Tongan culture emphasizes high expectations, family obligations, and community unity, which can be applied to business and economic development. Tongans living overseas have opportunities to invest in Tonga, particularly in land development and tourism, while maintaining their cultural identity. The Tongan government should balance foreign investment with protecting Tongan interests, such as controlling immigration levels and ensuring fair partnerships in business ventures.
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Ep. 168 - Viliami Helu: All Things TongaAdded:
Heat. Heat.
Everyone throughout the world, welcome to another Polynesian Eyes podcast episode. Uh, I am Mr. Altera coming live from beautiful Auckland. Nice and sunny at the moment. A little bit cloudy before the storm uh you know makes uh landfall uh tomorrow which is my Sunday because it's Saturday uh morning. Um everything is going well. I can't complain. Dual. How's everything going on your end of uh Las Vegas?
>> Yes, the uh Sin City is still here. It hasn't been wiped off the mat. So, we're happy for that. That's a good place to start.
>> The sin is not so bad yet in Las Vegas.
It's not bad.
>> It's bad, but not that bad, you know, and so we'll take it. You know, we're just um we're just a Michael Jackson level bad, but not the Lucifer bad.
>> Okay. Okay. Okay.
>> But um yeah, excited to be here. Little bit earlier than our typical time frame.
>> You know, it's a Friday, so I snuck out of the office a little early. Come down.
>> Aloha Friday. get the weekend started and really excited for our episode today and our guest, Mr. Aero, I want you kind of give a a little preview before we bring our guest uh to join us here on on the show.
>> Yes, I'm very excited about this guest.
Uh we have uh Vidyami uh Helu. Um he has connections to uh Fuamu and um he has a place in Kolo. He he's also um has a place in Langatonga. He goes by the uh the content name that probably a lot of our Polynesian people and probably nonpolians watch his content, all things Tonga. Um I was able to watch a little bit of his stuff to get to know him and I'm very grateful to have him on and uh you know just kind of hear uh his side of the story and just have a good Talanoa. But um but yeah, that's a little uh background and I'm sure um Helu will be able to kind of go in details with his uh with his uh introduction. So >> yes, hey, welcome to the show. Hello Malo Alito.
>> Hey, thanks for having me guys. Um, I just want to let the audience know I'm a big fan of your topic, you know, the things that you guys cover, your history, and um, and for me being tongen, you know, growing up in the US, I my family migrated here in um, 1973.
So, you know, we lived in we lived in Hawaii for a few years, migrated there for about eight years, and then from pretty much Hawaii to to Reno, been here ever since. But um yeah, so that's why I appreciate you guys topic because you know being a tongan overseas you don't really hear a lot about our history and to be quite honest you know um when you're young you're growing up over here everybody looks at you a foreigner you're kind of embarrassed of your culture a little bit you know you're killing pigs in the backyard you know you know the neighbors like you know getting ready >> what's going on over there >> you So, and then uh the family comes over and everybody's ga out in the front yard, you know, and then so the neighbors are, you know, what's going on. So, but um it is nice to um just kind of hear a lot of the things that you guys bring up. You know, helps people like me um get to know more about Tonga and um get to appreciate some of the history, the interesting history and um kind of put everything as far as the record goes, where we come from, where we originate from, all that kind of stuff, you know, is interesting to me and I'm sure it's interesting to a lot of Tonggins or those um tongans that um grow up here in America.
No, absolutely. And you know, like we say, we throw it on the table. People can look at it, challenge it, kick it around, and if it survives their their individual test of whether it makes sense or not, then use it. But if not, that's up to every person to make up their own mind, you know?
>> Yeah.
>> So, really fascinating. I So, when you guys moved to Reno, were you guys like the first tonggins out there, man? Cuz like >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We were one of the first tonggins. In fact, um you know, my uncle moved over here and um you know, they're Mormons and you know, we lived them we lived with them for a while. So, they took care of us and um yeah, we're probably one of the first five or six original families here. You know, the old >> What year What year did you move? Um hello.
>> Um we were probably here in 19 1981.
1981 1980. Yeah. in Reno. In Reno. Yeah, >> Reno.
>> What was the opportunity in Reno that took you guys there?
>> Um I you know what it is is um in Hawaii. My dad was probably doing a lot of shenanigans. He was a rugby player.
Played me out for a little bit before he got kicked off that team. But um >> um so my mom was probably you know it's time to to go and her brother was here.
>> Her brother was um so ended that's how we ended up in Reno.
>> Yeah. To me, it's always fascinating hearing kind of like people's journeys into like a new frontier because to me that is just a reiteration of what our ancestors did for hundreds to thousands of years, right? Hey, we found a new island over here. There's there's some interesting uh resources there. Hey, who's interested in going there, you know, and and go and no that island and start developing it, make it productive and then give tribute back to the motherland. So, it's really not a lot different than what tongans are doing in the modern modern day. So, it's it's fascinating.
>> Yeah, I agree with that. I can see I can see how why that all took place, you know, especially being family and how we support each other. So, it just makes sense.
So, what was it like growing up in Reno, man? What was the the good or bad? It's, you know, my favorite sign when I go to Reno and I go visit, it's the biggest small city in the world.
>> That's that's the phrase I see in downtown Reno, you know, the biggest.
It's either small or little. The biggest little city in the world or something like that.
>> Yeah. Yeah. it, you know, it took a little bit getting used to cuz um growing up in Wy Ki, I just grew up there and went to school over there. So, I was used to a lot of people and then you come to this place and it's all palamis, you know, everybody's a palangi over here. So, that was hard to get used to >> and there was only a few of us tongies.
Like I said, um, we kind of stuck together because it wasn't a whole lot, you know, and and like I said, with our culture and everything, you didn't really know if, you know, if you were embarrassed of certain things because we just did things that were different from other kids, you know, nobody wants to stand out as being different, but >> Yes.
>> Yeah. So, you know, we got used to it and yeah, it's been good. I mean, the longer I'm here, the more I appreciate it. You know, I used to think that I wanted to be in a big city, but um >> you know, there's a lot going on. Reno is um pretty simple place and it's, you know, like you said, big little city.
It's got everything and everything's easy to get to, but yeah. At the same time, >> yeah, it doesn't feel overwhelming. I mean, I've I've moved around the US for my career. My career is in construction and I've lived on the East Coast. I've lived on the West Coast. I love Texas and uh Nevada gives me a lot of the feeling of Texas, especially when you go to the rural areas where everybody's proud of they, you know, this is our Nevada, you know, and battleorn. We're battlebbor and and all those things and they just have ownership and they care and they they have an identity with the land. So, I do appreciate that that quite a bit. And I'm kind of like you.
When I was in college, I thought, man, I want to graduate, go to a big city. It's going to be exciting. I'm going to be, you know, entertained all the time. But as time goes on, man, it's just like, man, that's unnecessary problems right there. I just want to relax. Don't want to have people just did my front yard and front yard and backyard. And I'm like, dude, I have to get permission from my HOA. Like, what the heck, man? I was like, >> welcome to America.
>> Yeah. I was like I was like I was telling my wife I was like man now I know what the OGs were always talking about. It's like I don't want to follow no more rules. I want to go where I can be wild and free.
>> Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure man.
>> Man, any any thoughts, Busy? Anything you want to add? Because I I I'll go with a million questions here. I got to slow down every once in a while.
>> No, no. I mean, I'm only familiar with Reno. just been on the airport to um you know catch another flight but I'm not very familiar with Reno. Know some tonggins um there and >> you finally came to Vegas your first time.
>> Yeah. So um I do know that's a growing community of Polynesians in Reno because I I do know quite a few tongian. So I have you noticed hello that the tongen community Polynesian community is kind of gradually growing in Reno area. Oh yeah. It's, you know, the Polynesian community as far as a tongen goes, I mean, it's grown a lot. And for me, married to a palangi, you know, I don't the only time I ever do stuff is um when I'm doing family stuff, >> but as far as the community, yeah, there's there's there's quite a few compared to what it was when I came.
That's for sure. And, you know, I see that everywhere I go, though. You know, Salt Lake, LA, San Francisco. you know, it's almost like um it's almost I mean the migration I mean you can see it's grown a lot since since we were young, you know, as far as people tong coming over from overseas. But yeah, Reno's got a pretty decentsized population. I think we need a tong and pai here. We got enough tonggin, man. So we can whenever I'm in Reno and usually it'll give me a reason to stay. I I usually just do the daily commute to Reno. And it's really nice because Southwest has like a flight every hour, >> you know. So, usually when I was like when I was like, "Okay, I'm going to fly out to Reno."
>> You know, a lot of people will fly out the day before or they'll fly out in the morning, then fly back the day after, I catch that 5:30 flight right out of Las Vegas. I land by 6:30. I spend my day and then I try to catch ideally if the day goes well that 4:30 flight from Reno to Vegas, but if not I'll catch that 6:30 or 7:30 flight which is one of the later ones.
>> But um but a fun place.
>> Yeah. No, and I was going to say Reno seems to be very important with the resources that it has for the state of Nevada because you said through the resources, the reason why you go there, it's the energy that they produce. Yeah.
Up there and some of the big projects.
So, Reno seems to be pushing above its weight for its size of a city, you know, for the state of Nevada in my understanding.
>> Yeah. Cuz you have you have Teslas over there, a bunch of Amazon. So, I work for the utility. Hello. I work and I build I build all of our big projects.
>> There's a a huge transmission line that's going from Vegas >> to Reno, then from Reno to Elely. I'm building that.
