Roy from Tonga

Growing up in Tonga

My name is Roy Curion. I am 25 years old, born and raised in the Kingdom of Tonga, from the small villages of Fahefa and Niutoua.

Tonga is where I learned who I am, long before I understood who I wanted to become.  

My father is Italian and my mother is Tongan. When I was young, my parents ran a small tomato business called Sunshine Tomato, supplying vegetables to hospitals and a few supermarkets. Life felt hopeful then. But after my parents separated, my siblings and I were raised mostly by our mother, her sisters, and our grandparents. I am one of four children, the third born. 

My mother’s formal education ended at Year 10. In Tonga, that limits opportunities. Jobs are scarce, and education often decides how far you can go. But my mother found a way. She made traditional Tongan women’s wear (kiekie and ta‘ovala sia) and through her hands and patience, she supported our family. 

My father was part of our lives, but my mother carried the responsibility. Living with her parents, she often placed their needs before ours. Some days, we went to school with very little because the small money she had went toward caring for her sick parents. 

School fees were always a worry. I remember receiving letters from the principal in primary school about overdue payments, small pieces of paper that carried heavy weight. 

She had one rule: if you were not in the top ten of your class, you would not receive any Christmas presents. I was not the smartest of the four, but Christmas meant everything to us. It became one of my earliest lessons that effort mattered, even when it was hard. 

Early dreams and inspirations

As a child, I wanted to be a pilot. My aunties worked in New Zealand and Australia doing fruit picking, and every time a plane flew over, my siblings and I ran outside, calling their names into the sky. It didn’t matter how many planes passed, we ran every time. 

At seven years old, I learned there were doctors for animals. From that moment, becoming a veterinarian stayed with me. It became quiet, steady, and constant. 

Losing my father

In 2014, we lost our father. That loss changed me. Watching my siblings grieve, I felt the need to be strong. I learned early that life keeps moving, and if I wanted something different, I had to move with it. 

After my father’s death, my sisters and I worked part-time at a small pizza shop. Earning $80 a week felt like a fortune, and I gave it all to my mother. 

My education 

I attended seven high schools in seven years, not because I caused trouble, but because affordability and kindness often decided where I could study. I learned to adapt. I told myself that no matter what the school, the responsibility to succeed was mine. 

In Year 11, I entered Tupou High School and discovered that the Dux or Valedictorian will receive a scholarship to Australia. I was not among the top students then, but I worked harder than ever before. Some nights, my mother waited in the car while I attended classes. Some night classes, I could not attend because there was not enough fuel. Still, I kept going. 

In Year 12, I became Dux, but I did not receive the scholarship. There were still costs involved which my school believed I wasn't able to pay. So, they awarded it to the runner up. 

Second chances 

That disappointment stayed quiet, but it stayed with me. Still, life offered support in unexpected ways. My mathematics teacher who knew my situation came to me with her husband and offered to pay my fees and let me live with them for Year 13 at another school. I was hesitant, but I knew it would ease the burden on my mother. I moved in with them. Accepting their help was not easy, but it allowed my mother to breathe. Over time, they became family. 

During Year 13, I transferred schools again. Rankings mattered less than outcomes. I focused on my external exams and finished as runner-up with strong results. 

Working and studying

With no veterinary school in the Pacific at the time, I enrolled at the University of the South Pacific while working as a daily labourer at the Ministry of Agriculture’s livestock department. I earned $149 a week and avoided missing work, even if it meant missing lectures. I also taught high school classes at 19. 

One of the moments I will always carry is teaching my younger sister. Seeing her sit in my class reminded me why I kept going not just for myself, but for those watching quietly.  

I worked many jobs, often outside my field, learning as I went and giving everything I had. Scholarships did not come easily. Many applications ended in rejection. 

Reaching Fiji and finishing my degree

In 2022, I moved to Fiji to complete my degree and later postgraduate studies in Animal Science. Life was difficult, but I did not show it. Support came from people who did not have to help but chose to. Because of them, I finished.