On her first visit back to Tonga after three-years, Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia, Princess Angelika Latufuipeka Tuku’aho and the Mayor of Gunnedah (a town in New South Wales, Australia), Mr Jamie Chaffey and delegation visited Kolomotu’a village this week.

The visit cemented a “sister-city” agreement between  Kolomotu’a and Gunnedah.

The visitors were welcomed with Kava Ceremony hosted by Kauatoa and Uhi at Kolomotu’a community Hall, and also viewed Kolomotu’a women’s handicrafts and its new gym. 

The Gunnedah representatives met with community members from Kolomotu’a to talk about future collaboration.

On 8 October, Princess Angelika Latufuipeka expressed her gratitude for the generous assistance they had received in Australia to be sent to Tonga following the natural disasters of 15 January.

Relief donations were received from Tongans and Australians alike.

The Princess formed a committee named, ‘Pili e Tau Hala’ was formed with branches in Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, to collect and coordinate the various donations.

The Princess said between February and October, Pili e Tau Hala sent to Tonga 44 20ft containers filled with various supplies, assited by Swire Shipping.

The donations included medical supplies, hospital beds, food, bottled water, clothes, cleaning supplies, shoes, school materials and other items.

In Tonga the donations were received by NEMO and tHM Queen Nanasipau’u’s charity to distribute the supplies to the affected communities of Mango, ‘Atataa, Kanokupolu, Nomuka and Fonoifua, and other places in Tonga. 

There were also donations from the Fofo’anga and Rotary Clubs.

The Princess also confirmed there was over $1 million pa’anga of monetary assistance received into the Tonga account.

“One of Tonga’s valued possessions is gratitude, as their hearts are filled with gratitude and spirit of remembrance, as the works of good Samaritans have become a blessing,” she said.

Widespread support

Tonga’s Honorary Consul-General, Louise Waterhouse said that she admired the resilience of the Tongan people after the devastation caused by the volcanic eruption and the tsunami.

She said various donors reached out with donations to the Pilii Tau e Hala, which included twenty decelerators with generators.  

Rotary clubs helped to fund Filtration systems for villages.

There was also support before COVID broke out, with donations of masks and RAT tests for the Ministry of Health, along with a hundred hospital beds and 700 sets of bed linen.

A clothing company sent over 40,000 items new clothing.

“It was so beautiful to see the support that came from so many areas. We work so well together and we’re so lucky with the team in Canberra and that everything was so well organised, prepared and everything sent out as quickly as possible,’ she said.