New generation of students carries Tongan culture forward

Robinvale students carry Tongan culture to Melbourne stage In short: Twenty-four students from Robinvale Secondary College's Tongan dance group Si'i Kae Hā have travelled to Melbourne to perform in a cultural showcase. The group from north-west Victoria is helping young Tongan students connect with their culture, language and community thousands of kilometres from the Kingdom of Tonga. What's next? The group was the first from regional Victoria to perform in the showcase and is looking forward to returning next year. Si'i Kae Hā, meaning "small but significant" in Tongan, is the name of Robinvale Secondary College's Tongan dance group. Last week, the group lived up to its name when 24 students travelled eight hours from the small town of Robinvale in Victoria's north-west to perform at the Cultivating Creative Cultures with Communities (4Cs) Showcase in Melbourne. They were the first regional Victorian group to perform in the showcase in its 20-year history. College captains Sione Heitonga and Ruby Hingano helped establish the dance group in 2023 as a way for students to connect with their culture and community. Ruby, who is both Aboriginal and Tongan, said joining the group has helped her discover a side of her identity she did not grow up knowing. "Starting this group let me connect with my Tongan side more and with more of my family too," she said. Passing culture to the next generation Robinvale College education support workers Lueni Kolofale and Samuel Fangatua, who have been a driving force behind the group, also grew up in Robinvale. They were taught by Tongan elders who helped keep their culture alive. Their school experience was filled with regular opportunities to perform at annual showcases, community events and travelling roadshows. When Ms Kolofale and Mr Fangatua returned as staff, many of those opportunities were gone. The pair saw an opportunity to rebuild that connection, helping to pass cultural knowledge on to another generation. Mr Fangatua said the Si'i Kae Ha group had grown beyond just dance, with students' curiosity branching out to Tongan traditions, culture and language. He said that connection had flowed into their education. "They're not going to do well in their education if they don't know who they are," he said. Students are expected to maintain their behaviour and schoolwork to take part in performances and trips. Ms Kolofale said students had gradually learnt that representing their culture also meant living its values of respect and love. One parent, Sela Tuiaki Ale, said she had seen that change in her own children. Her children were raised speaking English, as she and her partner were also born and raised in Australia. She said the dance group had given them another way to learn about their Tongan heritage. "They were born and raised here, so to see them still want to learn about our culture and live in it as well is really good," she said. Her parents and grandparents had embraced the opportunity too, helping dress the students in traditional attire and watching them perform. Ms Ale's family was one of many who had played a role in the group's success. A community effort In the lead-up to the 4Cs showcase, the community raised $10,000 to take the students to Melbourne. Parents and Tongan elders helped create the traditional wear and teach the dances. The significance of the journey was not lost on 4Cs director Latini Matautia-Ulugia. "It really does take a lot of people to okay something like this," she said. "The fact that the school said yes and gave them the opportunity to fundraise and then were supported by community, I thought that was really is something that should be shared." Department of Education Regional Director Tip Kennedy attended to support the school, the first time a department representative had attended the event. Sione said he was nervous in the lead-up to the night and had "prayed countless times", while Ruby said that despite the nerves, she was just excited to perform. Both said that once they hit the stage, they were filled with pride. For their teachers, watching the students carry their culture onto a Melbourne stage was a moment of awe. "When we got to the venue in Melbourne we were like … who do we think we are coming all this way, doing all of this? From little Robinvale?" Ms Kolofale said. The group is already looking forward to returning next year. For now, Si'i Kae Ha continues to give Robinvale students a way to carry their culture forward, thousands of kilometres from Tonga.