>> Then I'm building I have a big solar project, >> about a gigawatt of PV and battery. And then in uh Valme, not too far from Winnamaka, >> uh I'm I'm rebuilding from coal to natural gas. Then I'm going to add some thermal combustion turbines there. And we're building all this energy because of the demand. About 70% of that demand is in Reno because there's an area called the trick area. Uh what is it? Um I can't remember the term for but that's where Tesla is.
>> Right. Right.
>> That whole industrial complex is going to blow up and we're trying to keep up with the pace and the demand. So >> okay, >> the the largest little city might not be a little city for too much at that rate.
You know, it's to me I when you when I think about Reno, I mean, the population is not that big. It's only probably about pushing 300,000, but for a city that's 300,000, I mean, it's it's a pretty popular place, you know. It's like Tonga.
>> We're a small island, but everybody knows about Tonga, you know.
>> Yeah.
>> No, and that that's a great segue here.
What are you doing in Tonga? Kind of kind of share with us and what's the genesis behind that?
>> What what's drawing you and what you're doing?
Yeah.
>> Yes. You know the thing in Tonga and one thing I do appreciate about Tongan um you know you guys have talked about um King Dubo and everything as far as um the land rights and I think that was an important decision back in the day to to give families land you know that inheritance. So >> me being the oldest son obviously that's gonna that's gonna fall to me. So that was my first um you know my grandfather and my dad always said that um you know you you're going to have to take care of the land and you know for me I inherited both sides of the family because my mom was the oldest on on that side got that land. So >> so for you both sides >> it sounds good. It sounds good. It sounds cuz you inherit. But at the same time, when I hear people say inherit, you got to watch my video when I went to the Black Pearl with all my there.
>> But continue on. Sorry to intervene.
>> So So anyway, so you know, so that's that's what kept me connected to Tonga, you know, just just that. So I'd come back and I think the longest period I was away from Tonga was probably about 12 years because um once I got married I I I took my family back there 1994 you know was the f and then I've been there every year ever since. So I would so that's my connection was to the land and then um just like on your last segment you guys talked about opportunities in Tonga. So from then on I you know I started little businesses here and there and then um eventually um built up my place in town and >> just looking for opportunities because you know as tonggins a lot of us have land there but we don't do anything with it. You know >> a lot of land there's so much land that's not being used productively >> and it's prime real estate. You drive around Nucalofa, you can tell the people that are overseas because they have these nice lots and it's just all overgrown and and the way our our landlaws work there, nobody's going to touch it because it's going to come back. You know, if they try to build something or try to kaka or whatever, you know, eventually it'll work with its way back to the owner. So, you know, just knowing the opportunity to be able to do something, develop the land. So, you know, really that's my connection.
And the reason that um you know, I started doing my little YouTube channel is because every time I go to look for information in Tonga, it would just always be a balangi visiting, you know, and those are the kind of videos that I would see, you know, just just some whale watching or whatever. But I just wanted because people would ask me about Tonga all the time. And I would say, well, you know, so I would record it. I said, "This is what I do. this is how I hang out with my friends and my family and these are the things that I see and you know and these are the things that they can improve on which um you I'm noticing when I do the YouTube channel tong is a little sensitive though you start if you see the steak's not cooked that good you know they get all upset you know >> but but you're I mean the thing is I did like what you do bring you know when you give critique it's Not and I think love tongans and I understand where you're coming from when we're critiquing it's not from a bad thing. It's usual when you go from overseas because that's how you improve service and that's going to help with the businesses and you know opportunities that happening when business happen in Tonga because if we want to attract people who are non tonggins these are some of the critiques that tonggins are giving to the businesses that we've come from overseas which is helpful. So I did see that one when you went to the black pearl and gave your critique and to and I understand and see and this is the thing that we can help each other the tongings from overseas and the tongings that kind of stayed in Tonga that's critiquing is not a bad thing it's just an improvement for the future but I I understand where you're coming from on that.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I mean it you know it's all just improvement. What what what can we do better? you know, it's it's like your guys show, you know, people critique it, but um what I appreciate is um you know, what's the solution? You know, can we work on it?
You know, can we find can we find the correct answers?
>> Yes.
>> Yes. It's it's it's very problemolving oriented and and continual improvement. And what I what I think is funny is there are certain things that I think and I heard this a lot and said this a lot even growing up in Tonga was like oh you know what I mean it's like it's like this mentality is like >> oh that's a the easy way out is to say oh they just don't understand the tongue and way I was like no no no >> the tongue and way is actually very stringent >> and very very the tongue and way is actually a high expectation.
You're just not applying it into the business world, but look at family functions and look at what expectations are >> to deliver and to contribute.
>> We actually are a very there's a very high level of expectation. We just haven't figured out on a large scale and I think we're starting to kind of turn that corner. We're starting to figure out how to apply that skill set into the environment that you're saying. like, "Hey, dude, don't just cook the steak.
>> Cook it to a high expectation." You know what I mean? There there's a level of expectation. And it's just a it's just a a certain way, a perspective, and a mindset that I think eventually will turn the corner. And then also, it's a skill to to understand where where your competitive advantage is, right? We're not going to go and build a four seasons, right? Like you're not going to be able to to do that in Tonga to that level, but that doesn't mean you don't provide high quality customer service. No, customer service is something you can provide. But then you got to figure out how does Tonga um provide something unique. And that's where I really like the the the tourism a couple years ago where they did the real Tonga, the real Pacific. Yeah.
Yeah.
>> That was a perfect twist on it, right?
>> Was like, yeah, you can have uh you can have a beach. You can go to Hawaii where Wy Ki where there's thousands of people laying around each other or you can come to the real Pacific, >> the real Tonga, you know what I mean?
And finding those spots to improve.
>> Um because like Miy said earlier, what Tonga brings to the table is rare and different. And a lot of it is that relationship, that experience.
That's what Tonga needs to capitalize on. Let's not let's let's not just copy and paste from Tahiti and Bora Bora and all those things. It's like no, we got to understand what what translates.
That's what our ancestors did good.
That's why the civilization lasted for thousands of years. It wasn't because we just sat there and say we won't change.
No, it's actually quite the opposite.
How do you balance change while holding on to your history? That's a very difficult thing to do.
>> Yeah, I uh I do appreciate Tonga and um um for everything it has to offer. You know, like you said, we are not Tahiti, we're not Hawaii, we're not New Zealand, but and that's and and that's what I love about Tonga right now. you know, it's not all that stuff because I go to a lot of different places and >> it's nothing like Tonga, but and that's why I love Tonga. You know, I love the history, I love the culture, >> and I love how Tonga is still connected um to Polynia. I mean, it is the true Polynesia. You know, back back in the day, you know, I would try to compare Tonga to Hawaii because that's all I knew. And you would kind of feel like, man, Tonga doesn't really have anything to offer. But you know what I didn't realize is that Tonga has everything to offer and that and that's what I'm trying to help tonggin appreciate that Tonga has a lot to offer. We should be proud of what it does have to offer and and then um you know we should um help people come to appreciate it like you know with you guys explaining the lang and all the history >> and you know that's one thing that tourism can do. they can do better job at um you know just kind of bringing that stuff out you know to the tongue especially to their own people you know to the >> No absolutely any thoughts Miy >> uh no I mean it's it's it's a great it's a great it's a great thing and um you know I like what Heloo is doing going back and Helu is right because I even see it in Hake side when houses are not done incomplete and it's been there for years and now It's it's not it's no one has done to fix it up. There's even lots of plots, you know, on the main road that is just sitting there. And um you know, it's it takes Hu what I appreciate about Helu, he knows he's the oldest. He knows there's a responsibility and he just took the faith to go and do it because that's only going to bless him and his prosperity in the future moving forward. So, you know, I uh I hope you know people I know people get caught up when we go move overseas. we get caught up with the, you know, daily overseas stuff of the making money and what's the next career um to to to chase and all of that, but we kind of slow down a little bit. Especially if you have uh land and you are heir to it or you're the oldest, you know, we're very lucky that we have our oldest that's in Tonga. It helps a lot with family affairs and like what you said, Helu, the land and stuff, it helps when you have a house on it on that land. So, you know, if more tonggins do that, it there's some trickle down effects. The construction can start booming and then there'll be more opportunities even for career-wise just in in Tonga because at the moment there is there a lot of people don't know there's a lot of money that's that's going back and forth in uh Tonga at the moment. So, just just my you know addition just regarding that.
>> Yeah. So, Helu, what what are the kind of the activities or what have you done in Tonga? Sounds like you've built some homes, you've started some businesses.
Kind of share your experience there because that's one area that we've discussed a handful of times that we feel the government would focus on.
Figure out a way to remove the roadblocks for the Tonggins overseas to bring their money to Tonga and invest it. I mean, I've I've heard multiple people complain and you're going through how probably how frustrating it is to try and get things done in Tonga, but what businesses and what kind of recommendations and or your experience in setting up some ventures there?
>> Yeah. So, the first the first um recommendation is be careful who you're working with.
>> That's a good one to put right at the top. Okay. Okay. Okay.
So, um yeah, so my first venture there, I I um I used to send heavy equipment for the government because I had a family member >> that was um in charge of um doing all the roads and everything. So, I'd send equipment there, but I never got any money back.
>> Yes.
