Tonga’s hip hop Onion Squad have had their dreams dashed after they were denied US visas today, 2 August, to compete at the Hip Hop World Championships (HHI) in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, next week. Over 4,000 of the world’s best dancers, from over 50 countries, are set to compete but Tonga's favourites won't be among them.
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Results for Arts & Entertainment
Friday 2 August 2019
Suva, Fiji
Monday 8 July 2019
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The Dongguan Cultural Troupe of performers travelled from China to present a special Royal Performance in celebration of the 60th birthday of HM King Tupou VI in Nuku'alofa. Masterful face-changing by performer Fang Wenquiang captivated the audience in an exotic and colourful show. Photos by Pesi Fonua.
Thursday 13 June 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Australian Hip Hop dancers, Billy Parker and Credence Blanco, along with Tonga's Onion Crew were welcomed at an evening of Hip Hop Dancing hosted by the Australian High Commissioner, HE Adrian Morrison, at the Australian Residence, Ma‘ufanga, on Tuesday 11 June.
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Thursday 23 May 2019
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A Lifetime Achievement Award will be posthumously presented to Polynesia’s great composer, the late Queen Sālote Tupou lll, at tonight’s Pacific Music Awards to be held at the Sir Woolf Fisher Arena Vodafone Events Centre, in Manukau City, New Zealand.
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Friday 10 May 2019
1 comment
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A one month residency theatre project in Poland saw Tonga’s On The Spot (OTS) Co-founder and Creative Director, Ebonie Fifita, and Stage Director, Steev Laufilitoga Maka create and direct a Polish play.
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Monday 29 April 2019
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Brisbane, Australia
Around 10 schools took part in Queensland’s first inter-schools Polynesian Festival with Woodridge State High School winning the Tongan stage segment at the Edmund Rice Performing Arts Centre, St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane, on 27 April.
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Saturday 20 April 2019
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Manukau City, New Zealand
Tonga's Onion Squad have qualified in Pacific Islands hip-hop competition to to compete in the world hip-hop dance competition in August in Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
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Monday 15 April 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Six Tongan hip hop dancers, calling themselves the Onion Squad, will be competing on April 16-18 at the Hip Hop Pacific Islands competition in Manukau City, Auckland.
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Friday 18 January 2019
1 comment
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Prominent Tongan artist, Filipe Tohi, presented his discovery of the hidden layers in the construction of the traditional lalava or lashing method used by ancient Tongans, at a seminar last night, 17 January, at the Tanoa Hotel.
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Wednesday 16 January 2019
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tui’one Pulotu, a well-known Hawaii-based Tongan canoe builder and woodcarver and a Living Treasures of Hawaii award recipient, is currently in Tonga to display his work in the Tanoa Hotel’s new art gallery in Nuku'alofa. By Eleanor Gee.
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Monday 1 October 2018
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London, United Kingdom
The Oceania exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London has a fantastic array of around 200 works of Pacific art from public collections around the world on display from 29 September – 10 December.
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Tuesday 11 September 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Dinah Jane’s first song as a solo artist following the hiatus of Fifth Harmony earlier this year, is expected to be released on 21 September.
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Thursday 23 August 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Showko Showfukutei provided a good laugh when she performed Rakugo, a Japanese traditional comedy with some modern characters, and ventriloquism, when visiting Tonga on August 14-17.
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Wednesday 22 August 2018
1 comment
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
'Leitis in waiting' a one-hour documentary depicting the lives and challenges of leitis in Tonga, a transgender minority group fighting for equality, was showed at a special screening at the Nuku'alofa Film Festival on August 21.
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Friday 10 August 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A three-days Tonga Secondary Schools Brass Band Music Festival concluded with a brass band marching contest in Nuku'alofa on Friday, August 10. The winners will be announced tonight at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall.
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Wednesday 30 May 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A group of young local artists in Nuku'alofa who lost their workshop and clubroom in Cyclone Gita have been assisted with donations of art materials coming to Tonga all the way from London, United Kingdom.
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Tuesday 29 May 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's annual Heilala Festival begins in Nuku'alofa on June 25 to Friday July 6, including the 2018 Miss Heilala Pageant.
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Wednesday 16 May 2018
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Honolulu, Hawaii
A Hawaiian fireknife performer of Tongan descent, Hale Motuapuaka, was declared the winner of the 2018 World Fireknife Championships on 12 May Saturday at the Polynesian Cultural Centre in Honolulu, Hawaii. The 18-year-old received a prize of $7,500 (USD).
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Thursday 26 April 2018
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London, UK
A film documentary, 'Leitis in Waiting', has won the audience award, after premiering at the Festival of Commonwealth Film 2018 in London. The film promotes human rights and challenges laws ciminalizing LGBT lives, still current in eight Pacific countries.
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Saturday 21 April 2018
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Traditional dance and musical performances by 28 students were presented at a recital held by the ‘Atenisi Foundation for Performing Arts at the Tanoa Tonga Hotel on April 19.
