Tonga traditional games revived

Raymond Jaravaza
AN audacious programme to revive Tonga traditional games aï¿½ï¿½ some of which are not even known to the current generation of school kids aï¿½ï¿½ will be launched in the Binga Disctrict at the Manjolo Business Centre on Saturday.

Jointly organised by the Tonga Museum together with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the launch of the revival of the traditional games is meant to ignite interest of younger generations in Tonga cultural values through sport.

Just like popularised board games such as chess and darts which are played in schools across the country, the organisers of the Revival of Tonga Traditional Games hope to ignite interest in old age games in school kids in the district.

aï¿½?We have identified 10 Tonga traditional games, some of which are virtually unknown to school going children, to revive them and introduce them in schools. We believe this will help our children understand the Tonga language even better as well as preserve our cultural values.

aï¿½?Children understand better when they play and learn at the same time. The current generation of school kids has no idea how some of the traditional games are played so we have enlisted the help of the Tonga Museum,aï¿½? said Binga Disctict officer in the Ministry of Sports and Education Ronald Siamwamwata.

The organisers have also roped in local Tonga authors to assist interpret and simplify the games to the children.

aï¿½?Because the new education curriculum calls for indigenous languages to be used as a medium of instruction we would like our children to have an appreciation of Tonga traditional games from Early Childhood Development (EC D) up to high school.

aï¿½?We are talking about traditional games that do not even have English names but are part of the Tonga language and culture,aï¿½? added the launchaï¿½ï¿½s spokesman Adam Mudenda.

Community members in the Binga District, schools and traditional leaders are expected to attend the launch. . .