Wine, Women and Tonga: A Tongan Student’S Ruminations in Diaspora

By Dr.Sitaleki 'A. Finau

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. Its the fluctuations to stay afloat and faithful to ones 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 kii tohi maau eni ko e taanga mooni mo aiai mata eni.

Oku ikai ko ha fakaanga pe manukia ki ha feituu pe ko ha niihi neu monuia o mau felongoaki. Oku ikai foki ko ha taanga fakapoto eni a ha punake ke fakaali ai e loloto mo e maukupu hono huelo. Ko e kii kalonikali pe eni ia o e ngaahi mautalanoa lolotonga e feangai mo e tuha e moui. Oku masiva eni he laulau kakala holo, mita, olopoto, mo fakanonga kae umaa e vanaiki ha lopapa a tuluta oha kii vai tafe to ki ha taputa a e ngaahi taanga fakahikuongo, huni mo masi ko e oku ne amo, ene, mo lau e ngaahi filo e mafu.

Ko e kii kosinga pe eni o e fanga temenio mo e kau angelo ne nau tokangaekina ke ako mau pe e motua taka muli ni, ka oua naa heheia o mole he nanunga fakatuapuleanga lolotonga e taka he vahanoa. Ko e ngaahi fetoloaki ke kei maanu o mateekina e tupuanga mo e tukufakaholo. Ne huvahaa e tohi ni he ako, pokakata, mo e loimataia. Ko e niihi e ngaahi mea ne hokosia ne fakatupu moutafuua pea niihi ne fakamamahi. Ka, i he afangatuku ne iai e fakamoulaloa, pole mai, hinoii he ako mo e taimi fiefia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jun 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493135080

Dr.Sitaleki 'A. Finau

Author Biography coming up soon

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Dr. Sitaleki ‘A. Finau.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-4931-3483-0

               Hardcover     978-1-4990-0695-7

               eBook            978-1-4931-3508-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Cover Photo: Sailing into the unknown (photo By AC Walsh)

Rev. Date: 6/9/2014

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris LLC

1-800-455-039

http://www.xlibris.com.au/

[e-mail]

603520

Contents

Kakano e Tohī

Foreword

Talamu’aki

Chapter 1: Wine

Vahe 1: Uaine

The Toast

Inu Fakataungamonu’ia

Symbiosis

Manava Fetoliaki

Bloodline

Ko e Toto Tupunga

Sunset budding!

Moto he Tō e La’ā

Animal House Sundowners

Fale Monumanu ‘o e kau Fakatōtō La’ā

Twilight

Mafoa e ata

Chapter 2: Women

Vahe 2: Fafine

Choice Song

Hiva Fili’i

One Night Stand

Ki’i Ofi Pō Tahā

Spellbound

Mo’usioa

Lose

Rose

Labour

Langā

Since time immemorial

Talu Mei Tuai

Chapter 3: Snippets of a student

Vahe 3: Kosinga ‘a e Tama Akō

The Student

Ko e Tama Ako

The Academic Bulls

Fangapulu Faiako

One Rainy Night… . Mana! Mana!

Po Ne ‘Uha… . 

Mana! Mana!

Who Knows?

Ko Hai Kuo ne ‘Iloa?

Cracks in the Sky

Papaa e Langi

Death

Mate

Chapter 4: Tonga

Vahe 4: Tonga

Heritage

Tofi’a

Driftwoods

‘U Potu’i’akau Tekina

The Patriot

Mateaki Fonua

The Hospital

Fale mahaki

The Tomb

Ko e Fonua Loto

Homecoming

Foki ki ‘Api

Death in a Dream

Misia e Matē

The Rock

Ko e Fu’u Makā

Brown Peacocks II

Fanga Pikoka Melō II

Chapter 5: Back to the future?

Vahe 5: Holomui Ki Mu’a?

Back To the Future

Holomui ki Mu’a

Biographical Notes

Dedication:

This book is dedicated to my children and grandchildren from a time before our time.

To’onga pō:

Ko e ki’i tohi ni ‘oku ‘oatu ia ma’eku fanau mo e fanga mokopunā mei ha taimi kimu’a atu homau taimī..

dedication.jpg

My Children from another time!

The children…………………………………and the…….…………

Ko e fanaū………………………………….……mo e…………………

and the……………………….grandchildren

mo e……………………………fanga mokopunā

10.jpg

Foreword

This is a raw and pragmatic story book. 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. It lacks the poetic rhythms and crafty smooth soothing cascades of rhymes and alliterations that tease and tug at the heart strings

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 story was conceived out of life that now seems too foreign to be me. It