Tō Ngoue ʻi he Sāpaté

Desire Koami Gbedjangni, Toko, ʻAfilika Hihifo

Illustration depicting a foot tripping over a clump of weeds.

Toʻohemá tā fakatātaaʻi ʻe Richard Mia; toʻomataʻú tā fakatātaaʻi ʻe Allen Garns

ʻI he ngaahi taʻu siʻi kuo maliu atú, he hili pē ʻa e uike Toetuʻú, naʻe ʻuha e uiké kotoa. Ne u nofo pē ʻi Pēnini, ʻAfilika Hihifo, ka ne u foki mai ki ʻapi ke u ʻi Toko ʻi he Toetuʻú. Naʻe ʻikai ʻuha ʻi he Tokonakí ʻi he ʻaho naʻá ku tau mai aí, ka ʻi he pō ko iá ne kamata ke toe ʻuha.

Ne u ʻilo ʻoku kamata ʻa e lotú ʻi he 9:00 a.m. ʻi he Sāpaté, ka koeʻuhí ko ʻene ʻuha lahí mo ʻeku toki tau maí, ne u pehē ne fuʻu vave ia kiate au.

Ne u pehē loto pē, “Te u toki tōmui siʻi atu pē au ke u aʻu atu ʻi he 10:00 a.m.” Ne u ʻalu leva au ʻo vakai hoku tokouá. Ne u talaange, “Fēfē ke ʻoua te ta ʻalu kitaua ki he lotú he 9:00, ka ta ʻalu kitaua ki he konga kelekele he tafaʻaki hoku falé.”

ʻI heʻema aʻu atú, naʻá ku fakatokangaʻi ʻa e hauhau mo fakaʻofoʻofa ʻa e kelekelé mei he ʻuhá. Ne u pehē, “Ko e Sāpate ʻeni, pea ʻokú ma tali ke toki hoko e 10:00 ka ma toki ʻalu ki he lotú. Ko e hā hano kovi ka ma tō ai leva ha ngaahi fuʻu piini ka ma toki ʻalu?”

Ko ia ne ma tō ai mo hoku tokouá ʻa e kiʻi konga kelekele ko ʻení fakafuofua ki he sikuea fute ʻe 65 hono lahí (6 m²). Peá ma toki ʻalu tōmui leva ʻaki ha houa ʻe taha ki he lotú. ʻI he ʻaho hono hokó ne ma ō ai ki ha kiʻi kolo ofi mai ne ʻi ai mo haku kiʻi konga kelekele ai. Ne ma tō ai ha koane mo ha piini lahi ange.

ʻI haʻaku foki mai ki ʻapi hili ha māhina ʻe ua mei ai, ne u ʻalu ke vakai ʻa e kiʻi konga kelekele ko ia ne ofi ki hoku falé. Naʻe halaʻatā ha meʻa ai tukukehe ange ha pupunga vao ne u humu ai heʻeku lue atu ki he loto malaʻé. Ne u pehē loto pē, “Ko ia, ne ma tō e piini heni he Sāpate Toetuʻú!”

Mei he ngaahi tengaʻi ʻakau kotoa ne ma toó, ko e meʻa pē naʻe tupu haké ko e vao. Kae hili ko iá ʻoku tupu lelei pē e piini ia mo e koane ne ma tō ʻi he konga ʻe tahá he ʻaho Mōnite hili e Toetuʻú. Talu mei he taimi ko iá mo e tupu lelei pē ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē ne mau tō ʻi he kiʻi konga kelekele ofi ki hoku falé.

Naʻe ʻikai ke u tauhi ʻa e ʻaho Sāpaté ke māʻoniʻoni ʻi he Sāpate Toetuʻu ko iá, pea ne u humu ʻi ha pupunga vao ke fakamanatu mai kiate au naʻe ʻikai totonu ke u fai ia. Talu mei ai mo ʻeku manatuʻi he ʻikai ke u fai ha meʻa pē ʻoku ou fie fakahoko ʻi he ʻaho ʻo e ʻEikí. Ka ke u manatuʻi maʻu ai pē ke tauhi ʻa e ʻaho Sāpaté ke māʻoniʻoni.