The Tonga National Arts and Handicrafts Association (TNAHA) presented beautiful Tongan carvings to thank its benefactors and supporters on Friday May 13 at the Langafonua 'a Fafine Tonga Handicrafts Centre in Nuku'alofa.

A wall-hanging was presented to the Australian High Commissioner HE Brett Aldam who donated $500 to TNAHA, and a kava bowl to Paul Johansson of the neighbouring Friends Cafe who donated $200, and the Japanese Volunteers representative received a carved staff, in recognition of their support for the revival of the association.

Monalisa Palu, Secretary for TNAHA, said although the association which is the national umbrella body for the handicrafts sector was formed in 2009, it was recently revived in response to issues that had arisen for handicrafts sellers, after the opening of the new Vuna Wharf and the arrival of more cruise ships.

"After the last cruise ship those in the handicrafts industry reported to me that quarantine was a big issue for them and that tourists had been wrongly informed and told not to buy handicrafts because they could not take them home," she said.

However, tourists can in fact take many of the handicrafts home.

"The information on quarantine rules has to be accurate and there is a need to upgrade this. PHAMA has teamed up with our project on this and we look to MAFFF and Quarantine to help inform the local travel agencies and the ship's agents on what may be taken out," she said.

Monalisa said that while tourists were not allowed to take articles made from endangered species, such as turtle shell and black coral, there are other articles that they can take.

"We also need to train people not to use certain materials and also how to use other materials which might have to be processed in a certain way."

Support programme

Monalisa is the National Coordinator of a three-year pilot project called the Handicrafts and Cultural Tourism Support Programme, funded by New Zealand aid. "The goal is enhanced sustainable livelihood opportunities from tourism for artisans and cultural experience providers in Tonga. One of the outputs is for tourist awareness of biosecurity and environmental regulations increased," she said.

The project is conducting training in Vava'u this week, with sessions on weaving, carving and tourism, with the help of a new trainer Kalolaine Rapp, who arrived last week.

Monalisa said while in Vava'u they would encourage artisans to join the TNAHA, which would benefit from having outer island members on the executive, and it would help outer islands producers to raise their profiles and make their work better appreciated.

The new executive includes: President, Sione Mo‘ungaevalu; Vice President, Feinga Fanguna; Treasurer, Lisa Lui; Deputy Treasurer, Soana Lepa; Secretary, Monalisa Palu; Deputy Secretary, Hu‘ahulu Ha‘unga; and committee members, Sitïveni Fehoko, Mona Taumoefolau, Susitina Tesi, and Lisi Manavahetau.