“ʻOku ou Fie ʻAlu ki ʻApi”
Tā fakatātā ʻa Allen Garns
Lolotonga ʻeku maʻu meʻatokoni hoʻatā mo hoku husepānití ʻi ha falekoloa sanuisi fakafeituʻu, ne hū mai ha tangata naʻe ʻasi moveuveu, peá ne fofonga hē mo puputuʻu. ʻI heʻene lue mai ki homa tēpilé, naʻá ku ofo ʻi he ʻikai ke ne kole paʻanga mai. Naʻá ne ʻeke mai pē ʻa e hala ki Felekisitafi, ʻAlesoná. Ne ma ʻoange mo hoku husepānití ha ngaahi fakahinohino. Naʻá ne fakamālō mai peá ne ʻalu leva.
Hili e maʻu meʻatokoni hoʻataá, ne ma fononga leva ki ʻapi. Ne ʻikai fuoloa kuó u vakai atu ki he tangatá naʻe lue ki ha pausa. Ne u maʻu ha ongo mālohi ke tokoniʻi ia pea ne u kole ange ki hoku husepānití ke ne afe ʻi he pausá. Ne u fetaulaki mo e tangatá pea fakafeʻiloaki ange au. Naʻá ne fofonga mamahi mo ongosia. Ne hā ʻi hono fofongá ha fakaʻilonga ʻo ha moʻui faingataʻaʻia.
Ne u fehuʻi ange pe te ne fononga fēfē ki Felekisitafí. Naʻá ne pehē mai naʻe ʻai ke lue. Ne u ʻiloʻi he ʻikai malava ia he naʻe maile ʻe 120 (193 km) tupu e mamaʻo ʻo Felekisitafí. Naʻá ku ʻoange ha paʻanga pea talaange te ne lava ʻo ʻalu ki ha falekai ofi mai ʻo kumi ha meʻakai pea te u foki mai ke ʻave ia ki he tauʻanga pasí mo totongi haʻane tikite ki Felekisitafi.
Ne u foki ki he lolí pea talaange ki hoku husepānití e meʻa naʻe hokó. Koeʻuhí ko ʻene tuʻunga moʻui leleí, ne u fetuʻutaki ki haku kaungāmeʻa pea kole ke ma foki mai. Naʻá ne loto-fiemālie ki ai. Ne ma tānaki ha ngaahi naunau tokoni, meʻatokoni, mo e vai. Hili iá peá ma fakaʻuli ki he falekaí ʻo uta ʻa e tangatá.
‘I heʻemau lele ki he tauʻanga pasí, ne kamata ke toutou pehē mai ʻe he tangata fakaʻofá ni, “ʻOku ou fie foki ki ʻapi.” Naʻá ku fehuʻi ange pe naʻe tuʻu hono ʻapí ʻi Felekisitafi. Naʻe ʻikai, ka naʻe nofo ai hono ʻofefine, ʻa ia ne teʻeki ke na felōngoaki ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu lahi. Naʻá ne fakamatala ʻo pehē naʻe tukuange ia mei pilīsone ʻi he uike ʻe ua kimuʻá. Naʻe fakahifo ia mo ha pōpula ʻe taha ne tukuange ʻi he tauʻanga pasí pea ʻoange haʻana takitaha tikite. Naʻe kaihaʻasi ʻe he pōpula ʻe tahá ʻene tikité mo e kiʻi paʻanga naʻá ne maʻú. Ne talu mei ai mo ʻene hē holo ʻi he halá. Naʻe ʻikai ke fie tokoniʻi ia ha taha.
Naʻá ne toe pehē mai, “ʻOku ou fie ʻalu ki ʻapi.”
Ne mau aʻu ki he tauʻanga pasí. Naʻá ku totongi ʻene tikité mo ʻoange ha paʻanga pea mo e ngaahi naunau tokoni ne ma tānakí. Naʻá ne fakamālō mai peá ne tangutu ki lalo. ‘I heʻema fakaʻuli ʻo mavahé, naʻe toutou ongo mai e ngaahi lea ʻa e tangatá kiate au: “ʻOku ou fie ʻalu ki ʻapi.”
ʻIkai nai ko e meʻa pē ia ʻoku tau fiemaʻú? ‘Oku tau puli kotoa mei he ʻapi ʻofa ne tau mavahe mei ai ʻi heʻetau haʻu ki he māmaní. ʻE lava ke tau hē kotoa mei he halá, ko ia ne fakahā mai ʻe Sīsū Kalaisi ʻa e hala ke tau muimui aí, pea totongi huhuʻi ʻetau ngaahi angahalá ʻo fakafou ʻi Heʻene feilaulau fakaleleí. Hangē pē ko e ʻikai lava e tangatá ni ʻo foki ki ʻapi ʻiate ia peé, he ʻikai foki ke tau lava ʻo foki ki hotau ʻapi fakalangí taʻekau ai hotau Fakamoʻuí.