Over here at Hynds we are like one family, one team, we work together for any team playing
here like Samoa, Fiji or Tonga. We all go to support it. You know like brothers.
We are all here like brothers. No girls around here in the yard it's all just brothers.
Yeah that's why we're very proud of what Hynds are doing to us.
We're so thankful for Hynds, you know it's hard for a company to spend a lot of
money on buying a ticket for all the island boys but we're so thankful. We're so
proud you know for this company. They're buying ticket for everyone.
Doesn't matter if you're Tongan or not they're still buying a ticket for everyone.
Who out of all of you went to the games with the company last year and the year before? Did you all go?
All of us. Is there lots of singing involved?
We sing a lot of hymns and music.
What about the non-Tongan workers? Do you teach them the songs? Do you teach them the chants?
They help us sing anyway. When we sing the Tongan hymn or any Tongan music
they have to sing. We show them how to sing the Tongan music.
So Vaets you're the site manager here and all this came about because a few
workers a few years ago put in the site suggestion box asking if the company
could take the team, take the work crew to the MMT games? Is that right?
Yep, so it did come about probably around about 2017 when Tonga made the semifinals in the
Rugby League World Cup. So a couple of suggestions from the guys were to see
if we could take the whole team and yeah it wasn't that difficult to get it over the
line from the company. So that's how it started.
So that's a couple of hundred tickets every year since 2017 that the company has bought, including this year.
Why do you guys do it?
Hynds is family-owned. The values that is instilled with everybody is doing what's right.
A place where people matter and connecting with the customers.
So it aligns with the values that we have from the company.
Everybody including the Niuean, Cook Islanders, Samoans, Indians..
everybody come together, the Filipinos, so it boosts the morale. Pretty much.
Tell me what it's like at the games? What's the atmosphere like?
Almost 200 of you from the same company, same whānau all together chanting and singing.
What's that like?
I got to see a lot of the workers with their families and it really touched my heart seeing everybody there.
A very emotional time for everybody just a camaraderie of
everybody there it's really, you can't explain it. It's really good.
This New Zealand family based company, who are they backing this weekend?
Oh definitely MMT all the way. One hundred percent.
We expect to see the the red sea again.
I hope it's not raining, otherwise the Kiwi points will be going up to 100.
If the weather is like this, I hope Mate Ma'a Tonga are gonna win.
I heard that you guys take up about five or six rows in the South Stand.
Do you all dress and red? What what do you guys do?
Everything is red. Start from the hat, down to the t-shirt and everything.
Everything is red. As long as the socks and shoes.
I heard you even bought your boss Vaets a red outfit to wear last year. Red track pants and red jumper.
Is that right? Yep that's right.
Why'd you do that?
So he can support the team.
A Mate Ma'a Tonga uniform I give to him to support my team.