I am a Year 8 student at Pt England School in Auckland, NZ.
I am an Iron Nail, I was traded from the Pakeha to the Maori. I was traded for food and supplies. A Maori man named Horeta, kept his nail using it as a chisel. It was SO precious to him that he referred to it as his atua/God. The Maori use me as a chisel to split the Oyster from the rock. I am harder than any stone, I am an Iron Nail.
Walt: Create your own CV
Task Description:
This week we had to create a CV of ourself. Click the image to see my full CV.
Tonga
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Tonga is a small but populated country clustered in the islands of the south pacific. Tonga is part of the Polynesian Family - Samoa, The Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga.
Facts
The inhabitants speak either English or Tongan.
Tonga was discovered by early settlers who claimed the land around 500 BC.
The Tongan people still celebrate their rich cultural dances and songs that have been passed over many generations, one of these dances is names the Paddle Dance where they have paintings of the human body on paddles called the me’etu’upaki
In 1773 Captain James Cook sailed to Tonga for the first time and he named the country the Friendly Islands because of the welcoming reception the inhabitants gave him and his crew.
The people of Tonga were at war with each other for several years until King George 1 ended the period who had also recently become a Christian Methodist. Once the war had settled, life was much better with King George as their ruler. He taught Independence, Unification & Constitution. He also introduced christianity to the friendly Islands, and is now their main religion.
Culture
The Kingdom of Tonga is very strong in their cultural traditions, yes they did lose some over the several thousand years they have occupied the island and called it their own but some still exist like the Drinking Of Kava, which they celebrate with their neighbours.
Capital
The Capital of Tonga is Nuku’alofa, it is located on the north coast of the island Tongatapu, the southernmost island of Tonga’s archipelago of 176 islands in total. Tonga’s population ranges from 104, 500 people living in Tonga and counting.
Homes & Villages
Tongans have moved on from their old structural houses which everyone believes they still live in. But today their islands are modernly dressed with brick houses, there is no doubt that some people respect the old traditions of living in leaf-made houses and Tapa furnishings.
Island Life
The Tongan islands are still very green with trees of life everywhere you look. Tonga is a beautiful place and has many beaches and wildlife everywhere. They don’t let the inhabitants venture everywhere around the island due to volcanic eruptions.
Heroes
Suprisingly for a very small Kingdom, Tonga is very skillful in the art of sports. You may call them famous people but we call them heroes. Just today I reviewed and researched a Tongan Hero named Taulupe Faletau, a famous rugby star who plays for Wales!
Conclusion
Thanks to all the people who read my text about Tonga, I really hope you learnt something or you liked it, Bless you all and stay safe during COVID!
I’m proud to represent my culture, Maori. I enjoy it because my immediate family always represent our culture other than our cousins who don’t usually celebrate it. I would like to show them what it means to believe in your culture and show them how important our culture is. My culture means nearly everything to me.
I love the feeling when the entire group is banded together and performing as one.
Last Saturday me and my family visited a funeral for Maua Pagaialii-Taulu when they were bringing the coffin outside the church my brothers, their friends, my father & me, brought our voices together and performed a haka as loud as a siren.
I wonder where I'd be if I hadn’t known my heritage. I’m proud to be Maori.
This place is very special to me because this is the home of my Maori Heritage, Rukumoana Marae. It’s also where my koro is buried, Ike Samuels.
