Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga - Tonga Language Week
Mālō e lelei. Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga - Tonga Language Week is on from Sunday 16 to Saturday 22 August 2026.
Mālō e Lelei. Tonga Language Week Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga celebrates the culture and language of the 97,824 people of Tongan heritage who live in New Zealand. According to the 2023 Census, 2,884 people of Tongan heritage reside in Christchurch.
The 2025 theme for Tonga Language Week was:
Ko 'etau lea, ko e fe’unu mahu’inga ia ki he mo’ui ‘a e Tonga
Our language is a vital strand of our Tongan culture.
- Visit the Ministry for Pacific Peoples Tonga Language Week page for more resources.
- Like the Tonga Language Week Facebook page.
Tongan translations of library information
We have translated some key documents:
Featured
Tonga Language Week craft: Kiekie
Mālō e Lelei. Enjoy this Tonga Language Week Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga craft from Tiresa.
Tongan general resources
A selection of Tongan resources that cover language, culture and protocols. The list is for the whole family to enjoy.
Shared Reading at Shirley Library, part of a series
Listen to a short story and a poem as a group and then break it down and discuss it. Discover interesting and thought-provoking reading.
Find Tongan resources in our collection
Tongan language
- Tonga Language Week Ministry of Pacific Peoples
- Like Tonga Language Week on Facebook
- Tonga (Lea Faka-Tonga) language cards, opens a new window from The Ministry for Pacific Peoples and Te Papa Tongarewa
- Online language games, to videos of Tongan greetings and of the New Zealand National Anthem in Tongan, as well as to a variety of learning resources
