2019
Ko Ha Lotu ke ʻAve Kimautolu ki he Temipalé
Fepueli 2019


Ko Ha Lotu ke ʻAve Kimautolu ki he Temipalé

Isaac Ututu

Lākosi, Naisīlia

ʻĪmisi
temple trip through Nigeria

Tā fakatātaaʻi ʻe Martin Sanders

ʻI ha ngaahi ʻaho kimuʻa pea fononga ʻemau uōtí ki he Temipale ʻApa Naisīliá, naʻe ui au ʻe he pīsopé ʻo ne kole mai ke u taki ʻemau kulupú. Naʻá ku loto-fiemālie ki ai, pea ko e pongipongi ke mau fononga aí, ne mau fai ha lotu pea fakahekeheka ki ha pasi ke kamata ʻemau fonongá.

Ne mau hiva ha ngaahi himi ʻi he halá. Ne mau ongoʻi ha fiefia lahi ʻi heʻemau hivá. Ne taimi lelei pē ʻemau fononga houa ʻe 10, ka ko e kimuʻa siʻi pē ʻi he hoʻatā mālié, ne maumau ʻemau pasí pea naʻe ʻikai ke mau lava ke monomono ia.

Naʻá ku lele ki ha pausa ofi mai ʻo maʻu ai ha tokotaha ngāue he pausá. Naʻá ku kole ange ke ne fakahinohino mai ha feituʻu ʻe maʻu ai ha taha ʻenisinia.

Naʻe ʻikai ke ne toe tatali ka naʻá ne tā ki ha ongo ʻenisinia ʻe toko ua. Ne ʻikai fuoloa mei ai kuó na aʻu mai ʻo kamata ngāue leva. Naʻá na ʻiloʻi naʻe maumau ʻa e leta ī ʻo e meʻalelé. Naʻe laulau houa ʻena ngāué ʻo aʻu ki he ʻikai ke na toe ʻilo e meʻa ke faí. Pea naʻá na tā leva ki ha taha ʻenisinia ʻe taha.

ʻI heʻene aʻu maí naʻá ne hā ʻokú ne taukei peá ne lea ʻi he manuki ʻo pehē, “Ko e hā e meʻa ʻoku hoko ki he leta ī ʻoku ʻikai ke mo lava ʻo ngaohí?”

Naʻá ne ngāue ʻi ha kiʻi taimi nounou peá ne pehē mai leva, “ʻOku ngali kehe ʻaupito e meʻa naʻe hoko hení.” Naʻá ne tānaki ʻene meʻangāué peá ne ʻalu. Ne hoko atu e ongo ʻenisiniá ke ngaohi e meʻalelé, ka naʻe hangē ne siva ʻemau ʻamanakí.

Naʻá ku sio ki he Kāingalotú ʻo ʻiloʻi ʻenau fofonga mamahí. ʻI heʻeku fakakaukau ki he meʻa hoko ke faí, ne u maʻu ha fakakaukau: “Kuó ke lotua nai e palopalemá?”

Naʻá ku ui ʻa e kulupú ke nau fakataha mai he taimi pē koiá. Ne mau tuʻu takatakai ʻi ha siakale ʻo lotu ki heʻemau Tamai Hēvaní ke foaki ha ʻilo ki he ongo ʻenisiniá. Ne teʻeki lava ha miniti ʻe nima mei ai, naʻe haʻu ha taha ʻo e ongo ʻenisiniá ke lea mai kiate au.

Naʻá ne lea fiefia ʻo pehē mai, “Kuo lava ʻema ngāué!”

Naʻa mau mavava mo fakafetaʻi ki he ʻEikí. Ne u fakatokangaʻi naʻe mataʻi loto-siʻi ʻa e tama ʻenisinia ʻe tahá. Naʻá ku feinga ke talamonū kiate ia, ka naʻá ne pehē mai, “ʻOkú ke talamonū mai ki he lava e houa ʻe ono ʻo ʻema monomono e leta ī pē ʻe tahá? Naʻá ku monomono ha leta ī ʻe ua kimuʻa peá u haʻu ko ʻení. ʻOku ʻikai lava fakamatalaʻi e meʻa ʻoku hoko hení.”

Naʻá ku talaange kuo tokoniʻi kimautolu ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻi he hili ʻemau lotú.

Naʻá ne ʻeke mai, “Naʻa mou lotu moutolu ki ai?”

“ʻIo, mahalo ko e miniti ʻeni ʻe nima mei ai.”

Naʻá ne pehē mai, “ʻOi, ʻoku sai homou fai peheé!”

Naʻá ku totongi e ongo ʻenisiniá peá na ʻalu. Ne mau heka kotoa ki he pasí pea hoko atu ʻemau fonongá. Ne faifai pea mau aʻu ki he temipalé ʻi he ʻosi ha ngaahi houa mei ai, ne mau houngaʻia ʻi he fanongo mai ʻa e Tamai Hēvaní ʻo tali ʻemau lotú.