Ko e Laifilaini mo e Falanilaini, Halangamo‘ui mo e Halangamu‘a, mo e Ma‘ungamo‘ui mo e Ma‘ungatokoni (Lifeline and Frontline) ^Featured

‘Oku fa‘oaki ‘ae ‘ilo (moe poto) he fonua (moe kalatua) mo fetu‘utaki he tala (moe lea) koe tala, hala, moe vaka – Filosofia ta-va, taimi-sipeisi, ‘oe ‘iai. (Knowledge [and skills] are composed in culture and communicated in language as wayfinders, pathways, and vessels – Time-space, ta-va, philosophy of reality).

Hufanga He Ako Moe Lotu, Dr ‘Okusitino Mahina, Professor of Tongan Philosophy, Anthropology & Art

‘Oku ‘iai ‘ae founga lalahi ‘e ua ‘oe liliulea, ‘o hange koe liliu ‘oe lea ‘Ingilisi kihe lea Tonga, ‘aia koe

(1) koe liliu hangatonu mei he lea ‘Ingilisi kihe lea Tonga, ‘o hange koe liliu hangatonu ‘ae ongo lea ‘Ingilisi koe lifeline moe frontline kihe ongo lea Tonga koe laifilaini moe falanilaini moe

(2) koe liliu ‘oe lea ‘Ingilisi ki hono tatau he lea Tonga, ‘o hange koe ongo lea ‘Ingilisi koe lifeline moe frontline ki hono ongo tatau he lea Tonga koe halangamo‘ui (hala‘angamo‘ui) moe halangamu‘a (hala‘angamu‘a) moe ma‘ungamo‘ui (ma‘u‘angamo‘ui) moe ma‘ungatokoni (ma‘ungatokoni).

‘Oku toe liliu ‘ae lea ‘Ingilisi koe lifeline ki hono tatau he lea Tonga koe ‘li ha maea,’ ‘aia koe ma‘u mei he lea Tonga mei tahi moe vaka koe maeapalaivai moe pilitauhala koe ‘maea’ ‘oku li he taumuli (taumui) ‘oe vaka koe mo‘ui‘anga (moe hao‘anga) kiha taha ‘oku tafia ha folau kae toe liliu hangatonu ‘ae lea ‘Ingilisi koe frontline kihe lea Tonga koe lainimu‘a mo hono tatau kihe ongo lea Tonga koe ‘otumu‘a, moe holomu‘a (hekamu‘a, nofomu‘a, takimu‘a, taumu‘a, moe tu‘umu‘a).

‘Oku liliu ‘ae ngaahi lea ‘Ingilisi koe life, front, line kihe ngaahi lea Tonga koe mo‘ui, mu‘a (mu‘o), moe kohi (tohi), ‘o ngaue‘aki ‘ae lea Tonga koe hala (way, path, route, moe road) koe heliaki kihe lea Tonga koe kohi (tohi koe mafuli ‘ae kohi), ‘aia koe lea heliaki kihe hala kae ‘uhinga kihe kohi (tohi).

‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘ae ongo lea ‘Ingilisi koe lifeline moe frontline kihe ongo feitu‘u halangamo‘ui moe halangamu‘a moe ma‘ungamo‘ui moe ma‘ungatokoni (laifilaini moe falanilaini), ‘o hange koe ngaahi senita ‘oku nau fale‘i mo tokoni‘i ‘ae kakai ‘oku kau ai ‘ae pa‘anga moe me‘akai -- moe ngaahi falemahaki ‘oku nau faito‘o, tauhi, mo tokanga‘i ‘ae kau mahaki (moe kau puke) ‘oku kau ai ‘ae kau toketa moe kau neesi.

