Ko ‘ete ‘ilo’i lelei kitá mo hoto tupu’angá, ko e me’a tefito ia ‘o ha langa ha kaha’u lelei mo tu’uloa. Ko e fatongia nai ‘o hai hono pukepuke mo fakatolonga ‘a e ulungāanga faka-fonuá mo ‘etau lea Tonga tu’ufonuá. 1. Fatongia ‘o e Matu’á? 2) Fatongia ‘o ‘etau ngaahi kulupu ngāue fakatahá? 3) Ngaahi Ako’angá? 4) pe ko e Pule’angá?

Ladies and Gentlemen, My name is Kolotile Lopeti and am very proud to have represented Carmel College, for the 2007 Polynesian Festival. Although I failed to impress the Judges on the day, I feel there is still something of great interest in what my poor little speech/poem have to offer. My Topic Question (abovementioned), is known to be one of the greatest legacies of our Tongan culture –especially our language and cultural values –by which, our most beloved Queen Salote has laid down its foundation – the establishment of “LANGA–FONUA” –in 1955.

It may also be fair to say that, topic question: “Who is Responsible for reviving and preserving our culture and languages,” seek to find the methodological measurement –for testing success. Indeed, as it stands, knowing and understanding one’s culture and language, one must try to understand or really get to know his/her very own SELF and IDENTITY first. This topic question implies a holistic and or ecological approach –and I agree –in that no one can survive on his/her own. But then, as we shall see, the wisdom and experience of our ancestors, suggest that while the ecological layers of society –i.e. as suggested by the 3 laterals of community, ministry of education or government –involved in certain aspect of the process of developments and preservation of our language and cultural values, it is our parent’s roles at home that is most critical, especially in the early stages of inception. And, as with numerous research evidence available in the field of social service and human development, there is no doubt that the key to success –in reviving and preservation of our culture and language –is found firstly at home, in the hands our parents (the heart of the ecological cycle).

1. Hou’eiki mo e Kāinga,
Holo pē mu’a e me’a ‘a e hau’atea
Kau unga atu pē mu’a hē, tulutulu ‘o e mafuá
Ke tuki mo pae fatongiá …he kaveinga fisifisimu’a kuo fakatoká
Ko e fatongia ‘o hai ke pukepuke ‘etau lea tu’ufonuá, mo e angafakafonua ‘o Tongá?
1) Fatongia ‘o e matu’á, 2) Fatongia ‘o ‘etau ngaahi kulupu ngāue fakatahá, 3) Ngaahi ako’angá 4) pe ko e Fatongia ‘o e Pule’angá.

‘Isa ‘oka ‘ikai mangungu ‘e hoto nifo tua’a, si’ete kaveinga
Hūfanga atu he tala ‘o e fonua –’Otua mo Tonga ko hoku Tofi’a—ko e moto ia ‘eta Silá

2. ‘Oku tala ‘e Lo’au tufunga –fonuá
Pule’anga moe Siasi kae malohi ha fonuá
Tupou Uluaki na’a ne sila’i –tu’uholoaki he tolu’i hai, e maa’imoa tuputupulangi
Tala –pea –ngali e tā –’uluafi, he ko e tama’imata na’e fonofono’aki e ‘ofa fakapalovitasi.
Tupou 4, na’a ne ‘ave ‘a Tonga ki he māmani ‘o e fakalakalaká
Fakapō, ‘oku ‘i fē kolo-hau ‘o e ‘Otu Anga’ofá, kinoha’a ‘o e politikale fakakapitale, pulonga e temokalate fakauesité.

3. Si’oto’ofa ‘e ngalo ‘a fē, Talatalaifale si’i Kuini ‘Ofa, Ta’ahine ko Saloté…
Fakafoki ‘a Tonga ki ‘api ki he lotofalé … Saiange pē ‘Isipite mo e kau’i koané…
Namoa ai pea foli ‘e ha’a Fa’eé –’Io, ‘i ‘api fa’a toe tu’u ai e tevé.
‘Ilo’i ai kita mo hoto ‘ā–vahevahé, mehikitangá, tama tu’u he fa’ē–tangatá, uisa he fatongia kehekehe pē.
Mahu’inga ē ‘o e fatongia, mo e tauhi vaha’angataé
Ko e Kāpasa folau ‘o ha kaha’u ‘e tolonga mo tu’uloa ‘o fakaholo-talanoa he vaha’a kuongá.

4. ‘Oku fakamo’oni ‘e ha’a taukei he ‘akatemiká, mo e filosofiá ‘o e faiva ‘uhingá
‘O tatau ‘ihe ‘ēfika fakalakalaka ‘o e mo’ui ‘i he paiolosiá, ‘ikonōmika mo e sosilá
‘Oku makatu’unga e mo’ui fekau’akí, ‘i he ‘ekolosia ‘o e Sosaietí
Kau to e fakaongo atu mu’a ‘eku kaveinga
Ko e fatongia ‘o hai ke pukepuke mo fakatolonga ‘etau lea mo e anga fakafonua ‘o Tonga?
‘Oku tuhu kotoa ‘a e kau poto mei ono’ahó, mo ia ‘a e kau ako ‘i onopoó, ki he mafu mo e uho ‘o ‘etau nonofo (matu’a).

5. Fanongo ki he akonaki ‘oku ‘oatu faka-e-Tamaí,
‘Isa, neongo ‘e tuai ke totongi mei langi, ka ‘e ‘Ofa’i kita mo toka’i ‘e he familí, fonua mo e siasi –ko e koto tapuaki
Lalanga ai ‘ae mo’ui ‘i he ‘Ofá mo e faka’apa’apá –’e fisi pea moto ‘o matala ‘i he to’onga, lea mo e ‘ulungāanga
‘Oi seuke, tala pea ngana, he koe fatufatu fala mei fata, na’e fai ‘i fale lalava
‘Oku pehē tofu ‘a e ‘Ofa he’ete ‘Ilo’i – kita, mo tauhi vaha’a ‘i he nonofo ‘a e kāinga faka-Tonga.
‘Io, he ko e mo’ui fekau’akí, ‘oku kamata mei ‘api –’i he fāmili – koe ‘uluaki ‘ata ia ‘o e Sosaieti.

Composed by Sonasi Samita (Tu’akifalelei)
Presented by Kolotile Lopeti - Representing Carmel College for 2007 Speech Competition - Year 11 — ASB Polynesian Festival - Secondary School in Aotearoa –New Zealand.