Blogs from Tonga, Oceania - page 2

Pigs and piglets are everywhere here. They wander freely and often cause trouble for gardeners and road users. Roast pig is the dish of choice for weddings, funerals and any important occasion. But drunken pigs? Well because they roam freely sometimes they become a major nuisance. We have 2 that keep breaking into our compound and digging up the taro. They have become cheekier by the day and have evaded traps set for them. So desperate measures are called for - people have been sleeping out and trying to bait them with coconuts and bread. Then came the idea to soak the bread in vodka with the hope it would knock the pigs out! Guess what? It doesn't work and now the pigs not only get fed but they get happy hour drinks too. Back to ... read more

Winter has really taken hold! Torrential rain and temps under 20 degrees. This wasn't in the brochure. Also the shops seem to have emptied. Supplies can be vulnerable to shipping and of course weather for veggies. When a ship does arrive it's a race to stock up - depending on what comes in. There is always mayonnaise, soft drinks and chips. Beyond that - anyone's guess. We are waiting for coffee..... Jan is chief shopper and responsible for scouting the town. The fresh food markets are great though and you can get fantastic veggies and fruits. But I have never seen anywhere that sells so much mayonnaise. It's in every shop from tiny fales to the big supermarket. I keep asking if they have any other uses for it - maybe body lotion when there is ... read more

We have just had an exhausting 2 weeks watching the Ms Heilala contestants go through their paces! Ms Heilala is a Tongan beauty contest. More pics are in our online media at: http://matangitonga.to I was surprised such a conservative and church going nation would have such a beauty pageant; but this is just the first of many! Ms Heilala is exceedingly popular - it takes place over 2 weeks and includes a multicultural night, a talent contest and of course the sarong parade (there is never going to be a swimsuit parade!). We are now eagerly awaiting Mr Maka, or Mr Tonga. Bodybuilding is very popular and the local gym(especially the mirrors) gets a real workout. Should be a fabulous event. But the most exciting, glamorous and anticipated for me is Miss Galaxy. Miss Galaxies are ... read more

Even though it's winter (well, cool in the water for the locals), we are full steam ahead at Tonga Swimming!. We are training some great volunteer swim coaches and they will be teaching in their villages at the beach. There are 2 local girls (Poli and Mele) who are developing as our swim assistants. It has been a steep learning curve for them as until recently they hadn't hear of butterfly stroke. We are also doing sessions with the Navy (yes - bring on all the Sailor jokes!) and adult learn to swim and masters. By September we will have the whole island swimming! I have put a few team pictures - see if you can spot Jan.... read more

Tonga is very much a Royal society. The current King - Tupou VI - was crowned July 2015 in a huge ceremony lasting days with traditional feasting and dancing. The Royal Palace takes pride of place on the foreshore and you can often hear sirens for the Royal cavalcade!. We live near the "Kings" church where they attend. Our first Sunday they dressed us up as Tongans with the traditional mat (photos later!) and the Queen was in attendance. The Royal Family is extensive and anyone not directly of the Royal family is a Noble. Queen Salote was a particularly loved Queen - and a rarity - only the male line has succession unless there are no male heirs. She had a governess called Leisali - a nice version of my name! The kings and queen ... read more