>> But, um so anyway, so I decided um you know, from there I started um started construction on my places in town. you know, that was about um that's probably about 20 years ago. So, I I started, you know, I was working here in the United I'm a contractor. I'm a painting contractor. I >> Okay, >> that's that's pretty much what I do here. But, um so I would I would send some money just >> just a little bit at a time because I I knew that I wanted to go back to Tonga someday, you know. So started that and then every year I just been going back and then um I would just get different ideas you know like what's trending what's going on with Tonga and so yeah so so my advice is um you know always you know if if you want to go to Tonga just start out small you know find people you can work with that you can trust to get your stuff done frustrated because we all know how >> government works, you know? I mean, one day you're working with somebody else and then the next day, you know, you're working with somebody else and your stuff's still not getting done, >> you know.
>> So, but um but it'll get done, you know.
That that is the thing I do appreciate about Tonga. I mean, sometimes it um things are delayed, but um you know, tonggins I mean, we shouldn't be in a rush, you know. We are >> Yeah, we are people that take our time.
If you take your time, you you'll make Good things take time. Good things take time.
>> I have a I have a couple funny stories about that, right? Cuz we're we're halfassi um our mom is palang and our grandpa he came to visit us in Tonga one time and this guy this guy's a contra Yes. And he's a red head, you know, Welsh German English guy and he's a contractor. So he's he's a colorful guy, you know. He's like, "When we need to get work done, we need to get work done." He would flip like big buildings out in like uh the the DC area, Baltimore area. So, he's a colorful guy.
And I remember it was just me and him.
>> It was Pacific Timber and Hardware when it was closer to like Havu back in that day.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Right. So, me and him and we were he was installing Remember Mushy that that the water heater?
>> That water heater that Yeah. cuz my grandpa came and he's like, "I can't believe my daughter doesn't have hot water." So he he was like, "Yeah." So he did this. He came down to visit. He's like what, 60 something years old, 70.
And homeboy is like >> he's like putting in a water heater. And so we went to Pacific Timber and Hardware to get some like either some connections or whatever. He needed some material to finish out the job. We walk in and there's not a worker in sight, right?
So my grandpa, he's getting a little impatient. He's like, "Where are these people?" You know, >> in the very back, you can hear like people like laughing and cheering. We walk around the corner and all the workers are playing talamu. Yeah. You know, they're probably playing tenu back there. And my grandpa looks at me and he goes, "Is this normal?" And I was like, "Yeah, this is normal." So he's like, and he starts he starts yelling at them, right? He's like, "Hey, I have good money here that I want to spend. Does anyone want to make money here?"
You know, and it's funny because like what you're saying, the workers here, you know, in America, if that were to happen, everybody would scramble like, "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." The workers look at him and they're annoyed. They look like, and I remember feeling embarrassed, you know?
It's like, "Oh my gosh, grandpa's making a scene here, man." like and you could tell the workers were like, "We'll come to you when this game's done." So, he couldn't believe it. The whole time we're walking around, he's looking for stuff. He's like, "I can't believe this place, man. How do you get anything done here?" You know, and I'm just like, "Yeah, grandpa." Yeah. And the person comes and so yeah, I was I remember like like you're saying, you come in, if you try to make too big, you want to make a wave, but you got to be careful. Don't make it too big of a wave because then it'll work against you. like you're saying, come in, try and get your work done, but also know where the line is.
Don't don't don't over over pressure the line.
>> Um because it'll work against you. But if you just come in, try and and understand the process and and just be try to, you know, assimilate maybe.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Maybe that's the word. B be come in, invest, and try to make a difference, but try to assimilate as well.
>> Yeah. Yeah. And that's good advice for us um balangi tongans, right? That go back and for >> we have the mentality of the west but you know really it doesn't work in too good you know >> you can work against you a little bit.
No I just wanted to say um you know kind of like being so I'm I'm sure you're the contact person helu you know regarding stuff in Tonga and that's why you know I find it very important that to have somebody within the family in Tonga because like what you said you try to find somebody that you can trust. I'm sure your family and your clan or your relatives that are overseas because you are there and you've done work and you go there often. I'm sure you're the contact person. For us, it's my older brother we contact. He's the person we trust who we contact. So, you know, like what you said when you it helps it helps everybody when you get one person in the family that kind of established that knows how things are running Tonga and you can trust them and then you kind of venture out. That's how that's kind of how I think when you want to do stuff in Thor.
>> Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure. You gotta have um like you know, you got to have people that you know going to get stuff done for you and um and you're going to have some money in your bank account.
>> Yes.
>> You know.
>> Yeah.
>> Left over. But um >> yeah. No, it's been a blessing. I you know growing up over here I mean we know the grind right every single I mean we work 40 50 hours. You know the tongue is I mean they don't see that. They just see they can see the good life. You know what I mean?
>> You know, >> end result.
>> But we're grinding over here. So, you know, to go back to Tongan just to slow down for me, you know, I I appreciate it and I look forward to it. You know, I I've been trying to talk my wife to go back over there. But, um, after after doing four years over there, she's thinking twice about every time I talk about it, but we will make it.
>> You got to give me the secret sauce there. Hello. I'm trying to convince my wife. She she um she's uh she's balag I've been I've been I've been working on this for years. Hel you have no idea. My wife is like if I got a dollar for every time you said let's move to Tonga, we'd be millionaires by now.
>> But yeah, >> at least you got four years. I haven't even gotten a year yet, man.
>> Yeah, it's it's the same. She'll come She'll come with me every other year.
She's like I'll come every other year with you.
It's funny that you're saying that because when you're talking about a different mindset in Tonga, like it took me a little bit to understand the concept of money, right? Cuz when we grew up in Tonga, like money was just like this thing that just you get it and you spend it right away and it's just that's it's you you don't have the you don't make the connection of >> you got to work real hard. like where we where we where we connected working real hard was aluki you know doing school work yes you know helping with the family cave and stuff and many times that didn't include financial transactions per se it was goods and labor um and so you you don't get exposure to this concept of money because it is a concept and a principle that you have to understand and so people in Tonga like they like you right you're you're you're over there you're sending over this heavy equipment and everybody in Tonga is like man this is awesome you know we got this heavy equipment and they're like oh hello's got it he's in America you know the money just falls from the sky we don't have to we don't have to pay is like he's in the the land of milk and honey he just sits around and finds heavy equipment worth tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars it's just laying around in America Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure, man.
>> And I had this one cousin of mine, he was visiting from Australia and he worked in the onions, you know, in the fields like picking onions and stuff.
>> Onions.
>> And he first went and then like, you know, all the cousins, all his cousins would always like write him on Facebook, hey, send us a hundred bucks, you know, send us, you're in Australia already.
And you know then Christmas would come.
They would always write him like, "Hey man, don't be greedy. Send us some money. You know, you're in Australia."
Then one of them happened to come to Australia and they went to go work and he was like, "Dude," he's like, this guy was like struggling cutting the onions and packing and he was he was he got him real good. He's like, "Hey, you remember all those times you texting me asking for money and you guys just act like it's NOT A NOW YOU UNDERSTAND. AH, >> YEAH.
I know, right? Yeah. And you know the thing about Tonga though >> and the and the people, you know, they don't really understand how nice they got it. You know what I mean? When I when I am over there and then I go to Langaton and I see the kids just playing in the water, you know, just having a kunu.
>> I'm like, man, that is the life, you know, that's the life that we all try to achieve here, you know, that that's what we work for, you know, to have this life >> and, you know, they just have they just have it right there, you know, but >> it's it's it's one of those things, you know, if you don't know, you don't know, you know.
>> Absolutely. And I and I believe in that 100%.
Because in America, everyone is working to try to get to that stage of I don't have to worry I'm I'm oh I don't have to worry about my bills. I don't have to worry about hey if I lose my job I'm not going to have a house. I'm not going to have food. I'm not going to have a car in Tonga.
>> When I grew up in Tonga it was like that never ever crossed my mind once.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. It was always like, "Oh, it'd be nice to have money, but oh, hey, let's go and drink coconuts."
>> Yeah. You know what I mean? Let's go and tun. One of my favorites was to tunu the may, >> you know, in the fire, the whole may and then, you know, um, dip it in the coconut. That was like a treat, you know, and it's just like, hey, what are we going to do? Hey, it's a mango season.
>> Eat mangoes till you drop. I still regret it to this day.
We had that. You remember that a the avocado tree musi in hoy that had the massive avocados right and for whatever reason I didn't think avocados were good for whatever reason right so I never would eat the avocados and my mom and I was like man why is mom like she's banging she's like dude this is a treat you know I have these huge avocados and then I come to America and then now I want to eat avocados and I got to go pay like two bucks for this ugly this ugly little like not even a smooth skin like the one in it's like all bumpy and I was like and I was like not as good and I was like it's like what you're saying hu I sit back and I'm like >> I had an avocado for free all year and I didn't even take advantage of it and now I come to America and I got to pay two bucks for this ugly little thing when I when I and you just you don't realize right? You just don't realize how good it can be.
And I think >> I think that's that is a selling point that Tonga needs to sell more to the diaspora, right?
>> Yeah.
>> It's kind of like what you're saying is, hey, >> you can work all your life to build up your retirement >> and it's not going to be the same bang for your buck overseas than if you were to bring that to Tonga. You bring that to Tonga, it'll it'll it'll go a lot further for you. It'll help the people.
It'll be a whole new lifestyle that could could be so great for you and so great for the Tongan people.
But that that that mindset I feel like the government needs to change quite a bit. I think the tongen government underestimates the the gold mine of tonggins working overseas who are kind of threearters of the way through their career. Cuz when you're like threequarters of your way through your career, you're making good money.
