Tony Kopa, known by locals as

Tony Kopa, known by locals as "the big Maori bloke", is helping the people of Phi Phi rebuild their lives and wants other New Zealanders to join him. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Tony Kopa from Kaikohe won a talent quest the other night. The big Maori with dreadlocks and a bandaged ankle performed a haka and sang Dock of the Bay but changed the words.

His first verse went something like: "Left my home in New Zealand, headed to Koh Phi Phi, had nothing to live for, until I saw the volunteers around me."

The 34-year-old Nga Puhi man was singing on the island paradise that is Phi Phi in Thailand, an hour from the mainland by sea, to an international audience of backpackers.

They are here to clean up tsunami damage. Phi Phi has held a magical allure for backpackers with its isolation, craggy mountains, clear, emerald sea and fine, white sand from well before it was made famous by Hollywood in The Beach.

Now, word of mouth is drawing more and more back on almost every long boat that arrives.

There's Mr Kopa, Australians, Americans, Scandinavians and Thais, of course, those who had shops here and survived the wrath of the big wave.

Because they have no insurance or welfare, the Thais have little choice but to clean up and keep going, even though some are afraid.

There is no Government help to be seen and rumours are flying around the backpackers that the Thai Government is refusing to help because land is privately owned. It wants to force the locals to sell so it can put up luxury resorts, they say.

At a function for travel agents and journalists recently, a Government official was vague on plans for Phi Phi, apart from saying the island would remain a place for relaxing, diving and adventure.

In other parts of tsunami-affected Thailand, the Army is helping to rebuild, but there is no sign of this today at Phi Phi.

If what the backpackers say is true, and some of the locals also say the Government is not helping, then it is a surprise because the destruction was staggering. Two thousand died, including New Zealander Craig Baxter, when water swamped both sides of a flat strip of restaurants, hotels, shops and stalls.

Those that were not built of solid concrete were ripped away. Debris floated far out to sea and much sank to the sea floor.

On a visit soon after the tsunami, we saw concrete buildings packed full of rubble and bodies. The stench was frightful.

But Phi Phi is picking itself up. Destruction is still everywhere, but some shops have been cleared out, washed, painted and are open. A few bars are open, too, and there are plenty of hotels.