Cheryl A. Esplin
Tokoni Ua ʻi he Kau Palesitenisī Lahi ʻo e Palaimelí
ʻOku ʻikai manatuʻi ʻe Siulolo ʻĒsei ʻEsipilano, ko e tokoni ua ʻi he kau palesitenisī lahi ʻo e Palaimelí ha taimi ne ʻikai tui ai ki he Tamai Hēvaní pea mo Sīsū Kalaisi. ʻOkú ne pehē, “Ne akoʻi au ʻi heʻeku kei siʻí ke lotu. ʻOku ou manatuʻi ʻa ʻeku lotu ke maʻu ha tokoni kimuʻa peá u toki fai ha meʻa kehe pea naʻe tali maʻu pē ʻa ʻeku ngaahi lotú.”
Ne fāʻeleʻi ʻa Sisitā ʻEsipilani ʻi ʻOkatopa 1944 kia ʻOasoni mo Milituleti ʻĒsei pea naʻá ne tupu hake pē ʻi ha faama ʻoku kilomita ʻe 13 mei he fakahahake ʻo Lōvela, Uaiōmingi ʻi ʻAmeliká. ʻI heʻene hoko ko e fika ua ʻi ha fānau ʻe toko hivá, ne faʻa fie maʻu ai ia ke ne tokangaʻi ʻa e fānaú. ʻOku manatuʻi ʻe Sisitā ʻEsipilani ko e lolotonga ko ia ʻene tokangaʻi hono ngaahi tuongaʻané mo e ngaahi tehiná, naʻá ne faʻa lotua ke maluʻi hono fāmilí ʻi he taimi ne mavahe ai ʻene ongomātuʻá.
Naʻe maʻu e B.A. ʻo Sisitā ʻEsipilani ʻi hono akoʻi ʻo e fānau lautohí mei he ʻUnivēsiti Pilikihami ʻIongí. Lolotonga ʻene kei akó naʻá ne feʻiloaki ai mo hono husepānití, Mākiai ʻEsipilani peá na mali ʻi he Temipale Seni Siaosi ʻi ʻIutaá ʻi he ʻaho 1 ʻo Sepitema, 1967. ʻI heʻene ʻosi mei he akó, ne ui ʻa Misa ʻEsipilani ke ngāue fakakautau pea faiako leva ʻa Sisitā ʻEsipilani ʻi he kalasi nimá ʻi ha taʻu ʻe ua ʻo ofi pē ki hono fāmilí ʻi Pailoni, Uaiōmingi.
Kuó ne ngāue ʻi he ngaahi houalotu ʻo e Fineʻofá, Kau Finemuí mo e Palaimelí. Ko e uiuiʻi fakamuimuitaha naʻá ne maʻú ko e ngāue ʻi he poate lahi ʻa e Palaimelí. Naʻá ne ngāue foki mo hono husepānití ʻi he taimi naʻá ne hoko ia ko ha palesiteni ʻo e Misiona Noate Kalolaina Laleí.
ʻOku ʻi ai ha fānau ʻe toko nima ʻi he fāmili ʻEsipilaní. ʻOku saiʻia ʻa Sisitā ʻEsipilani ʻi he feohi mo hono makapuná; ʻoku nau ngaohi kai ʻo fakapaku laʻi keke mo e uāfolo (waffles), tui ha ngaahi teunga kehekehe, lue lalo pea lau fakataha ha ngaahi talanoa.
ʻOku saiʻia ʻa Sisitā ʻEsipilani ʻi he pōpoaki ʻo e potufolofola ʻoku saiʻia taha aí, ʻa ia ko e Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 84:88: “Pea ʻilonga ia ʻe tali ʻa kimoutolú, te u ʻi ai foki mo au, he te u muʻomuʻa ʻi homou ʻaó. Te u ʻi homou nima toʻomataʻú pea ʻi homou toʻohemá, pea ʻe ʻi homou lotó ʻa hoku Laumālié, pea ʻe takatakai ʻa kimoutolu ʻe heʻeku kau ʻāngeló, ke poupouʻi hake ʻa kimoutolu.” ʻOkú ne fakatauange ʻe manatuʻi ʻe he fānaú ʻoku ʻi ai maʻu pē ʻa e Tamai Hēvaní ‘i he taimi ʻoku nau lotu aí.