I first met Caramel in 2020 when I was living in Strathmore. My mum had tamed her, and when she’d call, Caramel would come straight to the window so she could let her in. At that time I didn’t really like birds, and Mum had to teach me how to treat her.
I was raised by my maternal grandmother, and she’s the one I call Mum. I’ve only met my birth mother and my siblings once, when I was just finishing primary school. It was hard to communicate as they speak Rarotongan and we needed an interpreter. I didn’t understand why she spoke a different language or why she never raised me. The whole experience freaked me out. Even though I never saw them again, I still think about them. I’ve only come to know more about my story as I’ve got older.
When we moved into town, Mum brought Caramel here with us. Mum passed away last year at Christmas, so I’m looking after her on my own and doing all the things she taught me. That’s the only real love. The love of a mother.
Caramel’s very smart. If she wants to go to the toilet, she’ll just stand by the door. I bring her down to the waterfront to play with the other pigeons. I don’t know how they do it, but the flocks have a way of communicating. I don’t worry, as she always comes back to me.
A lot of kids come up and want to hold her. How cool is that? They get to play with and hold a live being, rather than something that’s not real
I’m a grateful person. Some people get upset about how they look or for other reasons, but I always try to be grateful that I’m still alive.