The Island Boy

The Little Island Boy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My little student.
He comes to me for special sessions.
His name is Chunga.
He was born in Onehunga.
Miles away from Tonga in New Zealand.
He is a little Kiwi.
I guess his parents called him Chunga.
Lest he forgets his roots.

Lost in two different cultures,
He can be quite a firebrand.
He sports his hair like a fauxhawk.
He is very cute.
Chunga is a naughty boy.
He won’t sit still.
His twinkling eyes soften my heart.
He has a knack for getting into trouble.

I want to clout his ears.
I want to pinch his cherubic cheeks.
When he talks charmingly to me.
He makes me forgive his childish acts.
He melts my heart.
Out of the blue, he gives me a big hug.
By coincidence, I have another Tonga student.
His name is Sione.

One day, I told Chunga.
I tell Sione on you.
Why you know Sione?
I know Sione.

He tells me, Sione is his big brother.
Sione is in Balmoral School.
I can still get him.
I call his principal.

You know everyfing, he stated.
Yes, I know everything.
Sione beats me up.
Does he really?

Yes, but I no scared of him,
I beat him back.
We talk a lot about Sione.
I don’t let on that my Sione wasn’t his brother Sione.

Chunga got into trouble many times,
He kept calling a boy,
You Black,
You stupid,
Eventually I had to tell my deputy principal.

***The name Sione is very popular, it is the island version of John***