Planet Tonga - Language Journal

Sia ko Kafoa moe ‘Alo ‘i Talau
‘E taku apē kuo te tala lakulaku
Ka fakalongo ‘e lea ‘a e kanivatu
Tala ki Teisina mo Longolongofolau
Liku ‘o Matoto mo e Uho ‘o Vava’u
Vai ko Tāpinga mo Vai’utukakau
Funga Veitatalo uoi ‘Utukalongalu
Si’i Pouono tu’u koe fakatalutalu

He’ikai ha teki pe ofo he tā vai
He koe ta’au ‘o e Taulua Tongiaki
Vaivaipetoa ‘isa na’a ne matua’i
Veimumuni Veingangana ‘ene tu’utai
‘E ngalo ‘a Tukulalo mo hono masani
He koe toka’anga ‘o ‘ene pōvai
Ka ‘eke ‘eha sola moha vūlangi
Seuke, tuku mu’a tama e fie matai

Uisa he kakala ‘isa ‘ene ngatuvai
Faiva ta’anga Maau filifili ‘ene felavai
To’ongapō fo’ou ‘oku ongo mai
Ke silapa ‘aki ‘a e ‘atamai vilitaki
Koe hikuhikule’o ‘oha fai matekai
Ke fanāfotu ‘iho tau potutahi
‘Alaha manongi he ‘Otu Felenite ‘Ailani
Malama pea ope ki he tafatafa’aki langi

He’ikai ha pahi he lau siva
Tumu’aki e lau lava he telekanga
Tuku ke vikia ‘a e tangata ‘iloa
Ke lea pē ngāue ‘i hono kuonga
Fakamu’omu’a e mo’oni faka filosofia
Pea huluhulu ‘aki ‘a e tā mo e vā
Koe kakala tauleva ki he kilukilua
No’oloto ko hoto vala tu’uta

Fatu ‘a Viliami Uasikē Lātū
24 Siulai 2007

1.Hūfanga he Talamalu e Fonuá
Kae ‘atā ke fai ha viki mei Vaihiloá
Ki he tukutukulaumea ‘a Vaivaipetoá
Lavengamālie ai e vūlangi mo e solá

2.Tala-pea-ngali huli ‘o Maui mei mu’á
‘Oku tā ki fanga pea tā ki vahá
Toutai ola ‘i Langi, Pulotu, mo Maamá
He koe tā mafua ‘ae kanivatu tupu’á

3.Tangane e Tangata ‘o Tufu-’a-Māhiná
Koe pulotu-fa’u ‘oe ta’anga motu’á
Moe pulotu-haka ‘oe lakalaka ‘iloá
‘Oku tafi mala’e ‘i hotau kuongá

4.He koe punake ‘oe faiva tā-vā
Moe tufunga e uho moe fuo ‘oe leá
Lavemonū ai si’i kau ākongá
He takanoa pē ‘i he lalo-hakangá

5.Si’i tangata mo fefine Tonga
Tau hākahaka he tā vā’ifaiva kuo feiá
He kuo mālie fau mo fakaholomamatá
Pea malanga-i-faiva ai e loto māfaná

6.’Io, koe Tā-mo-Vā ia ‘o Ha’a Moaná
Koe tō’ongapō e Lo’au ‘o Tāpinga’amaamá
Ke paotoloaki e ako kelesikale mu’á
Mo tatala e fihitu’u ‘oe lotolotongá

Fatu ‘e Tēvita O. Ka’ili ki he kātonga fakalāngilangi’i ‘o Toketā ‘Okusitino Māhina ‘a ia na’e fakahoko lolotonga e Konifelenisi Fakaako hono 12 ‘oe Tonga Research Association ‘i Nuku’alofa Tonga ‘i Siulai 14, 2007.

Fatu ‘e ‘Okusitino Māhina

‘Oku tukupā ‘a e ta’anga hiva viki ni ki he faiako ‘a ‘Okusitino Māhina he lēsoni lea mo e kalatua ‘a Tonga he Kolisi Tonga, ‘a ia ko Tēvita Ma’ilei, pea mo ‘ene tāmai kuo ne pekia, ‘Aisea Nau Māhina, ‘a ia na’a na kaunga ki hono fakahū ‘o ako he Kolisi, ‘a ia na’a ne misi ma’u pē ke faifai ange ha ‘aho pea ne lava ‘o ako ai.

