They live 6,300 miles from their island home. This week, a bit of home came to them in DFW

Football players from Euless Trinity High School performed a war dance Monday evening in front of Texas Star Golf Course in Euless.

In unison, they stomped their feet, flexed their muscles, and pounded their hands together and to the pavement, as they chanted in Tongan.

The war dance is called Sipi Tau and is performed for Tongan ceremonies. This was a celebration for the arrival of Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, the prime minister of Tonga, who was making his first visit to Texas.

After the Sipi Tau, everyone entered a conference room, where over 150 Tongans gathered for Prime Minister Sovaleni’s visit, which was coordinated by the city of Euless and the Euless Tongan Community Committee.

Food, drinks, performances, and speeches were prepared for the night.

Euless Mayor Linda Martin welcomed the prime minister.

Men and boys wore tupenus, which are made of skirt like material that is wrapped around the waist. Many women and girls wore long dresses, similar to the tupenus.

Sovaleni, along with his wife and ambassador Viliami Va’inga Tone, were in Texas for the EarthX 2024 Congress of Conferences in Dallas.

Sovaleni said he could not miss the opportunity to meet with the Tonga community in Euless, and his welcoming made him feel like he was at home.

“Reconnecting, strengthening our ties back from the diaspora, back to Tonga, seeing the cultural items is great,” Sovaleni told the Star-Telegram. “Because for me it’s not just items, but our culture and our tradition, actually keep you grounded as Tongans.”

Tongans in Euless

Euless is on the east side of Tarrant County between Bedford and south entrance of DFW International Airport. It has a population of about 60,000 people, according to the census, with a thriving Tongan community of about 3,000 people.

Tonga, officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean, about 6,300 miles from Euless.

The first Tongans arrived in Euless in the 1970s, working at American Airlines. Eventually, more Tongans moved to the area looking for jobs at the airport or elsewhere.

The increase of Tongans brought diversity to the growing city and led to 10 Tongan Christian churches being built in Euless. It also brought size and strength, which Tongans are known for, to the Euless Trinity High School football team.

In the last two decades, the city has come together to provide support to the growing Tongan community, specifically the children.

The Tongan Youth Association of Texas was established about 15 years ago to help children and families who were experiencing cultural and language barriers at local schools.

The association then helped begin the Euless Tongan Community Committee, which focuses on culture, health, and education. It holds several events each year, such as the Tongan Community Diabetes Awareness Fun Walk, physical activities to promote health, and a celebration for Tonga National Day.

The city of Euless, the police and fire departments, and even the local hospital have worked over the years to help the committee with local events.

Mele Rivera is the co-chair of the Euless Tongan Community Committee who says she and the committee were honored to have a representative of their island visit Texas.

Rivera says the older generation made sacrifices so the younger generation could further their education, yet not lose their Tongan traditions and faith. The prime minister’s visit was a time for children, parents, and grandparents to see the origins of their culture and history.

“Just because we’re here from another country doesn’t mean that we want to forget where we came from,” Rivera said.