Okaihau helps Tongan RWC side

Okaihau's Tongan community is showing its support for its homeboys by recording an album dedicated to the Tongan Rugby World Cup team.
The album, released last week, is named after the team, Ikale Tahi, and the CD features 14 Tongan songs recorded by three Tongan families in the area. They call themselves Fangufangu Okaihau (after a Tongan instrument).
The Tongan team will be based in Northland for much of the campaign, along with teams from Canada and Japan. Tonga will play in Whangarei against Canada on September 21, then against Japan a week later.
Okaihau Tongan community spokeswoman Isita Kemi Fale said the CD was a way to raise funds for the team when it arrived in Northland. "We wanted to do something that will encourage and give them strength when they gear up for the game - so we made this album dedicated for them," she said.
Mrs Fale said the money would go towards supplying game-day drink bottles for Ikale Tahi.
"We usually see the All Blacks on television with their drink bottles from their sponsors. The Tongan team doesn't have a sponsor for their drink bottles so the money will be for their drink bottles during the games." The money would also help in preparations when they host the team.
They hoped to invite all the team members to dinner with the families in Okaihau.
Mrs Fale came up with the idea with her sister Kalolaine Livai and they decided to gather a few interested people. "It took us about two weeks to get the recording done. It was exciting and there were a lot of phone calls with good feedback from people," she said.
Copies of the CD have been sent to Australia and America. Mrs Fale hoped to get a second album out before September for the same purpose but dominated by church songs.
She said the Bay of Islands Tongan community would have a church service together with the Ikale Tahi team at Okaihau on September 18. The Kerikeri Business Association would provide lunch for the team after a church service on September 25.
Tonga Rugby World Cup Komiti member Emosi Koloto said the CD dedicated to the team showed the supportive spirit from the community. "Anything that will contribute in funding and helping them will be appreciated by the boys," he said. The team is due on September 5 and will stay in Auckland for a week.
Efforts were under way to get supporters to watch the games. Koloto predicted Tonga would be a good opponent for Japan and Canada. He said Ikale Tahi had its best players lined up so the team would be at its peak.
- For a copy of the $30 fundraising CD, call in at the Okaihau Dairy and Takeaways or phone (09) 401 9280.