Tongan students in Australia share culture on stage
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Twenty-four students from Robinvale Secondary College in Victoria, Australia, travelled to Melbourne to perform traditional Tongan dances at the Cultivating Creative Cultures with Communities (4Cs) Showcase.
The students formed the Si’i Kae Hā dance group in 2023 to connect with their Tongan heritage and community. College captains Sione Heitonga and Ruby Hingano initiated the group, recognising a need for cultural connection among students.
Lueni Kolofale and Samuel Fangatua, education support workers at the school, grew up in Robinvale and wanted to recreate the cultural opportunities they experienced as students. They noticed a decline in these opportunities and saw the dance group as a way to pass on Tongan knowledge to a new generation. The group’s activities have expanded beyond dance to include traditions, culture, and language, which the teachers believe improves students’ overall education.
Parents and community elders supported the students’ trip to Melbourne by raising $10,000 and helping to create traditional clothing. Sela Tuiaki Ale, a parent, noted the group helped her children, who were raised speaking English, embrace their Tongan heritage. The Si’i Kae Hā group was the first from regional Victoria to perform at the 4Cs showcase in its 20-year history, and they plan to participate again next year, continuing to share their culture with a wider audience.