‘Oku ui he lea ‘Ingilisi ‘ae kau ngaue ‘oku nau ngaue he ongo feitu‘u ko ‘eni, ‘aia koe lifeline (laifilaini, halangamo‘ui, moe ma‘ungamo‘ui) koe kau lifeline workers moe kau ngaue he frontline (falanilaini, halangamu‘a, moe ma‘ungatokoni) koe kau frontline workers, ‘o taumu‘a fakatouloua ke ma‘u ‘ae mo‘ui moe tokoni.

‘Oku ui ‘ae kau tau ‘oku fakamu‘omu‘a (fakamu‘amu‘a) he tau koe kau frontline, koe kau lainimu‘a (lainemu‘a) moe ‘otumu‘a, ‘o hange pe koe kakai ‘oku takimu‘a ha ngaue ‘oku kau ai ‘ae ako, lotu, moe pisinisi koe kau tu‘ukimu‘a ‘otumu‘a, moe mu‘avaka (taumu‘avaka).

‘Oku ui ‘ae kakai ‘oku nau ‘ilo mo poto lahi taha ha nague ko ‘enau kaimu‘a, ‘o hange koe ‘iloa ‘a Ha‘apai he to‘a he tau moe faingata‘a (‘aia ‘oku ‘asi he kohi, laini, ‘oe ‘Hiva Afa ‘o Vaea’ koe ‘Ha‘apai tu‘u ho’o kaimu‘a’) moe lea heliaki koe, ‘Fielau he ko ‘ene kai.’

‘Oku ui ‘ae ta‘ulahi (ta‘umotu‘a) ‘oe ngoue ‘ufi he tota‘u koe tokamu‘a, ‘aia koe tokamotu‘a, ‘o hange ko ‘ene ‘asi he malanga pole‘o (faka‘osita‘u-kamata‘angata‘u), ‘Oku ‘alu ‘ae ta‘umotu‘a (ta‘umu‘a) kae ha‘u ‘ae ta‘ufo‘ou (ta‘umui) moe ako tokamu‘a moe ako tokamui koe heliaki mei he tota‘u.

‘Oku ui ‘a Nomuka mo hono ‘otumotu koe ‘Otumu‘amu‘a, ‘o ‘uhinga ko ‘enau tu‘umu‘a ki Tonga‘eiki, Tongatapu, mo Tongalahi. ‘Oku ‘iloa ‘ae kuohili koe kuongamu‘a hono tuku ‘ae ‘ilo ‘oe kuohili ‘i mu‘a koe tuhulu he lotolotonga.

‘Oku ngaue‘aki ‘ae founga liliulea (1) moe (2) hono liliu ‘ae lea ‘Ingilisi koe line, ‘aia ‘oku liliu hangatonu kihe lea Tonga koe laini (laine) mo liliu hono tatau he lea Tonga koe kohi (tohi) – ‘aia ‘oku koe heliaki kihe hala (way, path, route, moe road) – ‘o ‘lea kihe hala kae ‘uhinga kihe kohi’ (tohi). ‘Oku ‘asi ‘ae laini (laine) he maa‘imoa ta‘anga hiva lakalaka malie koe ‘Takafalu’ ‘a Kuni Salote koe, ‘Ke fakatulou moe takafalu, Moe ‘otu laine (laini) toputapu, Ne fetaulaki ‘o tapatolu, Holo pe nofo he lau ‘otu, Ne kamata ‘ia ‘Aho‘eitu, Afe ‘i tukilki Fonuamotu, Tu‘u mo tapa ‘i ‘Ahau, Piliote ‘i Pangai (Kanokupolu) e fa‘u.

’ Oku ngaue‘aki ‘ae kohi, tohi, laini kihe hala ‘oku ne hoko ‘ae feitu‘u, kolo, ko ‘A kihe feitu‘u, kolo, ko ‘E, ‘o hange koe hoko ‘ehe kohi, tohi, laini ‘ae poini, kolo, ko ‘A kihe poini, kolo, ko ‘E, ‘aia koe kohi, tohi, laini, koe hala pea koe hala koe kohi, tohi, laini. ‘Oku ‘iloa ‘ae felalalavi ‘ae ngaahi pupunga fetu‘u he langi koe kupesi kupenga, ‘aia koe ‘kohi‘avelenga’ kihe ‘otua ‘oe faiva toutaivaka moe faiva faifolau ko Velenga.