You're not you're not hopefully not doing the grunt work and you have a lot more disposable income and you're starting to think kind of like you. I have two options. I just put it into my 401k or whatever, have them invest it, and then I just take my my little, you know, 15% every year and live here in America or I can go to Tonga and >> that egg is 4x what it could be here in America. I don't know. What are you guys thoughts on that?
>> Yeah, I I I I think I think you hit it um hit the nail right on the head. I you know I always get these idioms wrong and my wife corrects me all the time but but you know as far as um you know helping the government um you know kind of um tailoring a lot of their approach I mean it's always tailored toward tourism you know what I mean but a lot of their economy can be tailored towards tongans like like us that are overseas that have some income to invest in Tonga you know because I know when I go to Tonga if I'm if I'm in a restaurant with a palangi they go to the palangi first, you know, before they come to me, even though I'll be there like, you know, month after month and week after week, you know. So, I think if they if if they if they shift some of that focus or some of that energy towards um the tongans that are that are overseas, you know, they'll probably do a better job of um you know, as far as revenue, you know, with tourism is to um have their focus on a lot of the tongans.
>> I mean, because they're the ones that spend money anyways, right? I mean they come I mean the other people might spend money on whale watching but we have to buy like five blockas when we go over there do all that other stuff you know >> and >> and do the you know the tra traditional tong and things which is um you know spending money but helping the economy at the same time and all that money stays there.
>> Yeah. here. Busy, anything you want to say? I have a video that what you just said there. Exactly. I think pro and we looked at it a couple episodes ago, but I think this is perfect to this that we can react to a little bit. But Miy, do you have have anything on your end before we do this video?
>> No, show that video. And I just I wanted to ask the question of um you know of Helu kind of the reason he's because I did watch a video of his um place going to Lena kind of. We will touch on that, but we'll watch the video.
>> We'll jump to that. Yeah, let's jump to that after that. Um, and this is this is where I see the royal family shining quite a bit is trying to to share some of that vision of where where the people and the the government can speak. And this is uh the king's sister Belo Levu speaking. And she kind of talks about it a little bit. Um, it's it's kind of later. I'm going to skip a little bit because I I don't want to I don't think the whole video, but I think about halfway she talks about the tongen tourist and the palangi tourist and how how the tongans treat them. It goes exactly like what you said.
Returning tongans for guest house.
Not very good.
Oh, sorry.
No, see, and that's that's the kind of thing that you're mentioning there. Hel >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, and and I think that's that what what she's saying is also true of the government.
>> Yeah.
>> The government they look, oh, Asia Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, oh, some large uh philanthropist in in Europe or Asia. When I was like, yeah, don't don't we're not saying don't pursue that. Pursue those.
But what about what about this? This is not a one-time tourist. This is a person that if you can make that connection, build that relationship, make them reconnect, you're talking about a what do we want most, hello when we're in America, we want the returning customer.
That's the one we want. And the diaspora overseas has a higher probability of being a return customer and invest at a higher rate than any palangi coming just to go and see the white sands at the beach.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean because we got skin in the game, right? I mean that is that is our family and our culture and you know if if we can cater um to these ones that um have grown up overseas and make them feel welcome, they want to invest in Tonga, you know, they want to >> Absolutely.
>> Yeah.
>> No, I that video just popped up and made me think of it, but yeah, go ahead.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, that that's a good point.
>> Yeah. No, so so um Hello, it looks like you're making a return to Hakeite. I know you have connections to Fuamo. You I watched an episode um that you um kind of had your kitunu at Lava Tonga kind of looking out to the beach. You would go and >> I did see that one video. I saw one of those videos you hanging out. Was it raining on one of the videos?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, no. And Yeah. No. So, I was going to just say hello. Like, are you When are you coming? Looks like you're coming back to the good side to Hake side. Leaving the town for the town.
Yeah. you're coming back to Hake. I'm glad you're coming because that is the best beaches in Tonga Tapu, I would just say. But >> but why why why Lena Tonga and why are you pursuing that spot there and why you feel like you're you're making a lot of effort? It seems like you're emphasizing a lot of effort to kind of make this happen in Lava Tonga.
>> Yeah. Well, you know, that's a Donga side. So that's >> Yes. Yes. Yes. It's this is not this is not in the blood hell. This is in the bone marrow. It's in the bone marrow.
It's it's this is where the blood comes from. It's from the bone marrow. Blood is too superficial. You go straight to the bone marrow.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> No. So, um so I mean um what happened there was interesting. So um you know when I was when I was sending heavy equipment there, I h we have some land. It's in full mu but actually right next to the airport they land behind the aili the the school. So anyways that's that's my inheritant aotment right there by the airport.
>> But um I was wanted some some beach property. So >> I just had an opportunity you know um talking to the bank and then um mighty had took mighty he took out a loan and he didn't pay it. So that's that's how I got lang. So anyways, I bought it from the bank and I've had it for like 20 years, but >> you know how it is. I mean, we're working, we're trying to pay our mortgage, trying to raise the kids.
>> A lot going on. Absolutely.
>> So, you know, I didn't have a lot of money to invest in Tongan. I I I really didn't have the time and energy to go and watch the project. So, you know, I just raised my family, have four kids, raised it. But then um every time I go to Leangong, I would daydream like on on those videos, you know. But um now is the time my my youngest is 19, my oldest is um 39 years old, you know.
>> But um >> Wow. Great job in getting them to be adults.
>> Yeah. So, so in Langatanga, I did now is the time, you know. I told my wife, you know, like you said, this is this is um you know, towards the end of of my life, unfortunately, you know, as far as planning, you know, what am I going to do when I'm older? Where do I want to be? And to me, Tonga is a perfect place.
Langatonga. I mean, it's got a beautiful view. You know, my plans there is just um to to just do a couple huts, maybe a camping, you know, just something simple, open it up for some camping and have a little restaurant there.
>> And yeah, and then just just hang out and and the beaches are beautiful there, you know.
>> Dude, they So, Lena, where's uh >> so right by um let me see, Lena. Yeah.
So you go past um what's that?
>> This is Hallaya.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So you go past Hallaya. Just keep going up a little bit.
>> You see where it says Langaonga Beach?
>> Yeah. So that's that's the property.
Come back this way. You went too far.
>> Yeah.
>> Right there.
>> Yeah. Right there. So that's property.
That whole big square right there. Yeah.
Dude, that is beautiful.
>> Do you know where my wife? cuz when I went with my wife and that's when I had three kids at the time and we went to Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa, we went to Tonga, we went to New Zealand.
This is my wife's absolute favorite beach. She said it's not even close.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Right. Because it's got the the long sand, the water is crystal clear, >> right? And then and then it's shallow.
It has the barrier reef. She's like, "What more could you?" Because her her as a panic, she's like, "Dude, I don't."
She grew up on lakes. She's from Spokane, so she's like she's always afraid of like sharks. So when she sees the barrier reef, she's like, "Oh, I'm safe."
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> You know, and she absolutely >> she absolutely loved it. I mean, look at that.
>> That that is that is Man, you got a really cool spot, man.
>> Yeah. So, you know, I'm looking forward to doing that project and um >> yeah, just looking forward to being in Tonga sooner than later. You know, we'll see what happens.
>> And uh you know, you know what uh according to our father, you know what's also special about that area?
That is supposedly where Tangaloa, Maui, and Datawa, that's where they first landed.
>> Yeah.
>> In this area and it was called Hokula.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> And it was because that's supposed to be like a peaceful and safe place. And that's where they first landed supposedly. That that's kind of like the oral history. But that's >> oral history.
>> Yeah. That's a sweet spot, man. I got >> Congratulations. I got a question for you guys. So, >> yeah. Yeah.
>> You know, because um you know, just um watching some of your guys shows and um when you have your father on there and he's talking about the and history of Tonga and he gets annoyed with all these other scholars that you know that bring up these things, you know. I know the one in Taiwan's a big topic with him.
>> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Do not get him started. I'm trying to steer away. If you mention laita or Austronesian, my dad goes straight to the the same playbook, he'll pull that out and he'll slaughter you.
>> You know, he he makes he makes good sense though. His points make good sense. But um how is it like, you know, growing up with that history? because I never I never got any of that with my family because you know my my mom was a school teacher but my dad grew up partly in Australia and um and then he came to Tonga you know just when he was like 18 but he left when he was 13 >> you know grew up there a little bit. So how was being raised by him and getting all that history?
>> You go first mushy you go first.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, well, well, for me, you know, being a kid, I didn't, you know, I just kind of let my dad just kind of do his thing. And then when I got um when I got older, when I started when then we moved to America, I was about 12, 11 years old. And you know, school projects at that age is a big deal. And then when I was and then I had to like kind of on my own just kind of like, all right, okay, I'm going to always do Tonga. I've come from Tong.
Then learning that history, it was like at ease because I can always go back to my my father and he would tell me that.
And then it was so funny because my mother also taught a lot of history in in um in Tonga because she was a teacher at Leia Hona and Tonga High School. Um she would give me all these things. So then it's that's kind of the seed that's kind of grown and then obviously those were like the you know the little things that I've kind of learned and I always and I've kind of always knew my my history and then it's gotten more in depth when I've gotten older especially when my my late 20s and um to me it like I said he's he's put in the time and that's what a lot of people don't don't understand that you know my dad sacrificed a lot of his time to go and do all these research cuz you know there's it's him and and his siblings but out of him and his siblings my dad knows a lot of the history because it takes work even if you come from the family it takes a lot of work to go and ask within the family what's going you know what happened to this which Donga is buried here that's a lot of work and you know to me it's kind of hard to argue with somebody who's done the work and it makes sense and if you haven't put in the time you It's you can you can pick up, you know, and that's why we kind of present the idea and if you can pick it apart, okay, good on you. We give you the kudos. You've done it. And we've we've always we we've I've tested my dad's own theory on the Polynesian history because of our family heritage and the work he's done and it hasn't been picked apart. And that's what makes me confident in the history that he's presented. and you know to uh to uh we'll kind of explain his own and this is kind of part of the reason why we just did the Polynesian Eyes podcast. It started off just for our family, for our the future generations, you know, that they can always look and kind of learn and then hopefully they will continue to work. Devita, he's um going going late7s 80s. We don't, you know, every year is a blessing blessing that he's still alive.
