Wine, Women and Tonga: A Tongan Student's Ruminations in Diaspora

English
This is a raw and pragmatic story book of poems in English and Tongan.
It is not a critique of where I have been or of those I have been lucky to meet. It is not a literary work demonstrating poetic acumen. It is merely a chronicle of the thought flashes in response to life situations.
These are just snippets of the demons and angels that keep this overseas student learning from day to day without being absorbed into host norms while in diaspora. It’s the fluctuations to stay afloat and faithful to one’s birth and heritage. They have been recorded between books, laughter, and tears. Some of the experiences were frustrating and some choices tormenting. But in the end, there were always challenges, learning and good times.

The poems were conceived out of life that now seems too foreign to be me. It is now delivered to all those who made that portion of my life, and to the students who will continue to leave home to seek education in a foreign environment.

Tongan
Ko e ki’i tohi maau eni ko e ta’anga mo’oni mo ‘ai’ai mata eni.

‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha fakaanga pe manukia ki ha feitu’u pe ko ha ni’ihi neu monu’ia ‘o mau felongoaki. ‘Oku ‘ikai foki ko ha ta’anga fakapoto eni ‘a ha punake ke faka‘ali ai e loloto mo e maukupu hono huelo. Ko e ki’i kalonikali pe eni ia ‘o e ngaahi ma’utalanoa lolotonga e feangai mo e tuha e mo’ui. ‘Oku masiva eni he laulau kakala holo, mita, olopoto, mo fakanonga kae ‘uma’a e vanaiki ha lopapa ‘a tuluta ‘oha ki’i vai tafe to ki ha taputa ‘a e ngaahi ta’anga fakahikuongo, huni mo masi ko e ‘oku ne amo, ’ene, mo la’u e ngaahi filo e mafu.

Ko e ki’i kosinga pe eni ‘o e fanga temenio mo e kau ‘angelo ne nau tokangaekina ke ako ma’u pe e motu’a taka muli ni, ka ‘oua na’a hehe’ia ‘o mole he nanunga fakatu’apule’anga lolotonga e taka he vahanoa. Ko e ngaahi fetoloaki ke kei ma’anu ‘o mateekina e tupu’anga mo e tukufakaholo. Ne huvaha’a e tohi ni he ako, pokakata, mo e lo’imata’ia. Ko e ni’ihi e ngaahi me’a ne hokosia ne fakatupu mo’utafu’ua pea ni’ihi ne fakamamahi. Ka, ‘i he ‘afangatuku ne ‘iai e fakamo’ulaloa, pole mai, hinoi’i he ako mo e taimi fiefia.