'Etita,

KO E 'elito 'oha fonua tu'u malohi mo fefeka koha sosaieti 'oku ne mahu'inga'ia 'i he tu'unga faka welfare 'o hono kakai.

Things have changed. More students seem to drop out of high school seeking to be independent. Education has become less of a priority to the Tongan student and getting wasted seems to be the latest trend. Every Friday night you see young people as young as 14 years old travel from across different parts of Tonga to enjoy a top night out at Tofoa (Senita Fakafonua) getting trashed and wasted.

Back when I used to grow up in Tonga all I knew was that abstinence was highly emphasized and that girls must maintain their integrity in order to be respected by the men and wider community. However, I was disturbingly surprised when I visited back earlier this year since I left in 2005; a lot of things have changed . . . and I mean Changed!

For example, I met this guy and we started going out. He was still in his early years in high school and was obviously a lot younger than me. But as they say . . . don't judge a book by its cover! He probably knew more 'stuff' than I did . . . You know, stuff that you should only be exposed to when you're married! . . . or maybe not? To make it more disturbing he even asked me if I could spend the night with him before I was to leave overseas . . . as if!

What's wrong with our Tonga - the so-called Christian Kingdom (fonua lotu)? I mean, things have changed in Tonga, the youth. I heard from my aunty whom I can trust because she works at the health sector there; that the pregnancy rate has high-jumped in Tonga since the last couple of years. Wow! Maybe as they say . . . too much influence from movies? Or by overseas media.

One time I saw one chick with a hair cut like Rihanna's - the shaved one yeap! I mean, what has happened to our Tongan heritage and way . . . ko fe'ia e ngaahi akonaki 'a 'etau ngaahi fa'e mo 'etau ngaahi tamai mei he kuonga mu'a . . . 'a e faka'apa'apa'i hoto sino 'i he anga kotoape 'o 'ete ngaahi fakafeangai 'i he sosaieti, 'i 'api pe ko ha feitu'u pe . . . 'a e tui e vala 'oku taau mo fe'unga kene kofukofu kita 'aki e faka'apa'apa . . . 'a e teuteu fakalelei hoto 'ulu kete ha lelei mo ngalipoto ai . . . 'a e tauhi hoto va ke mama'o 'aupito mei he kakai tangata . . . 'a e ngaue'aki 'etau ngaahi leamu'a -
tulou/kataki/fakamolemole/malo 'aupito mo e ha fua 'etau ngaahi 'ulungaanga fakafonua mei he kuohili. Hangehange kiate au kuo faka'au ke mole atu ia.

'I he taimi ko'ee netau pehee pe ko e kau muli pe 'oku 'ikai kenau fu'u mahu'inga'ia 'i he ngaahi anga fakafonua ni ka 'i he anga 'eku sio 'Etita, ko e ngaahi 'ahoni, kuo hake e fakalakalaka 'i he mo'ui fakatekinolosia 'a Tonga pea kuo hanga 'e he ngaahi hiva/faiva/nusipepa mo e ha fua e kalasi kehekehe 'o e social media 'o faka'ai'ai e fanau hotau ki'i fonua masiva - 'a e kaha'u (future) 'o Tonga - ke nau fakahoko ha ngaahi 'ulungaanga moha ngaahi to'onga mo'ui 'oku ta'etaau mo e anga 'etau sio fakafo'ituitui, fakakainga, fakasosaieti mo e fakalotu.

'Etita, kataki 'oku 'ikai ko ha'aku pehe 'eni kuou haohaoa au, ka ko e anga pe e hoha'a hoku loto 'i he anga 'eku sio kihe tu'unga 'oku 'I ai e tu'unga faka social welfare 'a hotau ki'i fonua. Kaikehe, neu ki'i fekumi si'i pe 'i he'eku kei 'i Tonga peau lave'i ai 'oku te'ekiai ha kau social worker ia 'i Tonga pe 'oku 'ikai ke recognise 'a e tafa'aki ni ia 'i Tonga.

'Oku ou tui mo faka'amu pe kihe kaha'u vave mai 'e malava ke toe hanga 'ehe potungaue ako, potungaue mo'ui moe komiti falealea 'o toe ki'i fakakaukau'i ange mu'a 'a e tu'unga faka welfare 'a Tonga tautautefito kihe social welfare 'a e to'utupu.

'Ofa atu, pea malo e ngaue,

Soa'ileata