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Story: Brass and pipe bands

Tongan brass band, 2010

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Tongan brass band, 2010

A Tongan brass band performs in Ōtara, Auckland, in December 2010. Brass bands were well established in Tonga by the 1880s and have become a strong part of the island kingdom's musical heritage. The Tongan community in New Zealand has continued this tradition with a number of active brass bands, often associated with churches or schools.

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How to cite this page

Peter Clayworth, Brass and pipe bands – Brass bands, 1880s onwards, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/43252/tongan-brass-band-2010 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Peter Clayworth, published 4 November 2013.