Ko e Ngaahi ‘Uhinga FakaTonga ‘a e Lea Faka‘Ingilisi ko e “Past,” “Present” mo e “Future” ^Featured

‘Oku fakamamafa ma‘u pē he kolomu ni ‘ae ngaahi me‘a kehekehe ‘e tolu ka ‘oku nau toe fekau‘aki vāofi, ‘aia koe (1) koe ‘ilo (moe poto) moe (2) koe fonua / kalatua moe (3) koe tala / lea, ‘o ‘iloa he lea faka‘Ingilisi koe “knowledge” (and “skill”) moe “culture” moe “language.”

‘Oku ma‘u ‘ae ‘ilo (moe poto) ‘ehe ‘atamai (moe fakakaukau) ‘oe ‘iai (“reality”) mei he ako, ‘aia koe liliu ia ‘ae ‘atamai (moe fakakaukau) mei he vale (ignorance) kihe ‘ilo (knowledge) kihe poto (skill), ‘o kumi ke ma‘u ‘ae ilo (pē ako ‘uhinga) pea koe ma‘u koia ‘ae ‘ilo ‘oku toe ako leva kihe ‘ilo koia ke ma‘u ‘ae poto (pē ako ‘aonga).

Koia ai ‘oku mu‘omu‘a ma‘u pē ‘ae ‘ilo he poto (pe muimui ma‘u pē ‘ae poto he ‘ilo) pē mu‘omu‘a ma‘u pē ‘ae ako ‘uhinga he ako ‘aonga (pē muimui ma‘u pē ako ‘aonga he ako ‘uhinga).

‘Oku fa‘oaki leva ‘ae ‘ilo (moe poto) koia he me‘angāue fakafonua / fakasōsiale koe fonua / kalatua mo fetu‘utaki he toe me‘angāue fakafonua / fakasōsiale koe tala / lea he tā (time) moe vā (space).

‘Oku ‘uhinga ma‘u pē ‘ae fonua / kalatua moe tala / lea kihe ‘ilo (moe poto) ‘oku fa‘oaki mo fetu‘utaki ‘iate kinaua koe ongo me‘angāue fakafonua / fakasōsiale kae ‘ikai koe ongo me‘angāue ‘iate kinaua pē koha ongo vaka.

‘Oku fa‘ahinga lalahi ‘e nima (5) hono ui fakaTonga ‘ae lea faka‘Ingilisi koe “past” moe “present” moe “future” koe (1) koe kuohili, lotolotonga / ko‘eni moe kaha‘u, (2) koe kuohoko, hoko moe kahoko moe (3) koe ‘aneafi, ‘ahoni moe ‘apongipongi moe (4) koe ono‘aho, onopō moe onopō moe (5) koe kuongamu‘a, kuongaloto moe kuongamui.

‘Oku vātatau ‘ae ‘uhinga ‘oe (1), (2) moe (3) kae ‘uhinga ‘ae (4) kihe ono‘aho koe heliaki kihe “kuonga kuo maama” (age-of-light; age-of-enlightenment) moe onopō kihe “kuonga ‘oe po‘uli / fakapo’uli” (age-of-darkness; age-of-ignorance [vale]; that is, age-of-darkness).

‘Oku vātatau leva ‘ae ‘uhinga ‘oe (4) moe (5), ‘aia koe ono‘aho (kuohili; kuohoko; ‘aneafi; kuongamu‘a) koe kuonga ia kuo ‘osi “maama” ka koe onopō (lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / kuongaloto moe kaha‘u / kahoko / ‘apongipongi / kuongamui) koe kuonga ‘oku kei “po‘uli” / “fakapo‘uli,” ‘o kei fāfāvale he fakapo‘uilōlō, ‘aia ‘oku huluhulu‘aki ‘ae “maama” ‘oe ono‘aho (kuohili / kuohoko / ‘aneafi / kuongamu‘a).

‘Oku ngalingali koe (4) moe (5) koe motu‘a lea fakaTonga ia kihe lea faka‘Ingilisi koe “past” moe “present” moe “future” ka koe (1) moe (2) moe (3) koe ngaahi lea fo‘ou na‘e toki tānaki fakalahi mai kihe lea fakaTonga.

‘Oku mālie lahi ‘ae ‘uhinga ‘oe (4) moe (5) he ‘oku “heliaki” hono anga kae “hualela” ‘ae (1), (2) moe (3).

‘Oku ‘asi lelei ‘eni hono fakalea, “‘Oku tau ‘alu ki-mu‘a / kimu‘a (forward) kihe kuohili / kuohoko / ‘aneafi / ono‘aho (past) pea tau toe ‘alu he tā-vā (taimi) tatau pe ki-mui / kimui (backward) kihe kaha‘u / kahoko / ‘apongipongi / onopō (future) fakatoulōua he lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / onopō (present), ‘o fai hono fakafenãpasi tu‘uma‘u ‘a e kuohili / kuohoko / ‘aneafi / ono‘aho (past) moe kaha‘u / kahoko / ‘apongipongi / onopō (future) fakatoulōua he lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / onopō (present).”

‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘ae heliaki (lea kiha me‘a ‘e taha kae ‘uhinga kiha me‘a ‘e taha) ko ‘eni hono ‘omai ‘ae kuohili / kuohoko / ‘aneafi / ono‘aho (past) ‘o tuku ‘i “mu‘a” koe “tūhulu” kihe lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / onopō (present) pea ‘omai ‘ae kaha‘u / kahoko / ‘apongipongi / onopō (future) ‘o tuku ‘i “mui” he lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / onopō (present) koe “huluhulu” ‘oe lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / opopō ‘o fakapenāpasi ai ‘ae kuohili / kuohoko / ‘aneafi / ono‘aho (past) moe kaha‘u / kahoko / ‘apongipongi / onopō (future) he lotolotonga / hoko / ‘ahoni / onopō (present), ‘aia ‘oku fihitu‘u mo fepakitu‘u ‘ene liliu he ‘iai.

‘Oku fakatou loloto fau faka‘uhinga mo fakangāue ‘ae fakakaukau fakaTonga hono fokotu‘utu‘u ‘oe “past,” “present” moe “future,” ‘aia ‘oku fakatou fakafelavai mo fakafetongiaki, ‘o fakasaienisi ‘ae (1), (2) moe (3) -- kuohili, lotolotonga / ko‘eni moe kaha‘u, kuohoko, hoko moe kahoko moe ‘aneafi, ‘ahoni moe ‘apongipongi -- mo fakapunake ‘ae (4) moe (5) -- ono‘aho, onopō moe onopō moe kuongamu‘a, kuongaloto moe kuongamui -- kae ‘ikai ke hangē koe fakakaukau fakaUēsite, ‘aia ‘oku fakakohi / fakalaini ‘aia ‘oku mu‘omu‘a ‘ae “future” pea ‘i loto ‘ae “present” mo muimui ‘ae “past,” ‘o nau ‘otu kohi / laini taha tu‘uma‘u pē.

Hūfanga Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, PhD
Professor of Philosophy. Anthropology and Art
Tongan Studies Department
Tonga International Academy &
Vava‘u Academy for Critical Inquiry and Applied Research