So that's why we've kind of started this and we're just kind of grateful that, you know, other people are just finding value in it. So that's just kind of my my spill there with the um the history growing growing up with Devita Tafare.
>> Nice. Nice.
>> Yeah, it's to me it was kind of like what you shared earlier, Helu. You didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't appreciate it because it was just there, >> right? Like I I I'll give you a couple examples.
It was normal for me to go to my grandpa young younger sister's property and be like, "Oh yeah, this has been in our family for 800 years, >> right?" Like you just hear that all the time and and you don't pay attention as a little kid cuz I was a little kid.
What did I care about? Rugby, getting the next, you know, kunu. What what are we going to do? Kaitun >> getting the next nice clothes. The nice clothes. That's really where Yeah, that's where a lot of your focus is. And and you you go to these family events >> and you know they tell you to sit down and you're just like, >> "Geez, man, this is like three hours and we're still going." Like, but but by osmosis, you're sitting down and you're listening to this and they're like, "Oh, yeah, you know, your your your great-grandmother is buried in that langi." And then you know your grand your great great grandmother she could have been buried in Dalangi but she chose her side. So she wanted to go get buried at Tafal, >> right? Cuz that's what the uh tombs were called was a and so and and then you just hear that you you you hear it hanging around and you just don't think it's a big deal, right?
>> You see, oh we're going to go see my grandpa. He's buried at Malo Malawa.
that last langi just before you know where you go to hake and it splits to that road there's a little langi right there on the right my grandpa's there my grandpa's first cousins are there all there I didn't think it was anything special just like oh that's where we get buried when when we die you know what whatever big deal and then and then as you get older and then you start talking to people and then you're like Oh, maybe that is not so common, so to speak. And I've always heard my dad's ideas and you grow up and it's like, well, let's see if if dad is actually up to something on these.
>> You go in and you dig and then the most convincing thing like Miy was saying to me is my dad's life. The guy dedicated his life for this and no one paid for it. He paid for it and he invested his time because like what you're saying like Masi was saying hu yes it's in the family but even within the family there's a trusted group within the family and it's not divul easily and when when we say uh when masi says my dad put in the time we're not just talking about the asking questions and seeking after that's a very important component you know what the other one is >> that is a very important part of it that that is when you're like is I don't know if you want to call it initiation but they're like oh you're not just here to ask a few questions and leave or just here to take something. No, you've put your shoulder to the kar and push this thing out into the water. You've paddled and and that combined with, you know, like my dad always says, his PhD is in his blood.
That's his always thing because I mean my dad went to what sixth grade maybe seventh grade >> education and I even saw it during my time in Tonga where people when I was in elementary school you see something that was printed or some article and it says oh yeah TV is uh you know criticizing his work yeah he says that the Polynesians were these navigators and they did all this and they said he's crazy and then by my senior year I open up one of our textbooks and guess whose map is in the textbook? The crazy guy that they said was crazy six years ago. All of a sudden they're saying, "Oh yeah, we always knew that the Polynesians were these great navigators." Like, well, not really, man. My dad was called crazy for many years for these things. And so growing up with it, I I didn't appreciate it as much as I do now. And that's kind of like what like Mussy shared is when I first spoke with my dad, you know, I helped him with his website because I I really wanted to document his work because I could I could see, you know, you see things slowing down >> and you pay attention and I was like, oh, >> you know, I said, man, my dad's dedicated his whole life to this. What a shame if this >> didn't get preserved.
>> Yeah.
>> So, we started with the website and I and I was blown away with the interest.
People were emailing, people were commenting. So, we did that for a few years, started putting it more on social media, and then I was just kind of sharing with my dad. I said, "Dad, the next evolution is you're going to have to create some video content." And then it became apparent, you know, my dad, he's old school. He's not going to create video content. So, it was, it became somewhat clear. It's like, okay, we're going to have to carry a little bit of this load. Rightfully so. The guy's done the majority of the work. Oh, I mean, we get the gravy train part, right? The guy did all the the hard labor. We're just sitting there organizing the cards and presenting them.
>> He actually did the hard work. But >> it wasn't until >> actually working with my dad that like slowly I was like, "Holy smoke, this is a gold mine from my perspective." And the longer you dig into it, it becomes more true and more true. And I'm like, that's and then I look back to my childhood and to think those little clues were all over my childhood, right?
But I just never never really took took that to be for what it was. I was too busy playing rugby, want to hang out with the cousins, you know, just being a normal kid and then growing up. But I I it's weird. You relive those experiences in your head and it's it transforms the way you see your childhood and your appreciation for it and and really what what my dad's done. That's why I have no problem with people who are skeptical about it. You should be skeptical about it. You should ask questions >> and and that's the only way that you can, you know, find truth in my perspective. I don't know if that answers that question. I kind of did a pro, but No, it does answer question. I just um you know, first of all, just tell your dad that I'm losing all my Fijian and Samoan friends cuz I'm >> But um you know, on a more serious note, I I you know, I do I do appreciate the work that he's put in, you know, because um it like I said before, it helps a lot of us who are never taught tongan history, you know, especially in the west. We just know we come from Tonga.
It's a small island. It's not very big, you know, and and that's about it, you know, but um just um just the work that he's put in. I I just want you guys to know I appreciate it and I appreciate what you guys do. put this put it on video, you know, I mean, >> and and retaining some of that knowledge because unfortunately for us, you know, when it comes to a lot of our oral history, you know, a lot of us um a lot of us don't know it >> and and and and that's too bad because what I do like about Tongen's oral history, I mean, you can always connect the dots, >> you know, and that's what you ask questions and it makes sense. When you connect the dot, it makes sense. and and that theory if something comes along that's better then I'll believe it you know until then >> this is this is what I believe until somebody changes >> no and and it's just funny because just like the fuatanu right I've known about that my whole life but it was just like oh yeah our ancestors they just made a hundred acres out of the ocean and then now I look back at it now and I'm like I'm in construction and even if I had all the right equipment.
That's a huge project.
>> You know, that's a multi-billion dollar project in certain areas. So, I look back at that and I'm like, >> yeah, and as a kid, we were like, oh yeah, this used to be ocean, >> they filled it up, connected an island.
What's the big deal? But looking back now, you're like, dude, do you know? And that's one thing that and maybe you you I don't know what your thoughts on this Hello is people underestimate how hard it is to build something like we we live in a world where so many people can benefit from infrastructure without getting involved in the infrastructure that people don't appreciate that. Like they look at these monuments and a lot of people like well what's the big deal?
It's not even that big of a of a pyramid, right? Hey, look at the among that's not even that big of a deal. And I'm like, you're revealing your ignorance of not understanding how much work and how difficult it is even if you had all the equipment just to organize the labor is is a master class of managing resources. But yeah, it's it's kind of a fascinating thing to look back and and and that's why I enjoy talking about it and and I would be lying if I didn't say I feel it's a spiritual experience as well, >> right? Like I I and I think that's where my dad one of the drivers for my dad. I feel like it, as crazy as it sounds, I've never really said this online before, >> but I feel like our ancestors have been waiting for this, right? Like a prime example for me is La Tonga.
>> Everybody gives the kudos to Tupo the first and and he deserves it. I'm not trying to take anything away from from Tupo the first, but his his contributions are well documented, right? Like you're never going to underappreciate Tupo the first. Lironga, he's thrown under the bus as considered one of the weakest to itas. He's considered as, oh yeah, this guy got, you know, throttled by Tupo the first in in Velata and all this other stuff and the guy is just thrown under the bus.
But when you start digging and you looking into the details if it wasn't for La Tonga would not have survived, >> right?
>> Colonization. Yeah.
>> Colonization.
>> And it was because of this. That's why I'm like, it's a it's a spiritual experience that had to motivate this guy because he literally sacrificed his title. He sacrificed his lineage for one purpose.
And what's the purpose? The greater good of the people.
There's very few civilizations that you will ever find that. I don't know where you can find a similar story like that.
Sounds a lot like what we hear in the Bible. You know what I mean? I'm not trying to be sacriiggious or anything, but this is not normal human behavior.
And that's what's fascinating to me about what Tonga accomplished. This is not normal human behavior. For this little island to have a civilization that goes back thousands of years, that's not normal human behavior. And so for me, it's not just a physical accomplishment.
I tie it. It's a spiritual one, too.
Because a lot of people think it's easy.
Oh, yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Create an army, have a civilization, you know, everything's going to be smooth. I mean, it's it's never the case. I mean, just building a project, sometimes building a house is extremely painful, let alone massive monuments. But yeah, man, I get excited. So, sorry.
>> No, no. I, you know, I get excited, too.
My wife's always complaining that I'm always listening to you guys, so Nobody.
>> I'm going to write that down. I want to write that down because my wife's like, "You guys did just did threehour live."
She's like, "Nobody listens to you guys." I want to be like, "I know of at least one guy." Helen says he listens. I want to text that to my wife.
