Tuʻusi e Maeá!
Gerald G. Hodson, ʻIutā, USA
ʻI ha pongipongi Tokonaki momoko ʻe taha ʻi heʻeku kei taʻu 12, ne talamai ai ʻe heʻeku Tangataʻeikí ke u fakamoʻui ʻa e palaú koeʻuhí ka ma lava ʻo ʻave ʻa e mohukú ki ha fanga hoosi naʻe fiekaia. Naʻe fuʻu momoko fau ʻo kiʻi vilo siʻisiʻi pē ʻa e mīsini ʻo e palaú pea mate leva e puha ʻuhilá ia. Ko e taimi ne u fakahā ai ki heʻeku tangataʻeikí, naʻá ne talamai leva ke u teuteuʻi ʻa Pulū pea nonoʻo ki ai ʻa e salioté koeʻuhí ke ma lava ʻo toho ha ngaahi haʻinga mohuku ki he fanga hōsí ke nau nonga atu ai kae ʻoua kuó ma lava ʻo fakamoʻui ʻa e palaú.
Ko e tuʻunga lelei taha ʻeni naʻe ʻi ai e moʻui ʻa ʻemau hoosi hako lelei ko Puluú. Ko ha monumanu matamatalelei, mo mālohi. ʻOku ou manatuʻi ʻene laka takai he pongipongi ko iá ko e fie maʻu ke fakaheka ange ai ha meʻa.
Ne ma fakaheka leva ha ongo haʻinga mohuku taki pāuni ʻe 90 (kilokalami ʻe 41) ki he funga sālioté, heka mo e tangataʻeikí kia Pulū, pea mau mavahe atu. Naʻá ku luelue pē ʻi mui he salioté ke fakapapauʻi he ʻikai mafuli. Naʻe ʻikai fuoloa kuo mau aʻu ki he hala naʻe fakatau atu ki he lotoʻataʻatā mohuku maʻá e faʻahitaʻu momokó.
Naʻe lelei ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē ʻo aʻu ki heʻema fakalaka atu ha vahe tolu nai ʻe taha ʻo e halá. Naʻe matolu e sinoú, peá u fakatokangaʻi kuo kamata ke fokotuʻunga ʻi muʻa he salioté. ʻI he manoʻo ko ia ʻa e letá he fatafata ʻo Puluú, naʻá ne taʻofi ʻene halanga mānavá. Fakafokifā pē kuo ngaue.
Naʻe takamilo tuʻo ua pe tuʻo tolu ʻa Pulū, ʻo feinga ke fakaʻataʻatā ʻa e manoʻo hono fatafatá. Naʻe feinga fakavavevave ʻa e Tangataʻeikí ke hifo ka naʻá ne punakaki ai ki he tafaʻaki ʻo e hōsí. Toe ʻāsili ʻene koví ko e hekea ʻa e vaʻe ʻo Puluú ʻi he ʻaisi he lalo sinoú, ʻo tupu ai haʻane tō fakatafaʻaki, ʻo tataʻo ʻeku tangataʻeikí ʻi lalo.
ʻI he fakaʻau ke ʻikai toe ʻilo ʻe he Tangataʻeikí ha meʻá, naʻá ne kaila mai ke u lele ʻo kumi ha tokoni mei he ʻapi ʻo hono tokoua ko Kalá. ʻA ia, kuo pau ke u totolo ʻi ha lalo ʻā ʻe ua pea lele ʻo kolosi ʻi ha fuʻu loto ʻatāʻatā lahi ki muʻa peá u toki aʻu ki he tokoní.
ʻI he taimi naʻá ku tafoki ai ke u lelé, naʻá ku ongoʻi ha leʻo ʻoku pehē mai, “ ʻOua te ke ʻalu. Tuʻusi e maeá!”
Naʻá ku fakavave leva ʻo talangofua, ʻo u tohoʻi hake ʻeku hele Sikautí mei hoku kató. Naʻá ku tuʻusi ʻa e maea noʻo unú ʻi ha ngaahi momeniti, pea fakafokifā pē kuo puna hake ʻa Pulū ʻo tuʻu pea lele ʻo hola. Ne motu ʻa e maeá, pea teka mai ʻeku tangataʻeikí mei ai kae ʻikai ke toho pea siʻi mate ai. Naʻá ku lele atu ki hono tafaʻakí.
Ne ake ʻeku tangataʻeikí, pea tuʻu, ʻo fakapapauʻi mai ʻoku sai pē. Naʻá ma toki ʻalu atu leva ʻo kumi ʻa Pulū, pae ʻa e sinou ʻi muʻa he salioté, toe nonoʻo ʻa e maeá, pea ma toe huʻu atu ki he kaikaiʻanga ʻo e fanga hōsí. Naʻá ma fafanga ʻa e fanga hōsí peá ma foki leva ki ʻapi.
Naʻá ku angaʻaki ʻa e talangofua ki heʻeku tamaí ʻo ʻikai toe fehuʻia, pea naʻá ku mateuteu ke u lele ʻi ha miniti ʻe 10 ki he ʻapi ʻo e tokoua ʻo ʻeku tamaí ke ʻomi ha tokoni. Ka naʻe mei tōmui ʻene tokoní. Neongo ia, ʻi he ʻaho ko iá, naʻe hoko taimi tonu mai pē ʻa e leʻo ʻo e Laumālié.