    Viliami was too sad  to see the mouse trapped inside but his father wanted to drown the mouse  as a punishment for 'kaipo'.   'Please don't kill the mouse dad, cried Viliami.  I am just teaching him a lesson, replied Viliami's father.  


It was almost time for school and Viliami's father called out, " Get in the car we are getting late for school".  Viliami got into the car with a big sad face knowing that the mouse is still trapped.  


As they approached Viliami's school he asked his father, "Promise me Dad that you will get the mouse out of the toilet bowl at lunch time".   Father replied , "Yes I will, son.  Enjoy your day at school."  


Viliami smiled and kissed his father.  'Thank you dad" Viliami responded  and then walked happily to school.


At lunchtime, Viliami's father went home and got the mouse out of the toilet bowl as he had promised his son.  Viliami gave his father a big hug.  "You are a wonderful dad" said Viliami.

IFO IFO SOUP OF THE DAY

Viliami and Matafonua hurried to the kitchen ready for dinner.

"Ummm something smells nice" says Matafonua.

"Its my IFO IFO soup!" says Viliami.

"My tummy is very hungry now" says Matafonua.

Mother serves dinner.

"Say your prayers children before enjoying your dinner" mother says.

"This soup taste very good, thanks mum" says Matafonua.

"I love this soup because it has a lot of vegetables, noodles, garlic, ginger and flavour too!"says  Viliami.

"I love it too" as Matafonua agreed.

"That's why I call it IFO IFO SOUP" added Viliami.

So, why don't you try it!

Ingredients for IFO IFO SOUP:

• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 pkts of 2-minute noodles (chicken flavour)
• 2 chopped carrots
• 4 chopped beans
• salt & pepper to taste