Thursday, 21 August 2025
Stories and events of the Kaurareg homeland of Kaiwalagal, the Torres Strait homeland and Cape York homelands of the Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaykenu and Gudang Peoples.
EDITORIAL l M: 0419 656 277 l E: christine@torres.news
l Edition 193 l $2 incl. GST
ADVERTISING l M: 0419 828 639 l E: ads@torres.news
‘Massive’ Nona family reunion a success
Pic by Eric Nordmark. Sami Nona (in headdress), Tipoti’s descendents and the Cairns’ Samoan community performing Siva as part of the Ava ceremony to launch the Nona family reunion. BY BEL LUI & CHRISTINE HOWES
More than 1800 people descended from one Samoan man and his two Ailan wives connected in Cairns last weekend at what was likely to be a world record for family reunions. Seven generations of the Nona family – all
descendants of Samoa’s Tipoti Nona – came from all corners of the country and the Pacific for two days of storytelling, feasting, dancing and song on Friday and Saturday last week. “I am truly lost for words to describe what happened,” third generation (Tipoti’s grandson) Laurie Nona Snr said. “It was a heartfelt connection and I think ‘reunion’ is a word
that really encompasses the gathering that happened with our families. This event has opened our eyes and reopened our family values of humbleness, respect and always greeting family. “It was a realisation, it was heartfelt that all the time I used to walk past you, knowing that I knew you, but I did not know that you are actually family – that’s a different sort of connection.
“I think this family reunion sparks some energy and, moving forward, we are now a bigger family and reconnected.” He said they knew there were connected families living in the Zenadth Kes and the NPA. “But now that we’ve come together, we’ve had people coming from New Zealand, Samoa, Melbourne, WA, all around Australia,
and then also all around the Pacific,” he said. “It was eye-opening to have just under half of the family in attendance.” A Cairns-based organising committee worked under the family’s governing group, which represented each of the 14 children of Athe Tipoti from his two wives, Karuth, and his second wife, Ugarie. Key organising
committee member Stacee Ketchell said they had been given less than a year to pull the event together. “We had our first meeting in November last year and from there we’ve just been slowly chipping away,” she said. “It was a tough challenge, but we managed to pull it off, and very successfully. Story continued P3 N
Providing local employment in your community for more than 35 years Sea Swift is one of the largest employers in the region, and we pride ourselves on making a significant contribution to the employment and skill development of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities across Northern Australia.
We have an 80%-90% First Nations workforce in our remote depots and on our remote vessels Live schedules at www.seaswift.com.au | Connect with us on social media!