Tonga

Celebration

Treat

Nuku’alofa comes alive to celebrate Heilala Festival

By Christine Hatcher

IN contrast to the rest of the year, in the last week of June and the first of July, Nuku’alofa the capital of Tonga positively vibrates with activity and excitement. The Kingdom knows it’s “Heilala” Festival time, and welcomes the injection of colour the celebrations bring to dull winter days. While it’s fun time for most, for others it means just plain hard work, headaches and frustrations.

Named after the national flower by King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, the idea for this Festival was conceived in ’79. First organised by the Tongan Visitors Bureau (TVB) and the Tonga Tourist Association (TTA) under the patronage of Crown Prince Tupouto’a, the aim was to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday, promote tourism, preserve culture and tradition. This was the altruistic beginning and fifteen years

later, some things may still need improving.

During Festival time the capital’s population doubles.

Foreign exchange earnings increase by a million (1993 figures).

Youngsters are given license for graffiti and aluminium fences become works of art. Huge arched structures span the main roads at intervals of 200 metres. In honour of the King’s 4th of July birthday, some are decorated with greenery while others colourfully illuminate the nights. “May You Live Forever”, “Happy 76th Birthday!”, they say this year. Underneath, stalls selling peanuts and mandarins suddenly appear from no-where.

Children queue in ever swelling clumps to ride the ferris wheel and other fairground delights brought in especially for the occasion. A year’s worth of entertainment creates a feast from famine situation for amusement addicts.

“I’m very happy with the planning and organising this year compared to last year,” says police commander Sinilau Kolokihakaufisi after his inaugural term as chairperson of the Heilala organising committee. “This is the first year we have had professional performers and light and sound at ’Atele Stadium. I’m happy with what “Heilala” was hard work, all hands on deck but a real, loyal community effort. There is bound to be criticism, but we have done our utmost.”

Christopher Cocker, tourism marketing officer for TVB agrees to a point. “Our main problem is that we need to start working on our next years programme 12 months ahead. But we never get organised until February, so the printed programme only comes out a couple of weeks before the Festival.” Accurate information, he says, is essential so that travel wholesalers can be pre-sell Tonga during “Heilala”.

He and Kolokihakaufisi are divided on the question of attracting tourism Sinilau prefers that Tongans living overseas attend. Cocker, however, was disappointed at the low number of tourists attracted this year and therefore pleased the health department was closed lipped about escalating typhoid

Sharlene: the Samoan touch at the test

Pictures: Christine Hatcher

Miss Heilala 1994: Miss San Francisco Tonga, Tokilupe Lavulo

rumours locally. He says “The health department did a good job trying to stop the disease. I think they did the right thing by not publicising it. We didn’t want to scare the tourists. If a tourist got infected it would be terrible.”

Cocker says his department was notified three weeks before the festival. Tourist resort staff were checked by health inspectors and none were found to be infected, he said. Reports after the festival confirmed 10 cases, all cured, but no fatalities.

Sinilau said the enormous commitment by individuals (many working for government) giving time and muscle freely made the festival possible. Local sponsorship provides money for prizes and floats for the parade. Free labour and more time mades possible the sporting events, flower arranging compe tition, art and craft displays, fishing competitions and the international variety night performances.

Who needs fireworks when a torch procession around the edges of the island with a view to the neighbouring island of Fa’fa looking just like a birthday cake for His Majesty, creates an air of wonder and magic for the children who carry the flames? A Fakaleiti Galaxy evening when men put on a show dressed as women was hilarious, played to a full house. Top that with enough brass band music to make your heart soar, and the highlight, the Miss Heilala beauty pageant and you have a programme that, despite not always being 100 per cent accurate, is a remarkable achievement for amateurs.

Sinilau laughs “My management training came in handy,” but agrees with Christopher that the organisation still

left a lot to be desired.

Christopher says “Tourists don’t want to come to see a beauty parade, so we’re trying to move away from the Miss Heilala emphasis next year have more of a cultural range of activities.”

However, Simote Poulivaati, general manager of The Dateline, Tonga’s largest hotel and secretary of the TTA says this is only an idea at this stage. It’s unlikely that there will be any drastic changes to the programme, he says. One who would like to see changes is the outgoing and disillusioned Heilala Queen, Michelle Niu.

Before handing over the crown to this year’s winner, Miss San Francisco Tonga, Tokilupe Lavulo, she said “The Heilala committee have done their best but they should realise once and for all that it is Tonga as a whole that they are working for and get their act together. I have found promoting Tonga, being an ambassador, a challenge. I have done everything they have asked me to do. All I wanted was a thank you. Not for me but for my family.” She said her father had to support her from his own pocket when performing some Heilala queen’s duties overseas.

A note of dissatisfaction seems to be filtering between the layers of gaiety. I personally was manhandled roughly at the palace gates as I walked over to ask permission to take a photograph of a dance performance for the King. A colleague, officially recording the event for TVB and wearing media ID was deliberately pushed by a woman official as he tried to take a photograph.

But Simote Poulivaati, remains philosophical. As one of the main co-organisors since 1986, he has seen many a high, many a low and overall “Heilala” is Tonga’s most successful festival, he says. “I ask myself every time why I do it, but it’s all in a good cause. It’s such a joy seeing the festival improve from year to year!”

Being a good natured glutton for punishment he is busy putting together people of influence and man-power to establish a secretariat. Guidelines to strengthen the committee and improve the national festival are being worked on, but are not complete, as yet, he says. He grumbles about lack of government support.

“We were short of a few thousand last year after spending about U 5535,000,” he says. Nevertheless, undaunted, he is busy planning the next one. Layering on the success of this year’s Easter religious festial, a repeat is anticipated with another still between October and December. “Tonga could well become a nation of festivals,” he concludes. □

Christine Hatcher

Traditional show: Tongan dancers performing at the festival

Royal salute: preparing to mark the King’s birthday