Latest / 360 with Katie Woolf / The amazing Reverand Dr. Katalina Katalina from the Tongan Uniting Church tells us of the thousands of $$ raised for the Tongan tsunami disaster

Transcript

The amazing Reverand Dr. Katalina Katalina from the Tongan Uniting Church tells us of the thousands of $$ raised for the Tongan tsunami disaster · 360 with Katie Woolf

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  Speaker 1: There's certainly been a lot of happening over the last
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: few weeks, the last few months, but one of the
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: things that concerned a lot of people was hearing about
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  Speaker 1: the terrible situation in Tonga. I know that so many
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  Speaker 1: were watching and could see what was happening over there
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  Speaker 1: and feeling really very concerned, particularly if you have family
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  Speaker 1: members or friends over in Tonga as a result of
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  Speaker 1: that tsunami and the aftermath. Now joining me on the
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  Speaker 1: line is a person who organized well, I think, with
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  Speaker 1: the community, a fantastic fundraiser and quite a bit of
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  Speaker 1: money has been raised as a result of the efforts,
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  Speaker 1: and joining me on the line right now, I'm just
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  Speaker 1: trying to make sure I've got all these correct details.
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  Speaker 1: Here is Reverend doctor Catalina ta Hafi, and good morning
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  Speaker 1: to you, doctor Catalina.
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  Speaker 2: Hi there, hi Padi.
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  Speaker 1: I apologize that I mispronounced your surname. Then are you
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  Speaker 1: able to tell me again how I say it so
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  Speaker 1: I can make sure I get it correct.
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  Speaker 2: You did very well first time. To Halfy Williams.
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  Speaker 1: To Halfy Williams. Oh, now, Reverend, are you able to
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  Speaker 1: tell us a little bit more about those fundraising efforts
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  Speaker 1: that were held over the weekend.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, of course, we had an amazing night with so
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  Speaker 2: many people coming to support us. And I really want
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  Speaker 2: to mention especially our gratitude to the communities in Darwin,
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  Speaker 2: especially the Anti government and the Darwin City mayor. I'm
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  Speaker 2: sorry I can't get the right surname, but it's.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah con Yeah, conbats Stars. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Yes. They pledged five thousand dollars and so we are
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  Speaker 2: looking forward to collecting it, you know, in the next
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  Speaker 2: day or so. And the Anti government has donated twenty
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  Speaker 2: thousand dollars. Wow, that was just amazing. And the Tooman
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  Speaker 2: community with support from you know, friends and family and
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  Speaker 2: people around the Darwin uh you know town city, we
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  Speaker 2: raise over ten ten thousand dollars. So we're looking at
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  Speaker 2: the total of forty thousand from yeah, from the anti
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  Speaker 2: Tonguan community and their friends you know, and supporters from
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  Speaker 2: the Anti the top end.
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  Speaker 1: That is a fantastic effort. That's such a fantastic effort,
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  Speaker 1: and it really goes to show you how Territorians were
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  Speaker 1: concerned about about Tonguan's and and I know there are
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  Speaker 1: there are so many Territorians who have Tonguan family members
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  Speaker 1: and friends. How are how are they going in Tonga
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  Speaker 1: at the moment.
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  Speaker 2: Well, you know, we we know that the recovery effort
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  Speaker 2: is starting, you know, to kick into gear. We know
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  Speaker 2: that many like for us as individual times families, we
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  Speaker 2: are sending you know, foods, food, water and all of
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  Speaker 2: that in different tunnels. We've heard most of us have
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  Speaker 2: heard from our families. Those of us who have families
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  Speaker 2: directly you know, impacted by the volcanic eruptions and the tsunami,
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  Speaker 2: we finally heard from them. They're all well, but homes
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  Speaker 2: are destroyed, so they're having to begin again from scratch.
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  Speaker 2: There's seen a lot of emotional stress in the Tongan
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  Speaker 2: community in the top end, you know. So as a minister,
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  Speaker 2: I've had to do a lot of pastoral caring, you know,
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  Speaker 2: for my for my own folk and kin. But you know,
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  Speaker 2: we we live in hope and Tongans are very you know,
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  Speaker 2: spirited people. So we don't want the eruption you know,
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  Speaker 2: consequences to you know, keep us down. We're trying to
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  Speaker 2: step up and do our own you know, respond, make
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  Speaker 2: sure that we fulfill our responsibilities as Tongans overseas to
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  Speaker 2: help folk.
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  Speaker 1: I've got to say, yeah, it's been absolutely amazing. But
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  Speaker 1: Reverend what you said there about the Tongans being such
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  Speaker 1: a spirited community, there is no doubt about that, and
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  Speaker 1: I've experienced it firsthand. As a lot of our listeners
