Pasikala Nukualofa provides a description of our group’s nature and identifies its location. Pasikala means bicycle and Nuku’alofa is name of the capital of Tonga, therefore Pasikala Nukualofa in English means "Bicycle Nukualofa!"
Each new day in Tonga brings pleasant sunny weather most of the time, other day’s one may experience some showers but overall the climate and landscape are very favorable for cycling either for recreation, transport or for sport. We are experienced in cycling around our Polynesian Pacific Island kingdom and now we would like to share our pasikala stories and experiences with you.
Tonga
The Tongan Cycling Federation is enjoying a growth in membership and this is due to the enthusiasm on Naomi Fakauka who is the driving force behind the sport in Tonga. The Tongan Cycling Federation has been accepted by the Tongan Olympic Committee as a member and recreational cycling events are a regular occurrence.
Since its formation in 2010 the membership of the federation has quadrupled and currently stands at 80.
The federation is currently planning a cycling festival to promote and recruit members for their organisation. This festival is planned for November 2012. The festival will include the national championships of Tonga.
During the year a container of second hand bicycles were sent from Australia for the local cyclists. The Oceania Cycling Confederation sent a bicycle engineer, Brett Richardson, to Tonga to provide training in bicycle assembly and maintenance. Brett is an accredited coach and cycling official and is prepared to continue to provide assistance in this area of expertise to the Oceania Cycling Confederation in support of development of the sport in the pacific region. He is suggesting that Skills Tech has a partnership arrangement with the Oceania Cycling Confederation for this purpose in the future.
Brett had his own bike shop many years ago and had a very good reputation as a bike builder. He now works as a trade teacher for Skills Tech in Brisbane teaching the trade of Bicycling Mechanic. Skills Tech is a subsidiary of TAFE Queensland. The Director of the College agreed for Brett to travel to Tonga and work with the Tongans as part of his job.
More information is found on the Skill Tech website: www.skillstech.tafe.qld.gov.au
The bicycles were distributed to people in the communities namely Kala’au Healthy Village people, Pakilau Farmer’s Association Vaini, people in Likualofa and Fuaamotu youths. Other people who benefited included people who belong to exercise communities, individuals in the workplaces and other locals. We charged a $30 for annual membership fee and asked if people want to present donations of $20 for the work of the organization. The membership fees incorporated these individuals in to the organization and allows the organization to care for their bike concerns individually and nationally.
July 9th came with the Arrival of Brett Johnson and his lovely wife Stacy. Brett is a current bicycle teacher of Queensland Tafe. His visit was the result of many communications and negotiations between pasikala Nukualofa and her partner networks overseas.
brett and Stacy arrived on a morning flight from New Zealand and we picked them up at Fuaamotu Airport took him to town checked him and took him to lunch before we showed him the bike container’s location where we will start working in the morning. 
. Brett checked the bikes and was thoughtfully analysing the process of assembling that will take place together with how many possible whole bikes that could result.
The next day we started assembling the bikes and it was a very interesting process for example at 9:00 am we arrived the small industries shed that we rent to be met by many people from Vaini villages and around waiting to get a bike. 
this is when the experience started unfolding as people flock in to get a bike things started to get tense because there were forms to be filled out, and assistance for our bike expert in addition to looking for things needed like a compressor which required transportation from out of town to name a few. but as we addressed one thing at a time the challenges subsided one by one. 
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The ride this month started from Tonga Post office through Vuna rd and winding through Houmakelikao on to by pass rd , straight on Taufaahau rd and back to Tonga POst. The Escorts from Tonga Police provided a secure environment for all the riders who participated. This ride was mapped successfully by Ms. Sari Lewis of Apifoou College.
It was a beautiful cloudy morning. The sky looked pregnant with rain but none fell on us as our rubbers meets the bituman rolling down Vuna rd towards Tukutonga. Tukutonga is where the first rubbish dump was but now has been relocated to Tapuhia at Vaini. There are still people living in Tukutonga despite rumours of relocation. Tukutonga presents a gloomy picture of people living in very poor housing conditions however with the many children we met one could not say that these children feel any of that in their life because they are happy and were calling out to us as we pass by.On the otherhand Tukutonga is a coastal village surrounded by the sea from the front and on the side and people live mostly from fishing and selling their catch at the market.
Likualofa REsort is hosting pasikala Nukualofa ride for health Tomorrow at Hihifo. Children and families are asked to take their bikes in their cars or trucks to the REsort while fast strong riders can ride fro Town to Post Office at 6am. The Tonga Police motorcycle will escort us to Likualofa. At LIkualofa the program will be
1. Assembly at 7: 30 Am
2. Welcome speech – Mr. Peseti Maafu
3. Information and instruction of the Route – Tonga Police
4. Ride around Hihifo – Likualofa foui – Ha’atafu – Likualofa
5. Refreshments from the bar – cheap $2 sandwich
6. Dismiss – or picnic time
7. Fast riders cycle back to Nukualofa
best wishes from the team and please take all necessary precaution to prevent injuries.
malo
Pasikala Nukualofa Team
The second ride for health was held at Tonga Post on february 19th. There were more than 30 cyclist participated. From mountain bikes to cross bikes and mum and dads riding with children. The route was designed to wind through two bike workshops at Havelu. The Ride was escorted by Tonga POlice
Pasikala Nukualofa will host a back to biking event on the 29th January 2011. This event will start from Tonga Post Office in Nuku’alofa. This will be an easy 9 km bike crawl around the central area. This Ride will be led by Tonga Police and it is ideal for families and friends to catch up and update.
- Free sign up registration at the Post Office 7:00 AM
- Riders depart Post Office 7:45 AM
- Riders return 9:00 AM
- Free water refreshments offered!
- more info call Mob 7731750
The Pasikala Nukualofa incorporated will import reconditioned bikes from overseas. This will increase people’s access to cheap affordable but durable bikes in Tonga. These bikes will be imported in parts to be reassembled locally. Preparation is underway to produce an appropraite training manuals to be used in a bike assemble training. Bike assemble requires skilled bike mechanics to assist in training local bike mechanics to do this job Locals or anyone interested are encouraged to contact us for further information or call 7731750.
Gold Ride for Health
Gold colored T-shirts worn by bikers led by Tonga Police pedaled through Vuna Road up to Alaivahamama’o Bypass Road Through to Taufaahau rd in support of Child Cancer Foundation Tonga’s campaign. In this event children with cancer were the highlight drawing attention to the need to establish a Resource Centre for Child cancer patient in Tonga.
