Ko e Meʻa-Hā-Mai ʻo e Huhuʻi ʻo e Kau Pekiá
Fai ʻe Palesiteni M. Russell Ballard
Palesiteni Leʻoleʻo ʻo e Kōlomu ʻo e Kau ʻAposetolo ʻe Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá
ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ʻoku moʻoni ʻa e vīsone ne maʻu ʻe Palesiteni Siosefa F. Sāmitá. ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ʻe lava ʻe he taha kotoa ke lau ia pea ʻiloʻi ʻoku moʻoni.
Siʻoku kāinga, ne teuteuʻi ʻeku leá kimuʻa pea toki hiki atu ʻa hoku uaifi ʻofaʻanga ko Papulaá. ʻOku mau fakamālō atu mo hoku fāmilí ʻi hoʻomou ʻofá mo e ngaahi tokoni angaʻofá. ʻOku ou lotua ke faitāpuekina au ʻe he ʻEikí ʻi heʻeku lea atu kiate kimoutolu ʻi he pongipongi ní.
Naʻe maʻu ʻe Palesiteni Siosefa F. Sāmita ʻi he taʻu ʻe 100 kuo hilí, ʻi ʻOkatopa 1918, ha meʻa-hā-mai nāunauʻia. Hili ha meimei taʻu ʻe 65 ʻo ʻene ngāue līʻoa ki he ʻEikí ʻi he Siasi ʻo Sīsū Kalaisi ʻo e Kau Māʻoniʻoni ʻi he Ngaahi ʻAho Kimui Ní, pea lau uike pē kimuʻa pea pekia ʻi he ʻaho 19 ʻo Nōvema 1918, naʻe tangutu ai ʻi hono lokí ʻo fakalaulauloto ki he feilaulau fakalelei ʻa Kalaisí mo lau hono fakamatalaʻi ʻe he ʻAposetolo ko Pitá e ngāue ʻa e Fakamoʻuí ʻi he maama tataliʻanga ʻo e ngaahi laumālié, ʻi he hili Hono Tutukí.
Naʻá ne lekooti ʻo pehē: “ʻI heʻeku lau iá, naʻe ongo mamafa ʻaupito ia kiate au. … ʻI he lolotonga ʻa ʻeku fakalaulauloto ki he ngaahi meʻa ko ʻení … , naʻe fakaava ʻa e mata ʻo ʻeku ʻiló, pea naʻe nofoʻia ʻiate au ʻa e Laumālie ʻo e ʻEikí, pea naʻá ku mamata ki he fuʻu kakai taʻefaʻalaua ʻo e kau pekiá.”1 ʻOku lekooti ʻa e fakamatala kakato ʻo e vīsoné ʻi he Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakavá vahe 138.
Tuku ke u ʻoatu ha puipuituʻa ke tau fakahoungaʻi kakato ange e teuteu ʻa Siosefa F. ʻi heʻene moʻuí ke maʻu e fakahā fakaofó ni.
Naʻe ʻaʻahi ki Nāvū ʻi he 1906, ʻi heʻene hoko ko e Palesiteni ʻo e Siasí pea fakakaukau ai ki haʻane manatu ʻi he taimi naʻe kei taʻu nima aí. Naʻá ne pehē: “Ko e feituʻu tonu ʻeni naʻá ku tuʻu ai ʻi he taimi naʻe heka hoosi mai ai ʻa [Siosefa, ko e tokoua ʻeku tamaí, mo ʻeku tamai ko Hailamé] ʻi heʻena ō ki Kātesí. Naʻe ʻikai hifo mei heʻene hōsí, ka naʻe punou hifo pē ʻeku tamaí mei hono nofoʻá ʻo ne fua hake au. Naʻe ʻuma māvae mai peá ne toe tuku hifo au pea naʻá ku sio pē heʻene ʻalú.”2
Ko e taimi hono hoko ne toe sio ai ʻa Siosefa F. kiate kinauá, ko hono fua hake ia ʻe heʻene faʻē ko Mele Filitingi Sāmitá, ke mamata ki he tākoto fakataha ʻa e ongo mate fakamāʻatá, hili hono fakapoongi kinaua ʻi he Fale-fakapōpula Kātesí ʻi he ʻaho 27 ʻo Sune 1844.