Na’e fatu ‘e ‘Okusitino Māhina ‘a e ta’anga hiva viki ni ma’ae Kautaha Kolisi Tutuku Kolisi Tonga ‘i Waitakere, Hihifo ‘o ‘Aokalani, ki he Kātoanga Fe’auhi Sivi Hiva ‘a e Kautaha Kolisi Tutuku Kolisi Tonga ‘i Nu’usila, he ma’alali mo fakamanatu ‘o e 125 ta’u ‘o e Apiako ‘i ‘Okatopa 2007 ta’u.

1. Hūfanga ‘ihe malu ‘eta kuilá
Moe laione ta’ane ‘i maungá
Koe misionali moe sikolasitiká
Moto koe ‘ofa moe ‘ēkelesiá
He tau’atāina meihe pōpulá
Masiva he ‘iló hala kihe ‘auhá

2. Kuo tala mo kapui pea aofakí
Moe kaveinga ē ke talangakí
Teauuanima ē ta’u kuo hokosí
Langa mai tama keta ma’alalí
‘Ae to’u kimu’a moe ta’u kimuí
He ‘eioni koula ‘oku kei tu’utaí

3. Kuo oso pea tava hotau ‘ahó
Kuo tau hotau huá ka tau sokó
‘Aho’eitu ē ‘Alaivahamama’ó
Uki ‘a Tāufa’āhau mo Tuku’ahó
Kia Ngū mo Tungī keta fakauō
He kuo fakaola ‘eta tō’ongapō

4. Tonga kolisi ke hua mai ha tuē
Ke ha’otā teki pea tongi’oné
Ako kuo hake tu’u keta me’ité
Pule’anga moe siasi ongo ‘ōlivé
Vakaua tōnunga ‘eta fesifohé
Mate ma’ae fonua si’eta siaté

5. Koia ē kavaneni lanu ta’ata’á
Koe langiloa ‘ae Lopaukameá
Kala ‘eta fuka navei koe ikuná
He saienisi tekinolosia moe fiká
‘O kula ‘i fale pea kula ‘i tu’á
Ma’u pē maama he matekiná

6. Ha’u ā keta ‘eva he hala malú
‘O mamata hono vao pulukamú
Matala ē ‘ōhai langa ē manatú
‘E ngalo nai ‘afē ‘ae tapavalú
Moe sitētiume kuo vākaunahú
Si’i Funga Manamo’ui lata ai aú

7. Ma’u pē ho’o nofo ka koe kolé
Kuo ma’una ‘i loto pea malavé
Si’ete ‘ofavale he Funga ‘Atelé
Ko hoto kāpani tapulā ke veté
Kau hema ange kihe Vaitakelé
‘O fakalongo mai ki ha’o pulé

“Foresight of the Ironrope”

Composed by ‘Okusitino Māhina and translated into English by Mele Ha’amoa Māhina ‘Alatini and ‘Aisea Nau Matthew Māhina.

This social praise poem is dedicated to the teacher of ‘Okusitino Māhina in Tongan culture and language, Tēvita Ma’ilei, and his father, ‘Aisea Nau Māhina, both of whom were responsible for his admission to Tonga College, which his father had always dreamt about that, one day, he would be able to study there.

This poem of social praise poem was composed by ‘Okusitino Māhina for the Waitakere Tonga College Old Boys Association, West Auckland, for the Festival of Music Competition for the celebrations of the 125th Anniversary of the College in October 2007.

1. I take shelter in the shade of the flag
And the male lion on the mound
The missionary and the scholastic
Their motto is love and the ecclesial
In freeing people from bondage
Ignorance is trail to destruction

2. My tribute has been pronounced
The theme of today to be announced
The 125th day of birth has arrived
Please arise and let us celebrate
Those of the past, and of the present
The golden aeon has persisted

3. Our day is joyous and jubilant
Now that we are ready let us roll
Ye ‘Aho’eitu, ‘Alaivahamama’o
Beckon Tāufa’āhau and Tuku’aho
For Ngū and Tungī to applaud
Our labour of love has borne fruits

4. Tonga College let us sing in praise
Let us dance and make merry
Education has come let us rejoice
State and church are leaves of olive
Being double-hulled for our rowing
To die for the land is our charter

5. Our covenant is in blood-red
The foresight of the Ironrope
Our red-dyed-banner, a victory
In science, technology and maths
Sun-burnt in the house and outside
You can only get bread by sweating

6. Come let us sojourn in shadowy paths
And see the beauty of the cum trees
The ‘ōhai blossom, jogging my memories
Never will I loose sight of the octagon
Nor can I forget the next-door stadium
Funga Manamo’ui, you’re my passion

7. Lest ye be troubled but I have a request
My heart is in seizure, aching cruelly
My undying love for Funga ‘Atele
You’re my companion never to be parted
But I shall briefly turn to the Vaitakele
There I remain awaiting my call of duty