>> 1:30 in the morning. He's like, "What are you doing?
A live digital coma session." Huh? No, but but I do I do subscribe to that thought with um you know, you know, as far as um what he had to give up because I mean it just makes sense, you know, that >> there wasn't um >> I mean it was peace it was a peaceful transfer and they understood what was at stake.
>> I mean how how are you not the only one that >> did not get colonized, >> you know? Yeah. The Pacific >> throughout the earth, not just the Pacific. I mean you look everywhere, you know. Yeah, as far as um colonization, I mean, it took place everywhere.
Everybody was assimilated in some way.
But for Tonga to to come out the way it has today, I mean, you know, it's a miracle.
>> Yes. And it's and you're right. I mean, one of the claims that we still haven't been proven wrong on is Tonga is the oldest active self-governing civilization to date. Right. like I think I think Sam, Ethiopia and Japan had longer ones but after World War II >> they they even Ethiopia for like what a few months they were under Italian Mussolini took over Ethiopia. So a few months before they restored but even then >> the Gabriel Clesi it's not the same family leading Ethiopia. And so that's one of the the things we put out there is like, hey, show me somewhere else because Laonga Tupo the first, it's the same family. They're they're they're cousins.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> You know, so it's it's very very interesting.
>> No, just to add on.
>> Oh, go ahead, M.
>> No, no, no. I just just just to add on with that because it's you know throughout Polynia I kind of I've kind of looked in the history in Samoa because remember the Maria Toa and the Mata Aafa they were fighting against each other and because of them fighting against each other they got colonized by German and then American Samo which is still under today and I don't know why people don't subscribe like if Laonga because it's it's human flesh to don't like when you're when somebody's going to you're giving up power and authority If you cause enough chaos, you're going to allow external forces to come in and be the vacuum and everything will be lost. But like like what you said da and like you know you kind of mentioned it with that a lot of people and we've only come ac across this um hello like the more we talk about it like manonga really it was like it see it has to be a because it's not human behavior to to to control your ambition of what your family has done for thousands of years being the top gatekeeper of like the most prestigious uh tuonga for thousands of years to put that away for the sake of country and seeing that Talaho is better suited moving forward to the modern kingdom and then giving him a tamaafakava because did not have a tawafakava before and he instituted giving his his uh council to institute that to kind of tell tell pretty you know pretty much all of hake saying that this is the legitimate ruler going forward and that confirmed it.
Dude, we we enjoy Tonga. Now you get to have land. Helu, we get to have land. We have land since the 1500s going down.
We're very blessed. And you know, and you can only see that if people would just come back and just enjoy that that blessing of having land cuz uh we all know we pay our land tax and land rates uh every year when we leave. Uncle Sam, we live Uncle Sam always gets a piece. But you can leave you can leave your plot in Tonga with a abandoned house or no house at all. And whenever you're ready to go back that land is yours cuz you know thank goodness for our ancestors from the the tuonga the tuatalawa up to the tu of today. We're very blessed for all the work that they have done that we can enjoy what we have because as as native people man and that's one thing I learned when I was in university that kind of really in my 20s when I was learning university I had to write a paper of like why Tonga is special. I don't know many people of our first ancestors that stepped foot in our land and we enjoyed that without interruption of any external forces. what a blessing and what what we are fortunate and we need to and us moving forward we need to make sure we hold on to that and uh moving forward. So >> yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
>> And I had a thought and I want to get your guys' thoughts on this because believe it or not, I don't just think about these topics when I'm on the podcast. Sometimes when I'm at work and I have stuff, my mind wanders and I've I've thought about like why did feel it necessary? And one of the things that came to mind was when you understand the structure and the hierarchy, the Tonga was not equipped to save Tonga. And the reason why I say that is military and administrative power needed to be united with the spiritual power.
And the had already elevated itself to a point that if it was to try and get the military, it would almost be viewed as your demeaning of the title. If that makes sense because the tua was so elevated to this spiritual, they would be wars. Tonga would be in chaos. Tuonga didn't even have a single col in mua.
>> Yeah. So even when people are murdering each other, >> there was enough stability at least to say, "Yeah, we we we really don't get involved with that. That's a spiritual matter. Let us deal with the physical matters in physical ways, but let's not involve the spiritual stuff in there."
And it almost seems like because the tuonga was elevated to that role, it would be demeaning or or or lowering the tuito role to try and and take the political >> administrative or political. So it almost feels like he says, "Hey, you know what?
>> And and we've seen this with Maui Teangi. He shared that in Tongan tradition if they had a talented guy that wasn't quite in the position to be the what would they do? They make him theu first >> and and and that way he might have been at a certain line that was to jump from where he was to the was too big of a gap. It would cause people to ask too many questions. So what did they do?
slot him in at the tuanukolu because the tuanopolu was running the land. We uh one of our brother calls it the rain makingaking. His job was to make the the the rain, right? Make it rain because he had to run the land. It was basically running the economy. It was the land.
The land had to be productive. The trade had to be booming. So that's why the tuanolu was in that role. And so if you have someone come into that role and they perform well, everybody's like, "Oh, oh yeah, he's he's done really well here. It makes sense. Move him up to the elevator."
And it seems like from my perspective, that's what >> um saw with Tupo the first.
>> He's already he already has the government in order.
theawa has not been filled for a few generations. He was just basically saying, "No, we're not going to bring the tuonga down. What we're going to do is we're going to bring the tuolu up."
>> Yeah.
>> Right. And and that's how I feel like he he kind of shared, but that's that's just a thought that came to mind >> while at work. you know, when you were bringing that up, um, what it made me think about, you know, I was just over there and then they had the Queen Salote 100 year >> 100 years >> 100 year um, anniversary or whatever.
But, um, and all these people were just setting stuff up. I mean, you look at the Bangai, they had all the tables and they had everything organized and >> and it made me think just like when I watch Tonga play rugby, right? The whole place is red. They're singing. And the people when they have a chore or a cause or something to work for, you know, where they're expected to be united, they just do it. You know what I mean?
And when Laonga said, you know, this this is the new arrangement. This is what's going to there's no rebellion.
the whole country just moves with it, which is different from other places, you know, because you get pockets of resistance and and you know, pretty soon everybody's going against each other.
You're divided, you know, it just makes me when I'm when I'm in thong and I see that, you know, everything just falls into place. How they support their team, you know, how they support an event, nobody gets paid, you know, in the US, you're paying everybody to set up.
>> You're losing money. You're actually losing money doing these events. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, it made sense to me how how Tonga would just, you know, would just fall in line and support that and um avoid a lot of the things that was going around in the Pacific with different um you know, different island groups.
>> Yeah. And and one of the things that I hope I hope Tonggins don't don't fall for it is what makes Tonga Tonga is not traded for what they see somewhere else. I love America, right?
I'm American Tong. I love America.
Democracy and a republic. It makes sense in America, right? But that's what makes America America. I'm a little concerned.
I What are your thoughts? Hel because you go there a lot. You see the politics. I'm somewhat hesitant when I hear these people. Oh, we just need to go democracy, democracy, you know, we just need to switch and do this stuff.
And I'm like, >> then what's going to make Tonga different from everyone else, >> right? like and and and and that's some of like my hesitation because I feel that you can you don't I don't like the idea of full copy and paste. I like the idea of here's a good couple good things there. Let's bring that over and then what was a couple good things from what we had and combine something that we're still progressing, we're improving, but we don't lose our identity and what makes us special, right? It would be like trying to build a four seasons hotel in Tonga when it's like no there's already a Four Seasons and you'll never compete with the Four Seasons. So why waste your time and then you lose your identity? You lose what makes you special all because instead of trying to be tongen, you tried to be American or something like that if that makes sense. And I'm concerned that hopefully Tonga holds on to that because I use with the politics. What are your thoughts on that? Hello.
>> Um, you know, when the thing about thonga is um, for some reason, you know, there's always um, different ideas that come in and um, you know, it's like politicians, right? They say a lot of stuff and then they come in and it's just different.
You know what I mean? It's not what they it's not what they it's not what they promise. I mean, >> you know, even with the this democratic movement that started with um um, what's it?
Yeah. So, um, >> lots of promises, right? Everything was going to change and >> and what do we see? I mean, you know, we see a lot of corruption that came out of there and, >> you know, I've dealt with him personally, so I, you know, I know certain things that >> have happened or whatever. But, um, >> the one thing I do appreciate about Tonga is that, um, it's so small that, um, the Tongan people recognize when things are not right. you know, the the Chinese will come in there and um you know, they'll start exporting um you know, the the snails or the sea the sea cucumber >> sea cucumber from the lagoon. Yeah.
>> And the tongs don't understand when, you know, Chinese come in, they they're coming in with machines and they're digging stuff up, you know, it's not like >> destroy the resource. Yeah.
>> Yeah. They destroy the reef and everything and then they stop it. They say, "Oh, no, no, it's not a good idea."
And they stop it. So to me when I see the the Tongan people I mean they have common sense they can see like you know the trends that I see I go you know Chinese are taking over Tonga you know I mean that's just I mean not to be racist or anything you know yeah >> I believe everybody should have an opportunity but >> you know as tongen people we we are relaxed in a sense you know if if things are going good we don't worry about it you know but um you know when we're not worrying about is when you know other people are working you know taking land and certain businesses and and things like that. And to me that's my biggest concern in Tonga is um >> you know people just have to to recognize what they have and um you know and holding on to it you know and um you know >> and with with politics you know it's always different from one year to the next you know but I do appreciate the the the way the royal I mean the royal family's got a lot of criticism you know I mean there's people that criticize them but you know at the same time you know they've worked hard to preserve pres what Tonga has, preserve the land rights, not add taxes to it, you know, preserve um what Tonga has, even though it might seem like a poor country. I mean, we're rich in a lot of areas and I hope they never lose that, you know.
