Me, my Dad and my Aka by Sofia (Wini) Nona

Me, my Dad and my Aka

by Sofia (Wini) Nona, Year 8

About Me

Name: Sofia-Winifred Tequila Saray Nona (Wini) Date of Birth: 18th May 2007 Age: 13 years

Family

My parents separated when I was two or three but are still great friends for the sake of me and my siblings. I am the fifth of six children with three brothers and two sisters. I am my mum and dad’s youngest child, but my little brother has a different dad.

Household

I live in a house with my mum, my younger brother and my two older sisters. My two older brothers have graduated high school and moved down south. My dad lives in Perth for work, but he still owns a house on Badu.

Schooling

I attended the local primary school on Badu, Badu Campus. Badu doesn’t have a local high school and so I had to travel down south to finish my schooling. I am currently in Year 8 at St Margaret’s.

About my Dad

Name: Ronald William Nona (Ron2) Date of Birth: 16th June 1975 Age: 45 years

Family

My dad’s biological parents were Aka Timena Nona (deceased) and Athe Ronald Russel but he was given to Aka Ella and Athe Collie Nona (deceased) who he grew up with. My dad is the fifth of nine children with six brothers and two sisters and the father of five children with three girls and two boys. His parents were married for 38 years until Athe Collie sadly passed in 2010.

Household

As a child, my dad lived in a house with his parents and his siblings. When my mum had my eldest brother, Laurie, my mum and dad moved in together. When they had my other older brother, Walter, they moved into another house, and then another house when they had my older sister, Layna. But when they had me, they stayed in the house they moved into when they had Ella. My dad lived with my mum for a few years until they separated, and my dad moved out and found his own house. When he still worked in the Torres Straits, me and my siblings would go and sleep there every now and then if he was on the island. He got a job at the mines in Perth and he moved there, but he still owns the house on Badu.

Schooling

My dad went to Dogai Primary School. He travelled down south for high school, attending Scots PCG in Warwick. After graduating he moved back to Badu for work.

About my Aka

Name: Ella Nona Snr. (nee Nomoa) Date of Birth: 15 November 1945 Age: 75 years

Family

My Aka’s parents were Athe Manuel Nomoa (deceased) and Aka Naila Nomoa (deceased) and she was the eldest of five children with two sisters and two brothers. She married Athe Collie Nona April in 1968 and stayed married for 40 years until Athe Collie sadly passed in 2010. She is the mother to nine children with seven boys and two girls and has a lot of grandchildren.

Household

As a child my Aka lived with her parents and siblings until she moved in with her husband and children. In 2001, she and her husband moved to Cairns until Athe Collie passed. After his death, she moved back to Badu for a few months until she moved to Cairns where she now lives with a few of her grandchildren.

Schooling

For primary school my Aka attended Badu Island School, but she was unable to attend high school.