Hili ha taʻu ʻe ua mei ai, ne mavahe fakataha ʻa Siosefa F. mo hono fāmilí pea mo e faʻē tōnunga ko Mele Filitingi Sāmitá, mei hono ʻapi ʻi Nāvuú ki he Nofoʻanga ʻo e Faʻahitaʻu Momokó. Neongo naʻe teʻeki taʻu 8, ka naʻe fie maʻu ʻa Siosefa F. ke ne angi ha taha ʻo e ngaahi saliote toho ʻe he fanga pulú mei Monitilose, ʻAiouā, ki he Nofoʻanga ʻo e Faʻahitaʻu Momokó pea kimui ai ki he Teleʻa Sōlekí, ʻo aʻu ki ai kuo meimei hoko hono taʻu 10. Fakatauange fānau tangata mo e kau talavou ʻoku mou fanongo mo fakatokangaʻi ʻa e fatongia mo e falala naʻe fai kia Siosefa F. lolotonga ʻene kei tamasiʻi siʻí.
Hili pē mei ai ha taʻu ʻe fā, ʻi he 1852, ne pekia siʻene faʻē ʻofeiná ʻoku kei taʻu 13—kae tamai mo faʻē mate ʻa Siosefa mo siʻono ngaahi tokouá mo e tuofāfiné.3
Ne uiuiʻi ʻa Siosefa F. ke ngāue fakafaifekau ʻi Sune 1854, ʻi he ʻOtu Motu Hauaiʻí, ʻi hono taʻu 15. Ko e ngāue fakafaifekaú ni, ʻa ia naʻe taʻu ʻe tolu, ko e kamataʻanga ia ʻo ha moʻui ngāue ʻi he Siasí.
Naʻe mali ʻa Siosefa F. ʻi heʻene foki ki ʻIutaá, ʻi he 1859.4 Naʻe femouʻekina ʻene moʻuí ʻi he ngaahi taʻu hono hokó ʻi he ngāué, ngaahi fatongia fakafāmilí, pea mo ha ngāue fakafaifekau kehe ʻe ua. ʻI he ʻaho 1 ʻo Siulai 1866, ko hono taʻu 27 ia, naʻe liliu ʻaupito ai e moʻui ʻa Siosefa F. ʻi he taimi naʻe fakanofo ai ko e ʻAposetolo ʻe Pilikihami ʻIongí. ʻI ʻOkatopa he taʻu hono hokó, naʻá ne fakakakato ai ha tuʻunga naʻe ʻatā ʻi he Fakataha Alēlea ʻo e Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá.5 Naʻá ne hoko ko ha tokoni kia Pilikihami ʻIongi, Sione Teila, Uilifootu Utalafi, mo Lolenisou Sinou kimuʻa pea toki hoko ko e Palesiteni ʻi he 1901.6
Naʻe talitali ʻe Siosefa F. mo hono uaifi ko Suliná ʻena ʻuluaki fānaú, ʻa Meesi Sosefina, ki hona fāmilí.7 Naʻe taʻu ua pē mo e konga ʻi heʻene hiki atú. Naʻe lekooti ʻe Siosefa F. ʻi he hili pē ha taimi nounou mei ai, “Naʻe ʻosi ha māhina ʻe taha ʻaneafi, talu mei he mālōlō … siʻoku ʻofaʻanga ko Sosefiná. Pehē ange mai, ne u lava ke fakahaofi ia ke tupu ʻo fuʻu fefine. ʻOku ou ʻofa ki ai ʻi he ʻaho kotoa pē pea ʻoku ou taʻelata. … ʻOfa ke fakamolemoleʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá hoku vaivaí kapau ʻoku hala ke u ʻofa heʻeku kiʻi fānaú he ʻoku ou ʻofa ʻiate kinautolu.”8
Naʻe mole siʻi tamai ʻa Palesiteni Sāmitá, ʻene fineʻeikí, tokoua ʻe taha, ongo tuofāfine, uaifi ʻe toko ua, mo e fānau ʻe toko 13, heʻene kei moʻuí. Naʻe maheni lelei mo e mamahí mo e mole ʻo e ngaahi ʻofaʻangá.
