My Parents, Anita Yamashita and Michael Nona by Gina Yamashita

My Parents, Anita Yamashita and Michael Nona

Gina Yamashita | Year 8

Anita Yamashita is a young Torres Strait Islander and is also my mother. She is known for disciplining the children around her. Some of her achievements are moving away from home on Thursday Island to boarding school in Charters Towers at the age of 13 and out of her comfort zone. As her children grow up, she wants to see them happy. The people who inspire her are her children, family and friends. Culture to her is reconnecting with our ancestors. She has had many challenges, including raising children who, she says, laughing, ‘have selective hearing’! Her childhood to her was fun and carefree. My favourite memory with my mum is when she doesn’t nag me. She inspires me to be a good person and pay respect to other people. She is an incredibly caring and respectful person and I love having her in my life.

Michael Nona is a young Torres Strait Islander from Badu Island and is also my dad. My Dad is greatly respected, especially for his willingness to help out within the community and for donating time to help out at community events such as football. He is also known for ensuring cultural traditions such as island dancing are passed down to younger family members, including language. His greatest achievements are myself and my siblings. His hopes and dreams are for me to obtain a better education than he had and have endless opportunities. My dad is inspired by his parents, my grandparents, for their levels of respect for everyone. To my dad, culture is his identity, and he loves keeping it going for the next generations. My dad has overcome the challenge of using technology as part of his career as a council worker, as he did not receive this knowledge at school. In the near future, my dad will have to overcome leaving the island and moving down south to gain experience and grow in his career. His childhood was spent mainly outdoors connecting with the land and sea. His favourite memory with me is taking me camping to other surrounding inner islands such Prince of Wales (POW) Island, and Goody Island. When we’re camping, we dive and hunt for dugong and turtles.