Tā ki he Meʻalele ʻa e Fale mahakí!
Simon Heal, Kuinisilani, ʻAositelēlia
ʻI he 1991 lolotonga ʻeku tuki papa ʻa e konga ki ʻolunga homau ʻapí, ne u ongoʻi ha mamahi lahi ʻi hoku mata toʻohemá. Naʻe hangē e mamahí ko ha tolounuá, pea naʻe vave ʻene maʻu kotoa hoku ʻulú. Ne hoko atu pē ʻeku ngāué peá u toki ʻalu ki hoku lokimohé ʻo mālōlō heʻeku ongoʻi taʻefiemālié.
Ka ʻi heʻeku tokotó hifo pē, naʻe ueʻi au ʻe he kihiʻi leʻo siʻí. Naʻe pehē mai ʻe he Laumālié, “Tuʻu ki ʻolunga. ʻOua naʻá ke mohe.”
ʻI heʻeku fifili ki he fakatokangá mo fakakaukau pe ko e hā ʻoku totonu ke u faí, ne u pehē ke toʻo mai ha taha ʻo e ngaahi foʻiʻakau naʻe folo ʻe heʻeku faʻeé ki heʻene langa ʻulú. Naʻá ku lue atu ki he loki ʻeku ongomātuʻá ʻo maʻu e foʻiʻakaú, ka ʻi heʻeku kamata fakaava e foʻi hiná, ne toe ongo mai pē e leʻó: “ ʻOua naʻá ke folo ha taha ʻo e ngaahi foʻiʻakau ko ʻená.”
Taimi siʻi pē kuo toe ongo mai e leʻó ko hono tuʻo tolú: “ ʻOku fie maʻu ke ke tā ki ha meʻalele ʻa e falemahakí---he taimí ni pē!”
Kuo teʻeki ai ke u tā tuʻo taha ki ha tokoni fakavavevave, ka naʻá ku tā he taimi pē ko iá. Naʻe vave e tau mai e meʻalele ʻa e falemahakí, pea naʻe fakatokoto au ʻe ha ongo tangata ngāue ʻi he meʻa fatá. Ko e meʻa fakamuimuitaha pē ʻoku ou manatuʻí ko ʻena ʻeke mai hoku hingoá. Hili pē iá kuo fakapoʻuli e meʻa kotoa.
Ne u toki ʻā hake kimui ʻi he feituʻu ʻoku tauhi ai e kau puke lalahí ʻi he fale mahakí. Ne u kei vaivaia pē mei hoku fakamohé, ka ʻoku ou manatuʻi ʻeku ongoʻi e ngaahi nima ʻi hoku ʻulú ʻi he faingāue kiate au ʻeku tamaí mo ʻeku pīsopé. Ne u fanongo ki he ngaahi lea ko ʻení, “Te ke toe maʻu pē ha moʻui lelei, ʻo hangē pē naʻe ʻikai hoko ha meʻá.”
Hili ha ʻaho ʻe tolu ʻi he feituʻu ko ʻeni ʻo e kau puke lalahí mo ha toe ʻaho kehe ʻe fā ʻi he loki he falemahakí, naʻe faifai peá u lava ʻo ʻatā ki ʻapi. Ko e toki taimi ia ne u ʻiloʻi ai naʻe fānoa e totó ʻi hoku ʻutó. Naʻe toki talamai kimui ʻe he toketā naʻá ne tafa aú naʻá ku “meimei mate” pea kapau naʻá ku folo ha foʻiʻakau langaʻulu, ne u mate.
Ko e ʻaho ní ʻoku ou sai ʻaupito mo moʻui lelei, mo e fakamālō ki hono tataki ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa ʻeku fakakaukaú ʻi he ʻaho ko iá. Kuo silaʻi au ki hoku uaifi ʻofeiná ʻi he temipalé, pea ʻoku ʻi ai ʻema fānau fakaʻofoʻofa ʻe toko nima.
ʻOku ou fakamālō ki heʻeku Tamai Hēvaní mo hoku Fakamoʻui ko Sīsū Kalaisí, koeʻuhí ko e mana ʻo e moʻuí. ʻOku ou feinga ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē ke fakaʻaongaʻi ki he lelei tahá ʻa e taimi kuó Na foaki maʻakú, pea ʻoku ou manatuʻi ʻi he loto houngaʻia ʻa e ivi maluʻi ʻo e leʻo ʻo e Laumālié.
Naʻe vave ʻene mafola ʻa e mamahi ʻi hoku mata toʻohemá ki hoku ʻulú kotoa. ʻI heʻeku tokotó hifo pē, naʻe ueʻi au ʻe he kihiʻi leʻo siʻí: “Tuʻu ki ʻolunga. ʻOua naʻá ke mohe.”