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 I republish some information below regarding the formation of 'Potatala 'a e Kolomu'a'
(Dialogue in the Capital) that was published on Planet Tonga in 2002. This Team was also later known as Pacific Island Youth Network (PIYN). Potatala's main current program on a weekly basis for Pacific/Moanan youth is its live radio show on 91.1FM/www.cmsradio.org.au on various issues relating to Tongan and Moanan youth and communities in Australia and worldwide (details of the show are shown on the right-hand side of this website's frontpage).
(Luseane Halaevalu Nakao-Tuita)
(Luseane, Lu'isa Ma'ilei Latukefu & Sela 'Ulu'iika Tuita - 2009 PIYN Christmas Dinner)
Formation of Potatala 'a e Kolomu'a
Potatala 'a e Kolomu'a was formed in Canberra on Friday 3rd of May, 2002, with the primary objective to ascertain solutions for minimizing the increase rate of substance abuse among Tongan youth in Australia and world-wide.
This was a consequence of a Keynote Speech by HRH Princess Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho - the wife of the Prime Minister of Kingdom of Tonga HRH Prince 'Ulukalala-Lavaka-Ata - in a Public Session at the Civic Uniting Church. She is the Patron of a Tongan Women Fellowship with a name 'Lototaha (lit, Togetherness)', and it's their monthly Public Session where Nanasipau'u was invited to deliver such a Speech.
Nanasipau'u with a style of a classical orator delivered a very enlightening and fascinated Speech on countless social ills being currently confronted by Tongan generations everywhere. The substance of her Speech revolved around the issue of intensifying social chaos due to substance abuse, and disintegration within and among Tongan communities globally.
In her responses to questions and comments from the audience, she made an appeal to Siosiua Lafitani Tofua'ipangai (Vice-president) of the Lo'au Research Society (LRS) worldwide to seek for a possibility of conducting studies on critical social problems such as substance abuse spreading among youth members of Tongan communities globally.
(Taai Sullivan & Shiara Lynn Astle)
Further, an informal conversation by Siosiua with Nanasipau'u after her Speech strikingly forstered the urgency to put more attention in social inquiries on the issue of great concern.
With findings of the LRS and by common knowledge, it is evident that there is a considerable number of Tongan youth and adults who are now on the run and forefront in participating and supporting illegal drug actitivies globally.
On the same night after another informal conversation by Siosiua with Lucy Tuita Astle, Silvia Finau Weinhonig and Fifita Imbriano, it appeared then that there must be an immediate action to help in minimizing this intensifying social illness and its negative effects.
(Siua & Moeaki Tunitau)
The increasing rate of substance abuse among Tongan youth, and adults, is enormous but with no unified and clear social endeavors by Tongan world communities to minimize its momentum and tempo. In accordance with the LRS's data, the ratio is said to be around 1 in every 5 Tongan youth is either a drug user or trafficker, or both.
Obviously, individual families and churches are now powerless to formulate solutions by themselves, but there is a communal need for a team to work on local, national and international levels towards such a problem.
There is no doubt that global problems must be addressed and solved by global solutions rather than individual and local endeavors.
At the end of the informal conversation by Siosiua, Lucy, Fifita and Silvia however they then agreed to form a team to practically materialize the wise-ideas from the Princess' speech encompassing other data from past studies and the Lo'au's.
People like Lavinia Naufahu, Sioana Fa'upula, Siaosi Lavaka and Mote Lavulo were willing to unfold arms and assist such a move too. Also the President, 'Inoke Fotu Hu'akau, of the LRS worldwide has agreed to contribute research materials and theoretical backgrounds on the issue.
The lists of the taskforce team in Canberra are as follows: Siaosi Lavaka, Siosiua Mote Lavulo, Lucy Tuita Astle, Fifita Imbriano, Silvia Finau Weinhonig, Lavinia Sialehaehae Naufahu, Lu'isa Latukefu, Siosiua Pouvalu Tofua'ipangai, Vili Naupoto, Kalatoni Fusitu'a, Soana Fa'upula, Sitiveni Manu'atu Tu'isoso, Fane Sitauti Siviero, Stella Naimed and 'Amasia Pouvalu Tofua'ipangai.
(Mazzy Byrne-simic, 'Amelia 'Asiuvou King, Shiara)
The name POTATALA 'A E KOLOMU'A
On the same year (2002), HRH Princess Nanasipau'u kindly named this taskforce team as POTATALA 'A E KOLOMU'A (lit. dialogue in the capital, capital refers to Canberra where this concept was first materialized).
On behalf of the Executives and founding members of the PKN I would like to unfold my sincere appreciation and great thanks to HRH Princess Nanasipau'u for accepting our request to provide such a name, very appropriate with the objective and working strategies of the Team.
For Nanasipau'u, POTATALA 'A E KOLOMU'A is a medium for unwraping ideas and problems freely, and is a derivation of two Tongan words PO/TATALA. PO in this context stands for two senses: 1) night; and 2) meeting. PO then is about a night/meeting place (i.e. KOLOMU'A) for TATALA (i.e. unwraping ideas and problems freely).
The word NETWORK in addition to the whole phrase was applied after a consultation among the Executives, for the reason that one of the POTATALA's strategies is to build a global network among Tongan communities.
(Lesoni Latukefu, Siosiua, Lipou Pelesikoti from the back & Kalolo Taliai)
So the full name of the Taskforce Team is, POTATALA 'A E KOLOMU'A NETWORK (PKN).
I do believe that we must have to address and minimize the increasing social problems and substance abuse amon g Tongans through utilizing a global procedure/solution.
It will be ineffective if we just attempt to solve and address it on local grounds per se. Such a global concern must be addressed and solved on global methods.
Our current global net workers/representatives from interstates/overseas are: 'Ilaiasi 'Ofa (Texas), 'Anapesi Ka'ili (Utah), Sisifa Nash (Brisbane), Tangikina Steen (Adelaide), Maumau (Sydney). All of them are considered as having the same memberships' rights as those in Canberra.
PKN's Executives in Canberra are: Siosiua Lafitani Tofua'ipangai (President), Luseane Tuita Astle (Vice-President), Silvia Finau Weinhonig (Secretary), Fifita Imbriano (Treaurer) and Siaosi Lavaka(Public Officer).
Malo & 'Ofa lahi atu....Siua Lafitani Tofua'ipangai
* For further information please click on the followings:
http://www.katelundy.com.au/2002/11/24/illicit-drugspublic-forum/
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/anthropology/tonga/vol13-2.html
http://secure.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=10113361584
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