Jonah Takalua

Infobox character
name = Jonah Takalua


first = Episode 1
last = Episode 8
cause =
alias =
species =
gender = Male
age = 13
occupation = Student (Year 8)
title =
family = Rocky Takalua (father)
spouse =
children =
relatives =
portrayer = Chris Lilley
creator = Chris Lilley

Jonah Takalua is one of three main fictional characters on the Australian mockumentary series "Summer Heights High" played by Chris Lilley. Jonah is the only one of the three main characters in Summer Heights High to debut in the mockumentary, with Ja'mie and Mr. G appearing in Chris Lilley's previous television projects. "Sydney Morning Herald" television critic Michael Idato writes that "Jonah Takalua is well on the way to becoming the voice of his generation."cite news
first = Michael
last = Idato
title = Unfair criticism reaches new heights
url =
publisher = The Sydney Morning Herald
date = September 24 2007
accessdate = 2007-11-11 ]

Background

Family

Jonah originates from Tonga, having emigrated to Australia when he was 3 years old. He is the second youngest of five children and was raised by his father, Rocky Takalua (his mother passed away when he was 7 years old) and adopted brother Avnish Goyani. He lives in Summer Heights with his father, his four siblings, two cousins and an aunty. He shares a room with his two brothers.

In the final episode of the series, Jonah is revealed to have been expelled from Summer Heights High, and is stated to be returning to his native Tonga to live with his uncle. On the final day of term, Jonah performs his story in front of the Gumnut Cottage audience, revealing a sensitive and heartfelt statement which epitomises the difficulty faced by the character, due to the racial and cultural barriers satirised within the program. In the final scene of the series, Jonah's graffiti tag - '*DICK*tation' - is seen scrawled throughout the school as a final mark of his signature defiance.

Education

Jonah has attended three schools over the past eighteen months. He was expelled from the two previous schools he attended for setting fire to a student's locker and defacing a staff member's car by spray painting a penis on it respectively.

Jonah has serious academic struggles. He attends a remedial reading course at 'Gumnut Cottage' with teacher Jan Palmer, the only teacher who he apparently takes a liking to.

Hobbies & Interests

Jonah and his friends have shown an interest and enjoyment in breakdancing during school. He holds a rivalry with a Summer Heights High year 7 student, Keiran, who also enjoys the 'sport'.

Jonah has also shown interest and skill in modern graffiti, expressing himself through witty and/or defamatory graffiti. He and his friends have vandalised various walls and objects on school premises, particularly the boys' toilets. Evidence he is the culprit is often left with his personal tag, which is a drawing of a penis followed by "tation", making it a play on the word "dictation".

Part of a remedial reading program held at Gumnut Cottage, Jonah has also expressed an interest in conquering his illiteracy, stating the future possibility of him reading "Harry Potter like in a day". He shows interest in this class and an affinity with his helpful teacher, despite disliking other teachers at Summer Heights High.

In the final episode of Summer Heights he is expelled but comes back on the final day to present his story to an audience at Gumnut Cottage.

References

External links

* [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/summerheightshigh/#jonah Official character profile]