'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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Results for Arts & Entertainment
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.
Wednesday 28 March 2018
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London, United Kingdom
A feature documentary ‘Leitis in Waiting’, about Joey Mataele and the Tonga Leitis, a transgender minority group fighting for equality, will premiere at the Festival of Commonwealth Film at the British Museum in London on 14-15 April.
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Tuesday 27 March 2018
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Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand born Tongan, Albert Mateni, aims to inspire Pacific youth with his theatre play, ‘Hearts of Men’ with an all Tongan cast set to debut on 5 – 14 April at the Mangere Arts Centre in New Zealand. The multi-talented 26-year-old is self funding the play and also acting in it.
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Tuesday 27 February 2018
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Five Tongan sisters from Hawaii – Alexsia (19), Tiueti (16), Lela (15), Elisiva (14) and Nini (10) – were guests on America’s popular Ellen Degeneres Show yesterday, where the singers each received a cheque of $10,000 USD. The group are all daughters of Walter and Telesia Tonga, who immigrated from Tonga to Hawaii.
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Wednesday 21 February 2018
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When Cyclone Gita blasted a dilapidated little Tongan fale into Fanga 'Uta Lagoon on the night of Monday February 13, home to a non-conformist Tongan artists group, the ferocious winds could not destroy the creative spirit of the Seleka International Art Society Initiative.
Monday 11 December 2017
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Nadi, Fiji
Tonga will host the 2018 Miss Pacific Islands pageant, which is usually held around the first week of December.
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Saturday 9 December 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A massive mural of the Tongan Lupe (pigeon), painted by five artists over the last four days, graces a wall at the back of the Tanoa Hotel, visible from Tupoulahi Road at Fasi.
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Wednesday 22 November 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Traditional dances were performed by young students from various Government Primary Schools in the Nuku'alofa district on November 22, to promote and preserve Tonga's traditional dances.
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Monday 13 November 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongan urban art is gaining recognition internationally, thanks to the creative expressions of a small group of innovative local artists, whose work is currently on display at a "pop-up" art exhibition in central Nuku'alofa.
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Thursday 19 October 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Story telling through the modern medium of film allows different islander voices to be heard together, Sisi'uno Helu, told the audience at the opening of the Nuku'alofa Film Festival last night. While Oceania cultures are often seen as being rigidly conservative, the festival offers two more nights of films that show these cultures are not inflexible.
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Tuesday 10 October 2017
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Auckland, New Zealand
The traditional Tongan lali, or wooden drum, has had a makeover by Massey University graduate, Rachael Hall, who is half Tongan, and is winning design awards around the world.
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Saturday 7 October 2017
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Actor and story-teller Sam Neill, completed several days filming in Tongatapu on October 2, for a landmark documentary that will be broadcast in 2018. This 6-part documentary series explores the three voyages of Captain James Cook using a contemporary journey across the Pacific Ocean.
Saturday 30 September 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongan artist, Visesio Siasau, launched his art exhibition today at the Tongan Cultural Centre, with the assistance of New Zealand artist, Serene Tay. The exhibition will run between 29 September to 2 October 2017.
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Sunday 10 September 2017
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American cultural and educational documentaries for public screening will be showcased in Tonga between 8-11 September in Nuku’alofa, organized by a group from the American Embassy in Suva, Fiji.
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