Although I pride myself on being Tongan, my upbringing did not facilitate my knowledge of the Tongan language. I grew up in Suva, Fiji and attended a mandarin-speaking school called Yat Sen Primary School. Tongan was spoken in our household and at Sunday school but my ability to understand and communicate in the language was very limited. I learnt how to pronounce words and sing hymns but I lacked understanding on a deeper level about the language I spoke.
My personal development with the Tongan language stemmed from a myriad of experiences. Attending church, being a part of the Tongan cultural group at school, sitting the Tongan NCEA standards as well as conversing with loved ones in the language - all of these aided my journey in speaking and understanding my native tongue. I even took Tongan as my general education paper in my first year at University. Despite these efforts, I still struggled with communicating fluently in Tongan. To the extent that I shied away from great opportunities because I felt embarrassed that I couldn’t speak as eloquently as my peers.
As I grew older, specifically, as I moved through medical school, I fostered a new appreciation for our language. A simple “fefe hake?” has sliced through awkward jargon-filled silences and provided patients a platform to be more honest and forthcoming about their medical issues. My native tongue allowed me to connect to not only Tongan patients but Pasifika patients who appreciated seeing a brown face amongst the sea of white coats. I was able to utilise the knowledge of my language, although imperfect, to reassure patients that someone who understood them was present in the medical conversations that happened about them. My ability to converse in Tongan became my superpower.
The theme for this years Tongan Language Week is sustainability. Sustainability of our language relies on the passage of tradition from our elders to our younger generation. Whether it be through song, dance, food or craft - language remains the cornerstone in retaining our Tongan heritage. Living in the diaspora presents linguistic challenges but may we continue speaking our language unapologetically - at home, at school and at work. We will be able to show younger generations that having Tongan as a first language or speaking Tongan isn’t a hindrance but a strength. As the Tongan saying goes “ Ko Otua mo Tonga, ko hoku tofi’a” - God and Tonga are my heritage - may this week serve as a reminder to us all hail from the Kingdom, how privileged we are to call Tonga our home.
