After a respected person dies, the family receives visitors for several days. They sit while one or a few spokespeople give a brief speech of condolence. The bereaved may pass around refreshments. Each visitor hugs the bereaved upon leaving. The most popular sports are cricket, in the summer, and rugby, in the winter.
People also enjoy volleyball, soccer, tennis, table tennis, netball, and track events.
Alofi has a nine-hole golf course. Cultural events, sometimes competitive, are occasions for traditional song, music, and dance. Some churches have accomplished choirs that devote a good deal of time to their art. Women gather to make baskets, hats, and other handicrafts. They make many household items from treated pandanus fibre and coconut fronds.