ʻI he taimi naʻe mālōlō ai siʻono foha ko ʻAlipate Sesé, ne tohi ʻa Siosefa F. ki hono tuofefine ko Māʻata ʻAná, naʻe tautapa ki he ʻEikí ke fakamoʻui peá ne fehuʻi, “Ko e hā ʻoku pehē aí? ʻE ʻOtua, ko e hā e ʻuhinga ʻoku hoko aí?9
Neongo ʻene ngaahi lotu he taimi ko iá, ka naʻe ʻikai maʻu ʻe Siosefa F. ha tali ʻi he meʻá ni.10 Naʻá ne talaange kia Maʻata ʻAna “ʻoku [hangē] ʻa e ngaahi langí ha pulou palasa ʻi hotau ʻulú” fekauʻaki mo e maté pea mo e maama tataliʻanga ʻo e ngaahi laumālié. Ka neongo ia, naʻe mālohi mo tuʻu maʻu ʻa ʻene tui ki he ngaahi talaʻofa taʻengata ʻa e ʻEikí.
ʻI he taimi ʻa e ʻEikí, ne hoko mai kia Palesiteni Sāmita ha ngaahi tali, fakafiemālie, mo ha mahino makehe fekauʻaki mo e maama tataliʻanga ʻo e laumālié ʻa ia naʻe fekumi ki aí, ʻo fou he meʻa-hā-mai fakaofo naʻá ne maʻu ʻi ʻOkatopa 1918.
Naʻe mātuʻaki fakamamahi kiate ia ʻa e taʻu ko iá. Naʻá ne tēngihia siʻi kau tō-tau ʻo e Tau Lahi ʻa Māmaní ʻa ia naʻe fakautuutu ʻo laka ʻi he toko 20 miliona ne fakapoongi. ʻIkai ngata aí, naʻe mafola ʻi māmani ha mahaki fakaʻauha (flu) ʻo mole ai siʻa moʻui ʻa ha kakai ʻe 100 miliona.
Naʻe toe mole foki mei a Palesiteni Sāmita ha kau mēmipa mahuʻinga ange ʻo e fāmilí he lolotonga ʻo e taʻu ko iá. Naʻe mate fakafokifā ʻa ʻEletā Hailame Meki Sāmita ʻo e Kōlomu ʻo e Kau ʻAposetolo ʻe Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá, ko hono foha lahí ka ko ʻeku kui tangatá, ʻi ha pā ʻo e ʻapenitikí.
Naʻe tohi ʻe Palesiteni Sāmita: “Kuó u siʻi ʻi he lea—[mamate] ʻi he mamahí! … ʻOku kafo hoku lotó; mo holituʻu ki ha moʻui! … ʻOi! Naʻá ku ʻofa ai! … Te u ʻofa ki ai ʻo lauikuonga. Pea ʻoku pehē pea ʻe pehē maʻu ai pē hoku ngaahi fohá mo e ʻofefiné kotoa, ka ko hoku foha lahí ia, ʻa e ʻuluaki ke ne ʻomi ha fiefia mo ha ʻamanaki lelei ʻo ha hingoa fakaʻeiʻeiki ʻi he faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. … ʻOku ou fakafetaʻi ki he ʻOtuá koeʻuhí ko ia, ʻaki hoku lotó kotoa! Kae … ʻOi! Naʻá ku fie maʻu ia! Naʻa mau fie maʻu kotoa ia! Naʻe ʻaonga lahi fau ki he Siasí. … Ka ko ʻeni, … ʻOi! Ko e hā ʻaʻaku ʻe lava ʻo fai! … ʻOi! ʻOtua tokoni mai kiate au!”11
ʻI he māhina hono hokó, ne mālōlō siʻi foha ʻi he fono ʻo Palesiteni Sāmitá ʻi ha fakatuʻutāmaki fakamamahi.12 Naʻe tohi ʻe Palesiteni Sāmita ʻi heʻene tohinoá, “Ko e fakatuʻutāmaki mātuʻaki fakalilifu mo fakamamahi ko ʻení, kuó ne toe ʻomi ha pulonga ki hoku fāmilí kotoa.”13
Hili ha māhina ʻe fitu mei ai, ʻi Sepitema 1918, ne mālōlō ai siʻi ʻofefine ʻi he fono ʻo Palesiteni Sāmitá, ko ʻeku kui fefine ia ko ʻAita Paumeni Sāmitá, ʻi he hili ʻene fāʻeleʻi ʻene fānau fika nimá, ko e tokoua ʻeku tamaí, ʻa Hailame.14
Ko ia, ʻi he ʻaho 3 ʻo ʻOkatopa 1918, ne maʻu ʻe Palesiteni Sāmita ʻi he hili ʻene foua e mamahi lahi ʻi he lauimiliona kuo pekia ʻi māmani ʻi he taú mo e mahakí, pea pehē ki he kau pekia ʻi hono fāmilí, ha fakahā fakalangi ʻoku ʻiloa ko e “meʻa-hā-mai ʻo e huhuʻi e kau pekiá.”
