TALANOA Community Trust
Vavau Public Library
Saturday Cinema
Talanoa Trust offers a Saturday Cinema for children every Saturday at 7 pm, where young children are seeing a movie on a screen for the first time in their lives. (There is no cinema in Vavau) This project is run by volunteer’s, and we offer free transportation from rural villages, (with free popcorn)
Before the screening we show the young audience environmental clips of the effects of plastic waste on the environment: The effects of climate change and what we can do about it: How bullying in schools can have lasting detrimental effects on kids; the importance of Non Violence, and looking after each other, and so much more. Through film clips, prior to the feature film, we are giving our young audience an introduction to topics that often are overlooked in local schools. We also show film clips on Tongan Culture and Heritage, with the aim of contributing towards youth gaining a sense of pride, cultural identity, community and inclusion, regardless of economic status or class.
Music school
The Vavau Public Library has hosted the youth music school since 2019, and to date, has created some fine young musicians who are performing regularly at churches and local events. Kids generally begin on the ukulele and graduate to the guitar as they progress.
The music teacher is John Greet, a resident of Vavau and a qualified music teacher. He uses the strength-based approach to teaching, where as soon as a pupil can play a couple of songs, they are required to teach the younger kids coming in. This method has proved successful and John now teaches and advanced guitar class on Tuesdays as well as the usual beginner class on Thursdays, along with a Talanoa trust volunteer Cyril Baba, and trustee Luella Yolanda. The students perform their songs at movie nights, which, along with the educational clips, offers a full evening of entertainment.
Books
The library has an extensive catalogue of children’s books, both for educational purposes and for reading pleasure. Students can borrow books that would otherwise not be available to them. Our catalogue is online and the books are housed in the library. The library offers reading classes on Saturday morning for pre-schoolers and will offer private tuition to any child who is struggling with either reading Tongan or English.
Tongan Traditional Dance lessons
Tonga’s traditional dances include the Me’etu’upaki, ‘Otuhaka, Ma’ulu’ulu, Ula, Tau’olunga, Kailao and Soke, and well known traditional dances, such as Lakalaka, a dance practised throughout the Kingdom, expressing stories of Tongan history and legends, the Lakalaka is performed by both men and women. In our lessons the participants are youth.
The class is led by a revolving group of Tongan women steeped in the tradition of dance. Some of the older dances will also be incorperated. Talanoa trust feels strongly that traditions such as dance, and the poetic songs that accompany them, be brought before a younger audience to ensure their longevity.