>> Yeah. Mi, any thoughts? I have one more question and then maybe we'll round out and close out. But >> you have anything before I ask that question? Uh yeah, maybe we can dive into it a little bit with the what's your what's your thoughts on the the Chinese? Um Hel that was my question.
>> Yeah, with the Chinese because Yeah, cuz it is a it is a it is you know I I had my own thoughts um um Helu and you can you can you can um just provide yours and I um on your thoughts on the Chinese they did a >> what a solution could be. Yeah.
>> Yeah. What a solution. Yeah.
>> Yeah. So um you know obviously the Chinese I mean you remember how thong I was right you go for a tomato you couldn't find any vegetables you know I mean there just wasn't certain things available when it came to crops and you know they filled that void they you know the Chinese like I'll grow tomatoes I'll grow all day yeah >> and then pretty soon they they're taking over the market so they have all the mo like that you go you go to the market and it's all the Chinese stalls you know I mean they have some tong in there that are working, but the the majority >> Are you serious? In the in Talamu.
>> Yeah. Talamu. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of those um a lot of those stalls are Chinese like all the main vendors, you know.
>> Wow.
>> I mean, they have they have a few tongans, but not a lot. Not like it was before, but you know, now >> they're more the arts and crafts. Yeah.
>> Yeah. They're more of the traditional stuff, but um so they they they've taken over that business. And then even um with the you know, they have chicken farms. I mean, they they've ventured, you know, like um anything where there's a dollar to be made. I mean, the Chinese are clever people and they're and and they're smart and they work hard that way, you know, and with us tonggins, we just relax, you know. You know, if we can buy something cheaper, we will. I mean, that's that's just basic economy, right?
>> Yeah.
>> So, you know, having seen that and then now when I walk around Nucala, you know, the Chinese used to just do one small far. you go there. Oh, that's a Chinese fight. Well, you know what they're doing? The trend is now is that they lease the land, but they're going three stories up. They're going three, four stories up. So, it's not >> to maximize Yeah.
>> Yeah. to maximize the land. And, you know, I was just walking around my place and I got two Chinese, you know, places right next to me, you know, three, three, four stories going up. So they're in a sense I mean when it comes to the business side of things yeah they are taking over Tonga in that in that way you know so that >> they're controlling that way >> and and I've always felt like um sometimes the government you know has to protect its people.
>> Absolutely.
>> And there's nothing and there's nothing bad about that. I mean you look at Hawaii all the homeless people in Hawaii I mean they're just native Hawaii. They got no place to stay. And that's because, you know, the business people took over Hawaii. I mean, that's how that's how Hawaii got started. It was the business people that took it over and then it got incorporated to the United States. You know, that's how that works. And and Tonga, I see the same thing as far as the business people taking over a lot of it. And um you know, the government should to this is just my own personal opinion, but there should be certain limits. There should be certain quotas on stuff that um that um is advantageous for tonggins just just to protect our way of life and and to make sure that um Tonga is always for that tong can always call Tonga home, you know, not come to a place that they don't recognize and they're not involved in and they're not wanted, >> you know.
>> No, like like 100% like simple things. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, but like for example, like what you're saying, if they if they rent a piece of land and then they're going to build three stories up, there should be some regulatory thing in there. Well, okay, if you're going to build three stories up, then you need to either re-evaluate the lease or put a restriction. You can only go maybe one more story up and that's it. you know something something like that of that sort or or I mean because there's already laws that that protect tongans like the land only tonggins can own land so it's not a you know unchartered territory the the only area is you just have to be wise about it because the problem with politicians they get excited about something you don't think through the ramifications of trying to figure out how do we how do we protect the tonggins while still allowing commercial activity ity to thrive. And there's a balance, right? You can't just go in and say 50% tax on all that you make the Chinese. Then the Chinese are like, "Well, why the heck am I here?"
You know what I mean? But you can find a balance uh somewhere. But the problem is, unfortunately, I do think everybody suffers from corruption. And when you have wealthy business people, big business likes big government, right?
Because why? the big business can pay the big government to keep things favorable for them. So, I don't know.
What are your thoughts, Mi? And that that was actually my question.
>> Yeah.
>> But, um, >> no, I was going to I was going to ask like just for maybe Hel like maybe some examples of what solutions you think would would would help like what what are those quotas? What does that look like in your opinion? Um, Helu, any what what is like what was what would be the first thing that you would say? You mentioned the quota. What exactly in particular that you would change right now? most >> I mean what I would do is um you know if um let's just take land for instance >> you know if if a tong is gonna lease a land and you know and any it doesn't even have to be Chinese any foreigners that come in there >> I mean I think it should be a partnership you know if if they thrive you thrive you know so so I think um and that should be an ongoing thing it shouldn't just be one payment and you're done >> you know >> yeah because you could get like What? A 50-year lease and that's it.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I I I I think they should um they should have a percentage, you know, if um if if it does good, then >> that's the minimum. That's the minimum.
Yeah.
>> Yeah. There should there should be a percentage. You know, if businesses are going to come to Tonga, you know, the people should benefit from it and continue to benefit from it, not just a one thing >> one time deal. And then and when they benefit, it goes to everybody. It goes to the family, you know, it goes to the country and you know, >> government. Yeah.
>> And the people keep some of their integrity too, you know, >> in that in that way as well.
>> Okay. Okay. No, that's good. That's good because I I got I got a couple comments, you know, um they did the census, >> you know, Chinese only make up 5%, right? 5% of actual bodies in Tonga% of the >> but like what you said >> if you go to Tonga right you think there's definitely more than 5% of Chinese in Tonga because you like what you said the business part you know they that's that's what the Chinese Chinese do right they they will dominate and and this is why we kind of talked about it earlier why the government should actually make it more of an incentive for tonggins from overseas because to me the tonging from overseas ideawise and how to navigate and business-wise we can compete with the Chinese with that right it's it's very difficult for the the person who's just if I'm going to ut that's my job taking care of my uta and my own family regarding to grow a business you know it's kind of a uneven playing field with the Chinese with kind of kind of the stuff they kind of come with from China right so that's more of an incentive that we need the Tong government should try to attract Tongans to to come back tonga that's living overseas cuz I think that's an area that we can add value in that sense. Um I do see with the with the land stuff see and this is the thing I like the minimum what you've mentioned um hu because at the end of the day the person who is leasing the land you've got to be smart don't bid to me and this is the thing there's I I know some tonggins who are getting a lot of good value um from the Chinese that are on their property and they're getting they're making good value they're not relying on families from overseas to constantly send money.
Um, we have a family in Mua. They have a Chinese store on their land and you know he's doing he's doing okay. He's doing good because he's able to take care of his family school fees and stuff and he doesn't have to rely on the family from overseas. So that's some of the positive things that I do see. But that's because he's negotiated a good deal. He didn't lowball, right? And the one see and that's the thing the the constitution has given the freedom to each tongen to do his own value of his land when he leases it to a Chinese. So it's to me I kind of see it as a personal responsibility but I do agree if if tonggins need to be a certain percentage that you can't go lower if you're going to lease your land especially when you go over 50 years like when you go 50 years that's a lot of time maybe you should pay this amount. So >> yeah, >> I do I do, you know, I do see that I'm good with either way. I do I'm good with either way on that. But um I I have seen some positives. I mean, even for example, when I'm in when I'm in Talash in MUA and I go to a store, right, the tonging store always closes early, >> the Chinese store, the Chinese store, you know, >> 247 basically argue with the convenience of Chinese.
>> Yeah. Right. So there's certain stuff and this is and this is the kind of stuff that us Tongians that's kind of living overseas if we if we come just kind of push our people say hey you know switch yeah that it's always conveniency that's what's the west is kind of that's the market the more convenient you are that means with your open times and your ability to open up the store and meet good customer service people will come back to that store because there's many times just within with um you You know, in uh in MUA, there was a tonging store and another tongen store and then a Chinese one in the middle. The Chinese one is at the at the you know, it has a bed. It's just staying there. When you knock and the thing is open, they serve you. The tongen store, they close early or they're want to do something and you can't find them. You know, there's certain stuff we can do to improve. And I don't want to drop the quality because I I do think the Chinese do have a place because this is how I see it. Why do we tonggins go overseas, right? We go overseas for better opportunities. You know, the Chinese that are coming from China, >> this is opportunity. They're seeking opportunity and we just need to make sure it doesn't get overblown because I'm a I'm a believer on control immigration because that's where it starts. A lot of the Polynesian islands, they don't talk about it. A lot of them get colonized because they allowed uncontrolled people to come into their lands. when they have enough power they want to be part of the government they want to change certain laws they you know people don't talk about that it happened to New Zealand Hawaii even Samour when you have uncontrolled immigration come in so we need to make sure we have that you know the the knob on that that makes sure that we keep it at 5% and we got to make sure that you know the the Chinese don't have in influence especially with our landlords and and government we just need to be careful on that so that's kind of my comments there. So, you know, I want that it's coming because they provide a service and they're seeking opportunity because it's to me I find it >> when I hear tongen overseas in New Zealand. It was so funny. I went to a fikava um hello with my dad. When my dad comes here, I I kind of put effort. We go faba. He finds he finds that very fun. And then he was debating another tongen guy that there was too much Chinese. This is here in New Zealand.