Naʻe lave ki he fakahaá ʻi he ʻuluaki fakatahaʻanga ʻo e konifelenisi lahi ʻo ʻOkatopá, ʻi he ʻaho pē hono hokó. Naʻe hōloa e moʻui ʻa Palesiteni Sāmitá, ka naʻe lea nounou pē: “He ʻikai, pea ʻe ʻikai ke u feinga ke lea ki he ngaahi meʻa lahi ʻoku toka ʻi heʻeku fakakaukaú he pongipongi ko ʻení, pea te u tuku ia ki ha taimi ʻi he kahaʻú, ka finangalo e ʻEikí, ki heʻeku feinga ke fakahoko atu ha niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku ʻi heʻeku fakakaukaú mo hoku lotó. Naʻe ʻikai ke u nofo toko taha pē ʻi he māhina ʻe nima [ne toki ʻosí]. Naʻá ku nofo ʻi he laumālie ʻo e lotu, ʻo e kole tāumaʻu, ʻo e tui mo e lotoʻaki; pea ne u fetuʻutaki maʻu pē mo e Laumālie ʻo e ʻEikí.”15
Naʻe fakanonga ʻe he fakahā naʻá ne maʻu ʻi he ʻaho 3 ʻo ʻOkatopá ʻa hono lotó mo ʻomi e tali ki ha lahi ʻo ʻene ngaahi fehuʻí. ʻE lava ke fakanonga mo kitautolu foki mo tau ʻilo lahi ange ki hotau kahaʻú ʻi he taimi te tau mālōlō aí pe ko kinautolu ʻoku tau ʻofa aí mo ō ki he maama tataliʻangá, ʻaki haʻatau ako e fakahā ko ʻení mo fakalaulauloto ki hono mahuʻinga ʻi he anga ʻo ʻetau moʻuí he ʻaho takitaha.
Naʻe kau ʻi he ngaahi meʻa lahi naʻe mamata ki ai ʻa Palesiteni Sāmitá ʻa e ʻaʻahi ʻa e Fakamoʻuí ki he kau angatonu ʻi he maama tataliʻanga ʻo e ngaahi laumālié, hili ʻEne pekia he kolosí. Te u lau mei he meʻa-hā-mai ko iá:
“Kae vakai, naʻá ne fokotuʻutuʻu haʻane kau ngāue, mei he kau māʻoniʻoní, peá ne fili ha kau talafekau, ʻo fakakofuʻi ʻaki ʻa e mālohi mo e mafai, pea tuʻutuʻuni ke nau ʻalu atu ʻo ʻave ʻa e maama ʻo e ongoongoleleí kiate kinautolu naʻe ʻi he fakapoʻulí, ʻio ki he ngaahi laumālie kotoa pē ʻo e tangatá [ʻa e tangata mo e fefine];16 pea naʻe anga pehē ʻa hono malanga ʻaki ʻo e ongoongoleleí ki he kau pekiá. …
“Naʻe akoʻi kiate kinautolu ní ʻa e tui ki he ʻOtuá, fakatomala mei he angahalá, papitaiso fakafofonga ki he fakamolemole ʻo e ngaahi angahalá, pea mo e maʻu ʻo e meʻa-foaki ʻo e Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní ʻi he hilifaki ʻo e nimá,
“Pea mo e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni kehe kotoa pē ʻo e ongoongoleleí, ʻa ia naʻe ʻaonga ke nau ʻilo ki ai ke nau lava ai ʻo fakafeʻungaʻi ʻa kinautolu koeʻuhí ke lava ʻo fakamāuʻi ʻa kinautolu ʻo fakatatau ki he tangatá ʻi he kakanó, kae moʻui ʻo fakatatau ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he laumālié. …
“He naʻe lau ʻe he kau pekiá ʻa e mavahe fuoloa ʻa honau laumālié mei honau sinó, ko ha nofo pōpula.
