Tonga youth champion face-to-face Scrabble amid the digital age

A young Tongan man from Auckland is bringing new life to competitive Scrabble in New Zealand.

Once considered a game mostly enjoyed by older folks, the classic word game is now attracting a younger crowd.

Benjamin Tu’itahi, who comes from a Tongan family that loves board games, is part of this trend.

In an interview on PMN Tonga, he says there’s a chance for the game to grow with new players.

“It skews pretty heavily towards Pālangi and quite an older generation,” he says. “But there are a couple [of young blood] that have joined recently. So there’s hope for the next generation.”

Tu’itahi’s love for Scrabble started when he was younger, largely thanks to his father, who was a serious player.

“It started pretty early on,” he says. “By the time I got to that age where I could play board games, it was just me and my dad, and he didn’t go easy.”

Although Tu’itahi enjoyed the games as a child, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that he took it more seriously.

Now, he competes in Scrabble events all over New Zealand, including at the Mount Albert Scrabble Club in Auckland.

Watch Benjamin Tu‘itahi's full interview below.

He loves the challenge of the game and the chance to connect with others in person. “There isn’t really much that beats playing it person to person.”

While he admits that online Scrabble is popular, Tu’itahi prefers the face-to-face interaction that comes with playing in person.

The game has even changed how he thinks about words. “I do start to anagram stuff in my head.”

He recently surprised himself by playing the word ‘pantheon’, which he learned from a video game rather than knowing its definition.

Tu’itahi wants to inspire others to take Scrabble seriously. “If for some reason you’ve picked up Scrabble from your grandma and you want to take it to the next level, just get into it a bit more. Why not?”

He is looking forward to his next competition in Whangārei, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. “Hopefully, I’ll do well.”

Photo/mtalbertinc.co.nz

From friendly family casual home games to national tournaments, Tu’itahi describes the Scrabble community scene as “very fun” and urges young people to embrace their unique hobbies, whether it’s Scrabble, video games, or anime.

“Do not be afraid to take them seriously.”