Too much Chinese in Tonga. And then and then uh this is what my dad said. Well, what are you doing? Why are you living in New Zealand?
Right? The Chinese are coming to Tonga to try to seek better life. China, China is a communist country. Everything they own goes to the communist government, right? They come to Tonga free market that can at least pay for their kids to get some good education and make the freedom of choice of what career they want to do. They're seeking the same opportunities of why you've come to overseas. So, and then the guy couldn't even answer back cuz he was living in New Zealand trying to seek a better life. It's like why are you trying to do that? And then the Chinese coming over, they're trying to do find better life in Tonga because Tonga is a better life.
It's an upgrade, you know, if you're not the elites in uh China and working for the government. So that's I I want to that's kind of where I'm coming from and I we just need a good balance. But like I said, to me the big indicator is we need that control immigration that they they don't get more than 5%. So that's kind of where I'm coming from on that.
>> That is a good point. you know, just, you know, I agree. There's a there's always a place for everybody, you know, but just thinking of them. I mean, they >> you got to protect them somehow in some way, you know, >> because um >> you know, I mean, sometimes people just give up stuff for pennies, you know, and >> and know and that's crazy.
>> I think that's the hard thing for me when I see Tonga do that, you know, because we come from the west, we understand value, right?
>> We understand value. And yeah, I I So I mean it's a hard thing to it's a you know it's one of those >> Yeah. I think I think the government needs to view it as a resource and manage it as a resource, right? Like I I I like what you were saying, Mussy, but you have to have vision.
>> You have to understand what the value that the Chinese business brings and say at what point does this value is lesser than the problem that they could be creating. But you have to understand that. You have to say, "Hey, look, we're going to cap it at five, 6%, right, population, and then we're going to say, hey, at a certain point, we either have to bring in competition, and I really like the idea of bringing in tonggins from overseas, make it easier because in theory, we should have a competitive advantage because we can own land, >> right? So, there should be some embedded opport uh advantages there. But let's we kind of discussed this a little bit last night. Just think about this.
There are people going to Tonga for better opportunities, right? Like let's just think about that.
Like we talked about >> Yeah.
>> $300 million US in remittances every year is going in there. That's why the Chinese are there. They're not there because Tonga in within itself is this booming economic activity domestically.
No, there is so much cash coming into Tonga.
>> That's why they're there. They're trying to capture all as much of that remittance money that's coming in and then they're now going to branch out into tourism, right? Then they're going to branch out to other things. But that's that's really why they're there and that's why the government needs to figure out the the the Chinese business is a resource. How do we manage it and make sure it doesn't >> it doesn't take more than it gives. It's a it's a balanced relationship there.
>> I mean just just a real quick story of of how prosperous Tonga is and kind of surprised me too. Took took me back as well as how much money they have. You know, you always think Tonga doesn't have any money, but Tonga doesn't have more money than I know. I I I I walk into a smoothie shop. I'm not kidding you. Just a smoothie shop run by a Chinese and I said, "How much is a maybe a 20 ounce smoothie cup?" You know what the price was? 18 banga. 18 bang for >> And it's being bought left and right.
Holy smokes.
>> Yeah. And these places are opened up. I mean, there's like they're all over the place. I mean, that is the trend. and and the tongue is by it. So they they got money, you know what I mean? Tong's got more money than I think it's an outlier as far as >> you know what their economy has and what the tongan people have to spend >> the per capita.
>> Yeah.
>> And hey, and here here's a I know I keep saying we're going to laugh. Here's a last story to kind of highlight that.
And I heard this from a guy in Utah. He was visiting Vava. He said he was visiting Vava and he ran to a Cubaname guy in Vava with his family.
Right.
>> And so this guy goes, >> "Oh, how did you hear about Tonga?" You know, he's like, "Oh, I've been wanting to come to Tonga for decades." And he goes, "What?" I was like, "Why? Do you have friends?" He's like, "No, well, I kind of have friends." And he tells him this story. Hello. So, he moves from the east coast, goes to Northern California.
He opens up a like a little 7-Eleven type shop, right? And it's not going well. it's not going well. And he said he's sitting in the shop and you know he has like I think his business is down to just a couple thousand bucks and he's sitting there and he goes then these three huge guys walk into my store, right? They walk into my store because you know some of the Caribbean food is similar to to Tongen food. They have they have kumala, they have manok and probably some other food. These guys come in and they just they spend like 600 bucks and just clear him out of a handful of things. And he's sitting there and he goes and he says the idea comes to his head. He's like walks up to them. He's like, "Hey, what else do you guys buy?" You know, "What else do you guys buy?" And and the guy goes, he says he told him like Papulu told him if you can, he goes, "Hey, I'm gonna I'm gonna need some corn beef and like some other stuff, you know." And I said, "I'll be I need it in about 3 weeks. Do you think you can find that stuff for me?" And he goes, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." So the guy leaves and he says he's down to his last few thousand bucks, right? And he goes, "What if I go buy this stuff and these guys don't come back and I don't know what this product is, right? But he takes a chance. He takes a chance and he goes and he buys whatever they ask for. They show up two or three weeks later and clear him out, right, of all the stuff. So he starts building and finding out like what what these Tongan guys are wanting to buy. He then has three stores >> in different areas and he get he says my family was taken care of. Buy the tongant. you know, and he said when he had these stores, he said he's like, "Man, Tonga must be this super wealthy place." Like, you know, he's probably he's like, "This place must be just like flowing with money." And then he says he shows up and he sees the poverty and he's kind of like blown away. But it's because of of what you were mentioning earlier earlier helu this drive to to to give to community obligations and to family obligations and that level of unity that's been developed it's in the DNA like Masi said for thousands of years the inasi the poro poro the funerals you know all the cave for celebration >> like this is like almost like we can't help ourselves, right? And so here's this guy who his whole family, his American dream was funded by tonggins in Northern California, right? And and all we're saying is all the tonggins out there and all the Polynesians throughout Polynia, because we all have this in our DNA, go back, man. go work hard, build your career, build that up, and then, you know, do what's best for you. But at least consider, hey, how much of this quote unquote nest egg you want to diversify, let's use the Palangi words, you want to diversify your investment, maybe take a portion of that retirement and and invest it back in Tonga and give the Chinese a good run for their money. You know, that'll be good entertainment as well. But any thoughts on that before we go to closing uh comments?
All right. All right. Hel, you want to give your closing comments then, uh, Mr. Aero, and then we'll close it out.
>> Yeah. Well, you know, like I said before, appreciate the work that you guys do and um, you know, just helping um, us tonggins who never really got an education, especially on history, you know. I mean, and that's what really attracted me to to your guys um, message, your research. So, keep up the good work and um you know, looking forward to seeing you guys again and um yeah, you're doing a positive thing especially for the those people um like myself that's raised up in the US, but um still have ties to Tonga and um >> yeah, it's good.
>> Mo um hey Elu, what a thank you for um giving up your time and also agreeing to come on. Like I said, uh I enjoy your content. You kind of help help us just just to know what's going on in Tonga cuz I'm telling you, man. Um and I've I've come across tongans here. They're we're already in that third generation, you know, some are early in their fourth generation that's lived overseas that's never been to Tonga yet. and your content as a tongue in especially with the especially with your navigating of the you know land and the businesses you're doing and opportunities you're seeing and you know just with what's going on that awareness of like the Chinese what they're doing that's insight that for all of Tonga that we we can you know it's always to get get uh keep tabs on and you know you enjoying the beauty and like what you I I like that comment you mentioned earlier you know I know a lot of our our people kind of look to go overseas and stuff, but like you said when you're swimming with the kids and then they see the life they have in Tonga with just a stick doing doing a little uh barbecuing on the you know just with some sticks they started a fire and them just going to the beach when they want to and you know that's the life >> that's the life and a lot of people don't see that especially in our own people that man >> sometimes you go overseas and all you do is just work yourself to death you know you work yourself to death you don't really experience life to the fullest.
And in Tonga, you just have to make enough. Just do it for your own needs and you still enjoy what the nature, the ocean, the people you you enjoy. And there's a there's a blessing in that kind of life that happens. And you know, yes, you might not have the best materialistic and convenience that you might get overseas, but at the end end of the day, you sacrifice your time and your energy to try to get that. So, people just need to choose, you know, if you like that lifestyle or not. And I like that unique um perspective that you provide on your content with all things Tonga and um that's what I find the value in it and uh you know I'll keep following that and thank you for joining us and like what you said you know when you're ever in Auckland New Zealand that's where I'm at hopefully we can catch up um hello and appreciate your time man really really echo everything Masi said 100% aligned appreciate the content appreciate your time and one of the things that really comes to mind from our discussions here. If I were to pull one thread, let's be like our ancestors.
We go to Fiji, we fight, we win the wars in Fiji, and after we win the wars in Fiji, come back to Tonga and retire.
Come back to Tonga and have the good life, you know, once we once we've gone overseas, fight all the stuff, you know, had our conquers, and if we survive, if we survive, you know, something special is waiting for you back in Tonga. and and I really appreciate your time, your willingness to kind of share your perspectives, especially since we just reached out out of the blue to you, Helu, and to our our little podcast. And you know, you know, the comments we get, we're probably going to get some more comments like that. And all we do is we give it more hearts and we say thank you for the interaction. Um, but as always, uh, we leave it with every show is be bold. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions, but to always always be curious.
>> Have a good one. Till next time.
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