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Lea Faka-Tonga
Storybooks
Poto series
The Poto series is a set of storybooks in Gagana Sāmoa and Lea Faka-Tonga.
- These resources help to grow and enhance Pacific learners’ language and literacy capabilities, which support teachers to work in partnership with families and Pacific communities.
- The Poto book series is designed for learners from Years 4 to 8.
| Title | Overview | PDF version for download |
| In this non-fiction book, students meet two New Zealand scientists - research scientist Professor Palatasa Havea, and plant pathologist Amy Maslen-Miller. |
Fakakaukau Ke Ke Hoko Ko Ha Tokotaha Saienisi? (PDF, 3 MB) |
| A nine-year-old boy’s homework involves asking his family about any myths or legends they know. With his mum’s help, he contacts his grandparents in Sāmoa and Tonga and, via computer, they share traditional stories with him. |
Fevahevahe‘aki ‘o e Fanangá mo e Fāgogó (PDF, 3 MB) |
| Ten-year-old Meleane Lupe loses her family when a tsunami strikes Niuatoputapu. Her uncle and his Samoan wife in New Zealand adopt her, and Meleane moves to Māngere. |
Ko Hoku Fāmilí (PDF, 3 MB) |
| In this play, two eight-year-olds are helping their parents run stalls at a Saturday market. It turns out that quite a lot of mathematics is involved. |
Ko e Māketi he Tokonakí (PDF, 2 MB) |
| An eight-year-old girl in a bilingual class at her school helps her mum learn a grace to say at a work function. |
Ko e Tāpuaki‘i ‘o e Me‘atokoní (PDF, 2 MB) |
| In this graphic novel-style autobiography students learn the childhood and career of Māngere-born comic book artist Michel Mulipola. | |
| In this non-fiction book, ‘Elenga Mailangi explains the Niuafo‘ou way of fishing, called “fakalukuluku”. She says that “the problem with this kind of fishing is sharks … According to a legend, a very large shark, called Sekitoa, protects the local people from shark attack.” So when the local people gave her a chance to try out the method for herself, she wondered how the sharks would respond when she swam out to fish this way. |
Fakalukuluku (PDF, 2 MB) |
| After Grandma passes away, Grandpa moves from Auckland to Christchurch to live with his son and his family. One day, when Grandpa takes his grandson fishing, he shares a secret – “When we used to go fishing, your grandma was the one who usually caught most of the fish!” |
Ko e Ki'i Fakapulipuli 'a 'Eku Kui (PDF, 3 MB) |
| The artist and writer Mathew Tanielu Hunkin is fascinated by the history of World War Two in the Pacific. One day, he noticed an image of a spitfire (fighter plane) on a ngatu. Intrigued, he flew to Tonga to find out more. The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, and the Auckland War Memorial Museum also contributed to his historical research. |
Ko e Sipitifaea mei Tonga (PDF, 3 MB) |
Storybooks supporting Faufaua! An Introduction to Tongan
Faufaua! An Introduction to Tongan - storybook support materials
These teacher support materials accompany the six storybooks that support the Learning Languages Series resource Faufaua! An Introduction to Tongan. Each story gives students opportunities to extend their language and cultural knowledge and to practise reading the target language in Faufaua!
The teacher support materials suggest how teachers can use the storybooks to foster lea faka-Tonga learning at levels 1 and 2, particularly in the context of the Faufaua! programme.
Schools, ECE centres and education providers can order the set of six storybooks from Down the back of the chair. Enter item number MOE11626 into the search box.
| Title | Overview | Links to Faufaua! | Teacher suppport materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fakataha Faka‘osita‘u  | It’s New Year’s Eve, and Vili is at Taniela’s family gathering. He really wants to meet Taniela’s cousin ‘Aisea, who is a great skateboarder, but where is ‘Aisea? Vili asks everyone as he searches for his hero. | Unit 1 Mālō e Lelei/ Greetings Unit 2 Fakafe‘iloaki/ Introductions Unit 3 Fāmili/ Family |
Fakataha Faka‘osita‘u (Word 2007, 26 kB) Fakataha Faka‘osita‘u - teacher support materials (web page) |
| Ko e Fono'  | Nena is going to the fono at the school hall, and ‘Alipete decides to join her. He watches in wonder as the hall begins to fill. | Unit 5 Lau Mata‘ifika'/ Counting Unit 6 Fakamatala‘i ‘o ha Fa‘ahinga Me‘a/ Describing Things |
Ko e Fono' (Word 2007, 30 kB) Ko e Fono' - teacher support material (web page) |
| Ko e Ta‘u Taha ‘o Tomi'  | Liki promises to dance at his nephew’s first birthday party, but it’s a big event, and Liki gets nervous. Everyone will be watching. Can he dance well enough? | Unit 7 Ko e Taimi'/ Time Unit 8 Kātoanga‘i/ Celebrating |
Ko e Ta‘u Taha ‘o Tomi' (Word 2007, 29 kB) Ko e Ta‘u Taha‘o Tomi' - teacher support material (web page) |
| Ko e hā ‘a e Hikingaua?  | Sokopeti invites her French friend Madeleine to join her family for their Tongan gathering on Sunday, and Madeleine learns how to prepare Tongan food. | Unit 11 Kāinga/ Extended Family Unit 12 Feime‘akai/ Preparing Food Unit 13 Kai Fakataha/ Sharing Food |
Ko e hā ‘a e Hikingaua? (Word 2007, 31 kB) Ko e hā ‘a e Hikingaua? - teacher support material (web page) |
| Ko e Kahoa Fai‘aho  | A young girl visiting relatives in Lapaha, Tonga, helps make heilala garlands for her cousin’s twenty-first birthday. | Unit 15 Ko e Taimi' mo e ngaahi Feitu‘u'/ Time and Places Unit 17 Ko e Ngaohi ha ‘ū Me‘a/ Making Things |
Ko e Kahoa Fai‘aho (Word 2007, 31 kB) Ko e Kahoa Fai‘aho - teacher support material (web page) |
| Tau Koka‘anga Faka-Nu‘u Sila  | A young girl living in New Zealand describes going with her family to school on a Saturday morning to join members of her community in making a ngatu cloth as a gift for the school’s fiftieth anniversary. | Unit 17 Ko e Ngaohi ha ‘ū Me‘a/ Making Things Unit 18 Ko Hono Fua'/ Measuring |
Tau Koka‘anga Faka-Nu‘u Sila (Word 2007, 30 kB) Tau Koka‘anga Faka-Nu‘u Sila - teacher support material (web page) |