“Naʻe akoʻi ʻa kinautolú ni ʻe he ʻEikí, pea foaki kiate kinautolu ʻa e mālohi ke nau tuʻu hake, ʻi he hili ʻa ʻene toetuʻu mei he pekiá, ke nau hū atu ki he puleʻanga ʻo ʻene Tamaí, pea fakakalauni ai ʻa kinautolu ʻaki ʻa e moʻui taʻe-faʻa-maté mo e moʻui taʻengatá,
“Pea toe hoko atu ai pē ʻa ʻenau ngāué ʻo hangē ko e talaʻofa ʻa e ʻEikí, pea ke nau maʻu mo e ngaahi tāpuaki kotoa pē ʻa ia naʻe fakatatali maʻanautolu ʻoku ʻofa kiate Iá.”17
Naʻe mamata ʻa Palesiteni Sāmita, ʻi he meʻa-hā-maí, ki heʻene tamai ko Hailamé, mo e Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá. Kuo ʻosi ha taʻu ʻe 74 talu mei heʻene sio fakaʻosi kiate kinaua ʻi heʻene kei siʻi ʻi Nāvuú. ʻOku tau lava pē ke fakakaukauloto atu ki heʻene fiefia ʻi he sio ki heʻene tamai ʻofeiná mo e tokoua ʻene tamaí. ʻOku pau pē naʻe ueʻi ia mo fakafiemālieʻi ke ʻiloʻi ʻoku maʻu ʻe he ngaahi laumālié ʻa e fōtunga ʻo honau sino fakamatelié pea ʻoku nau nofo ʻo ʻamanaki ki he ʻaho ʻo ʻenau toetuʻu kuo talaʻofá. Naʻe fakahā kakato ange ʻe he fakahaá ʻa e lahi mo e loloto ʻo e palani ʻa e Tamai Hēvaní maʻa ʻEne fānaú pea mo e huhuʻi ʻofa ʻa Kalaisí pea mo e mālohi taʻe-fakatataua ʻo ʻEne Fakaleleí.18
ʻOku ou fakaafeʻi kimoutolu ʻi he fakamanatu makehe ko ʻeni ʻo e taʻu 100, ke mou lau fakaʻauliliki mo fakakaukauʻi lahi ʻa e fakahaá ni. ʻI hoʻomou fai iá, ʻofa ke tāpuakiʻi kimoutolu ʻe he ʻEikí ke mahino kakato ange mo mou fakahoungaʻi e ʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá mo ʻEne palani ʻo e fakamoʻuí mo e fiefiá maʻa ʻEne fānaú.
ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ko e meʻa-hā-mai naʻe maʻu ʻe Palesiteni Siosefa F. Sāmitá ʻoku moʻoni. ʻOku ou fakamoʻoni ʻe lava ʻe he taha kotoa ke lau ia pea mo ʻiloʻi ʻoku moʻoni. Ko kinautolu ʻoku ʻikai ke nau maʻu ia ʻi he moʻui ní, te nau ʻilo hono moʻoní ʻi he taimi ʻe aʻu ai ʻa e taha kotoa ki he maama tataliʻanga ʻo e ngaahi laumālié. ʻE ʻofa mo fakahīkihikiʻi ai ʻe he taha kotoa ʻa e ʻOtuá pea mo e ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisí ʻi he palani maʻongoʻonga ʻo e fiefiá mo e tāpuaki ʻo e Toetuʻu kuo talaʻofá, ʻi he taimi ʻe toe fakatahaʻi ai ʻa e sinó mo e laumālié pea ʻe ʻikai toe fakamāvahevaheʻi.19
ʻOku ou houngaʻia ke ʻilo ʻa e feituʻu ʻoku ʻi ai ʻa hoku ʻofaʻanga ko Papulaá pea te ma toe fakataha mo homa fāmilí ki he taʻengatá. ʻOfa ke ʻiate kitautolu ʻa e fakafiemālie ʻi he taimí ni pea taʻengata, pea ko ʻeku lotú ia ʻi he huafa ʻo Sīsū Kalaisi, ʻēmeni.