‘Oku ngaue‘aki lelei ‘ae kohi (tohi), laini (laine) moe hala he lea Tonga koe me‘afua, ‘o hange koe kohi‘i, ‘tohi‘i, moe laini‘i (laine‘i) hono fua ha va‘apapa, lau‘ipapa, la‘ipapa, ‘aia ko hono ‘faka‘ilonga‘i’ hono hala mei he poini, feitu‘u, ko ‘E kihe poini, feitu‘u, ko F, ‘o ngaue‘aki ‘ae mata (pe ava; eye-and-hole-of-the-pen) ‘oe penivahevahe he‘ene fakahoko mo fakamave ‘ae poini, feitu‘u, ‘e taha moe poini, feitu‘u, ‘e taha, ‘o hange ko ‘E mo F.

‘Oku ‘iai ‘ae hala-makohi, hala-matohi, hala-matofi (hala-matafa), hala-makini, hala-laini, hala-kinikini, moe hala-tofitofi (hala-tafatafa), ‘aia ‘oku kini, tofi, mo tofa koe kini-hala, tofi-hala, moe tofa-hala.

‘Oku ngaue‘aki ‘ae mata-‘oe-hele (moe ‘ava-‘oe-hele; eye-and-hole-of-the-knife) hono kohi, tohi, laini, koe hala, ‘o hange koe huafa heliaki fakatenetene ‘oe Tu‘i Tonga moe Tu‘i Ha‘atakalaua koe Kauhala‘uta moe Kauhalalalo ‘oku vahe, vae, ‘ehe Hala Tonuhanga ki Hahake, moe hala-hangatonu, hala-lalo, hala-liku, hala-loto, hala-maluotalau, hala-mangaono, hala-moana, hala-ngutungutu, hala-paini, hala-toa, moe hala-palavi.

 ‘Oku ui ‘ae hala ‘oku ‘alu ai ‘ae manava mei ‘tu‘a-ki-loto’ (‘outside-in’) mei he ihu kihe ‘ma‘ama‘a pea mei ‘loto-ki-tu‘a’ (‘inside-out’) mei he ma‘ama‘a kihe ihu koe halanga-manava (hala-manava, hala‘anga-manava ‘aia koe ma‘u‘anga, ma‘unga, manava), ‘aia koe kohi, tohi, laini ia ‘oku fehu‘aki holo, takai-mo-vilo, ai ‘ae manava mei ‘tu‘a-ki-loto’ (‘outside-in’) mei he ihu kihe ma‘ama‘a mo ‘loto-ki-tu‘a’ (‘inside-out’) mei he ma‘ama‘a kihe ihu. ‘Oku ‘uhinga ai ‘ae liliulea ‘ae ongo lea ‘Ingilisi koe lifeline (laifilaini) moe frontline (falanilaini) kihe lea Tonga koe halangamo‘ui moe halangamu‘a, ‘aia koe ma‘ungamo‘ui moe ma‘ungatokoni.

‘Oku tatau moe ngaahi lea koe alanga-vaka, alanga-fale, moe alanga-mahaki, ‘aia koe halanga-vaka, halanga-fale, moe halanga-mahaki, ‘o fetautaulakitu‘u ‘ae ngaahi kohi, tohi, laini, he fa‘unga (fuo moe uho) ‘oe fale, vaka, moe mahaki (sino). ‘Oku toe ui he hoko ha fakatamaki kiha vaka ‘i tahi koe alanga-vaka kihe fetautaulakitu‘u ‘ae ngaahi hala, kohi (tohi), moe laini koe faingata‘a.