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  Speaker 1: will know. My brother coaches the Tonguan International Rugby League team,
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  Speaker 1: so we have a very close We absolutely love Tongua
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  Speaker 1: and I know that when you know, when you see
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  Speaker 1: the way that Tongans come together and and the way
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  Speaker 1: that they support each other, it is absolutely phenomenal, such
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  Speaker 1: a beautiful, beautiful thing to experience and to see, and
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  Speaker 1: I just think it's this is real, real testament to that,
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  Speaker 1: the way that the community has now gotten behind Tongans.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, you know, and in times like this we put
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  Speaker 2: all kinds of you know, decide if there are anything
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  Speaker 2: like that, and come together because the Tonguans are very spiritual,
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  Speaker 2: very communal or spiritual culture and you know, and with
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  Speaker 2: the support of amazing people in the top end, I
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  Speaker 2: want to mention especially to the honorable Kate Warden from
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  Speaker 2: the Multicultural Ministry Office. You know, she has been really
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  Speaker 2: frontline helping and supporting us too. And Natasha Files you know,
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  Speaker 2: the Minister for for Health, you know, and many of
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  Speaker 2: the members of Parliament have been donating to us, so I,
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  Speaker 2: you know, I want to convey our appreciation as a
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  Speaker 2: Tongan community for all who have come up and support
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  Speaker 2: us in this effort, you know, to help Tom out.
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  Speaker 2: But as you say, you know, we are very spirited people,
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  Speaker 2: and I think it's because we we strongly believe and
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  Speaker 2: hope in God.
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  Speaker 1: You know.
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  Speaker 2: If you know Tonguans, every time anything that happens, if
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  Speaker 2: it's joyful, they go and pray and be thankful. If
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  Speaker 2: it's said, they go and pray and be thankful, you knows.
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  Speaker 2: I think that's part of it.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, Now, Reverend, can you tell us what is
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  Speaker 1: going to happen with that almost forty thousand dollars now
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  Speaker 1: that's been raised and with the goods that have been donated.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, well good going through different you know channels. But
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  Speaker 2: the money we are sending it, we've been collaborating with
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  Speaker 2: the Tongu and High Commission in Canbra, yep because they
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  Speaker 2: have established a relief fund under the direct mandate of
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  Speaker 2: the Government of Tonga. And it's so all this money
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  Speaker 2: is going to Canbra, to the Tongu and High Commission
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  Speaker 2: Relief Fund and they have given us very you know,
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  Speaker 2: clear promises because we care that all the money goes
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  Speaker 2: directly to the people that need them in Tonga.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, oh absolutely, yeah, And.
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  Speaker 2: That's been a conversation with the anti government officials as well,
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  Speaker 2: you know, to make sure that what we are donating
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  Speaker 2: and our effort at fundraising are going directly to the
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  Speaker 2: people on the ground that need them. And so that
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  Speaker 2: is the undertaking of the Song and Hate Commission and
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  Speaker 2: the relief fund that they've established. So all this money
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  Speaker 2: will go there from the anti Tongue and Darwin Tongan
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  Speaker 2: community and their friends and support and anti government. Oh well,
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  Speaker 2: yeah from the top end.
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  Speaker 1: Well done to the tong and community here in DA
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  Speaker 1: and for your fundraising efforts. And and I really my
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  Speaker 1: heart goes out to you guys. Lots of love to
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  Speaker 1: all of you, particularly with those of you with family
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  Speaker 1: you know, who have been impacted in Tonga. And I
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  Speaker 1: know that you know, there's so many people right around
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  Speaker 1: Australia feeling really very concerned for our tongue and neighbors
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  Speaker 1: and friends and wanting to make sure that you're all
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  Speaker 1: going to be okay.
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  Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much Katie for your support and
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  Speaker 2: one or four point nine support. Please thank your audiences
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  Speaker 2: for all the care and support. We've solved it truly
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  Speaker 2: in the top end, you know. Wonderful to be part
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  Speaker 2: of the top end.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, so much. Oh, no worries at all. Well, we
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  Speaker 1: will talk to you again very soon. Let us know
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  Speaker 1: if there are any updates. We really appreciate your time
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  Speaker 1: this morning. I will thank you, thank you. That is
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  Speaker 1: you two, that is Reverend doctor Catalina Tahafi Williams. There