Word: puloka
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...cavorted in the surf. It's thought that the missionaries convinced the chiefs that fanifo was corrupting Tongan youth and didn't belong in a budding Christian society, and that the chiefs placed on the sport a tapu, or ban. "This is, to some extent, speculation," says Po'oi Puloka, secretary general of the Tonga Amateur Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (tasanoc), "but it's more than likely what happened." (The banning of a sport has a more recent precedent in Tonga. In the 1920s authorities prohibited the playing of cricket, which had so gripped the local men that...
...Many Tongans lament the impact of the 19th century missionaries on local culture. Yes, they say, the preachers did some good things, such as curtailing cannibalism and incessant warfare. "But they also put a stop to a lot of our fun," says Puloka. As well as fanifo, underwater rugby (played among the breakers with hilarity and all manner of monkey business) seems to have been a casualty of British decorum. Traditional culture survives, though only in more formal incarnations, such as kava ceremonies and dance. Despite the hot climate, it is still forbidden for men or women to go shirtless...
...champion, and the current Oceania longboard champion. Steve and Sesika's 19-year-old daughter, 'Anau, has claimed similar honors, and the Tongan surfing team were overall winners at the 2003 South Pacific Games, stunning favorites Tahiti. "These victories raise the profile of Tonga," says tasanoc's Puloka, "especially in aquatic sports, which we're trying to get our kids into. Once they see Tongans on the international circuits, the kids will aspire to do the same...
...helped some of the country's best surfers. But by virtually any standard its budget is small: its government grant last year was $T20,000 (about $11,000), and nothing for the two years before that. "In all sports, not just surfing, the raw talents are here," says Puloka. "Every time a coach visits Tonga he says, 'You've got the talent, they just need to be developed.'" Tonga's all-time brightest sports stars, rugby players Willie Ofahengaue and Jonah Lomu, both achieved fame playing for other countries, Australia and New Zealand respectively...
...first quarter, Wilford took off on a drunken scramble, willing himself forward after being tripped by defensive end David Puloka. Wilford stumbled for a 13-yard gain and a first down...
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