 ‘Oku ‘asi ‘ae hala he lea malie ‘a Sisu, “Ko Au pe koe Hala, koe Mo‘oni, moe koe Mo‘ui” (“I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”) (vakai kia Sione 14: 6), ‘aia ‘oku ‘uhinga ko hotau Hala’(Tala, moe Vaka, mo hotau Kohi, Tohi, Laini) kihe Mo‘oni moe Mo‘ui ‘oku fou mo fetautaulakitu‘u kotoa ‘ia ‘Sisu’ koe ‘Alo ‘Otua kihe ‘Ene Tamai ‘Otua.

‘Oku toe ha he ngaahi lea heliaki kuo fakatokotokonaki koe, “‘Oku hu‘utaha ‘ae hala kotoa pe ki Loma” (“All roads lead to Rome”), ‘o fetautaulakitu‘u ‘ae ngaahi kohi, tohi, moe laini kotoa pe ki Loma koe Pule‘anga Hau he‘enau ‘papa’ hono ‘alu‘i mei he ngaahi kolonia kihe senita, hau, moe toe ongo lea heliaki koe “Tevolo hala he sikota” moe “Sikota kini’ ‘aia ‘oku fetautaulaki ai ‘ae ngaahi ‘kohi, tohi, laini’ ‘oku ‘tala, ‘vaka (vessel) mai ai ‘ae fa‘ahikehe (tevolo he ngaue ‘ae kau misinale).

‘Oku pehe ‘ae fu‘u toa na‘e hala-hifo mo hala-hake ai mei Langi ki Maama mo Maama ki Langi ‘ae Tamai ‘Otua ‘a ‘Aho‘eitu ko Tangaloa ‘Eitumatupu‘a moe “Ko au koe hala, koe hala ‘eni” he lea, angi, ‘a Tovi he taumafakava.

 ‘Oku ‘uhinga tatau ‘ae halanga-manava moe halanga-vai (tafenga-vai), halanga-paipa. ‘halanga-monu, halanga-ivi, halanga-pa‘anga, moe halanga-ngaue. ‘Oku tau ‘alu hotau hala ‘o ‘ave ‘etau holo (kae ‘ikai koe ‘alu he holo ‘o ‘ave ‘ae hala) kiha pekia ‘oku fetautaulaki ai ‘ae ngaahi kohi, tohi, laini (hala), ‘aia koe kaungame‘a, kaungaako, kaungainukava, moe kaungalotu.

‘Oku ‘iai ‘ae ongo me‘a ma‘uhinga fau mo ‘aonga atu ‘oku ma‘u heni, ‘aia koe fakakaukau fakafilosofia mo fakafika fakata-va ‘oe kohi, tohi, laini, moe hoa (soa ‘i Ha‘amoa).

‘Oku ‘iloa he fika fakaUesite koe poini (point) koe felalavai, kolosi, ‘ae ongo laini (line), ‘aia koe fakataha ‘oe ngaahi poini (points), moe ‘sipeisi’ (‘space’) koe fakatahataha ‘a e ngaahi laini (lines), ‘o faka‘ilonga ‘ehe taimi (time) – kae ‘iloa he fika fakaTonga koe mata koe fakafelavai, kolosi, ‘ae ongo kohi, tohi, ‘aia koe fakataha ‘ae ngaahi mata (eyes), moe va koe fakatahataha ‘ae ngaahi kohi, tohi, ‘oku faka‘ilonga ‘ehe ta.

‘Oku ‘ikai ha toe me‘a he ‘iai ka koe ngaahi kohi, tohi, laini, hoa, pe ‘oku nau fakafelavai, kolosi, koe ngaahi hala.

ANFF leva e malanga kae a‘u,

‘Ofa fu‘u & manatu hulu,

Ka tau toki hoko atu,

Vava‘u Academy for Critical Inquiry & Applied Research, Vava‘ulahi, Kingdom of Tonga & Va Moana: Space & Relationality in Pacific Thought & Identity, Marsden Inquiry & Research Cluster, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, Aoteroa New Zealand.