Ko Maama mo Lalofonua/(Lalo)maama (The World and the [Under]world) ^Featured

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

 ‘Oku tukupa ‘ae ‘atikolo ni kia Leha‘uli (Sione Ika), Malukava (Tevita Kavaefiafi), Ula Matatoa (Taufa Nau), Falekaono (Taipaleti), Pilivi Moa na‘a nau palofesa mo faiako he ‘Univesiti ‘Atenisi he talaefonua ‘a Tonga (‘aia na‘e fua tufunga ‘e Lo‘au), Palofesa Dr ‘I. Futa Helu (‘aia na‘a ne takimu‘a hono fua fokotu‘u ‘a ‘Atenisi mo fakahingoa kihe kolomu‘a [Athens] ‘o Kalisi), Palofesa Dr Epeli Hau‘ofa mo Palofesa Dr Randy Thaman na‘a nau tokoni lahi lotolotonga ‘eku fekumi moe fakatotolo kihe talaefonua mohu mo fonu ‘o Tonga, Fisi, mo Ha‘amoa he ‘Univesiti Fakafonua ‘a ‘Asitelelia ‘i Kenipela, he 1987-1992.

 Ko Maama mo Lalofonua/(Lalo)maama (The World and the [Under]world)

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

 ‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘a Maama ki Lalofonua/Lalomaama (Lolofonua, Lolomaama) mo Lalofonua/Lalomaama ki Tonga, ‘aia koe vahefonua ‘oe kau Maui (ko Maui Motu‘a mo ‘ene fanau [fale‘alo], ‘otua ko Maui ‘Atalanga, Maui Loa mo Maui Puku pea mo Maui Kisikisi koe foha [‘alo] ‘o Maui ‘Atalanga) kae vahefonua ‘a Pulotu kia Hikule‘o mo Langi kihe kau ‘otua Tangaloa (ko Tangaloa ‘Eiki/Langi mo ‘ene fanau ko Tangaloa Tamapo‘ulialamafoa, Tangaloa ‘Eitumatupu‘a, Tangaloa ‘Atulongolongo, mo Tangaloa Tufunga). ‘Oku toe ‘iloa ‘a Maui Kisikisi ko Maui Fusifonua, ‘aia na‘e folau ki Manu‘a (Manuka) ‘i Ha‘amoa koe feinga kihe mata‘u mana ‘a Tonga Fusifonua (mo hono ‘ohoana (‘unoho), ko Tonga), ‘o ne tamata‘u mo fusi hake mei he moanavavale, moana‘uli‘uli, moe moanaloloto, ‘ae ngaahi motu lahi ‘i Tonga, Fisi, mo Ha‘amoa.

 Na‘e vahefonua ‘ae kau ‘otua he ‘Kuonga ‘oe Ngaahi ‘Otua’ hili ha ngaahi vaa‘ikuonga mei he kamata‘anga ‘i Pulotu mo Vahanoa he ngaahi ta‘u ‘e 3,500 tupu lahi kuo hoko, ‘aia na‘e ma‘u ‘e ‘otua Hikule‘o ‘a Pulotu (ne senita ‘i Matuku he ‘Otu Lau, ‘i Fisi), kau ‘otua Maui ‘a Maama (Lalofonua/Lalomaama [Lolofonua, Lolomaama]), pea ma‘u ‘ehe kau ‘otua Tangaloa ‘a Langi. Na‘e ngaue‘aki ‘ae Pulotu, Maama (Lalofonua, Lalomaama), moe Langi koe ngaahi hingoa fakaheliaki, kihe ngaahi feitu‘u fakamaama koe Fisi, Tonga, moe Ha‘amoa, ‘o ‘uhinga ‘fakafananga’ na‘e fua mavahe ‘ae kau Maama moe kau Langi mei Pulotu kae toe ‘uhinga ‘fakamaama’ na‘e fua mavahe ‘ae kakai Tonga mei Fisi mo mavahe ‘ae kakai Ha‘amoa mei Tonga mo Fisi. ‘Oku kainga ofi lahi ‘eni moe ma‘u ‘ae ongo saienisi ‘akiolosia moe lingikusitika.

 Na‘e fua kamata ‘ae pule‘anga hau ‘oe Tu‘i Pulotu, pea ‘to-mo-holo-hifo’ kae ‘hoko-mo-hopo-hake’ kihe pule‘anga hau ‘oe Tu‘i Manu‘a, pea ‘to-mo-holo-hifo’ kae ‘hoko-mo-hopo-hake’ faka‘osi kihe pule‘anga hau ‘oe Tu‘i Tonga. ‘Oku mahino mai neongo na‘e mavahe ‘ae kau Maama, kau Tonga (Tonga) moe kau Langi, kau Ha‘amoa (Ha‘amoa), mei he kau Pulotu mei Pulotu (Fisi), ka na‘e kei hokohoko atu pe ‘enau ‘fetu‘utaki’ he funga ‘oe ‘fakafetongiaki’ ‘koloa moe taukei, ‘ilo moe poto,’ ‘o hange koe ma‘u ‘ae kahokaho, ngaahi faiva, moe ngaahi kakala mei Pulotu moe tufunga langafale, tufunga fo‘uvaka, moe tufunga fonua (‘o hange ko Tangaloa Tufunga hono ‘fakatupu ‘o ‘Ata mo ‘Eua mei he efuefu hono fale tufunga’) mei Langi, ‘o ngaue‘aki ‘e Tonga ‘i Tonga na‘e takimu‘a ‘a Maui Kisikisi hono fakanofonofo mo tau‘i ‘ae tau‘ataina mei he popula.

 ‘Oku mahino mai mei he tala fungani ‘oe fua Tu‘i Tonga ‘a ‘Aho‘eitu (koe ‘‘otua moe ‘eiki’), ‘aia koe ‘ene tamai (‘eiki), ko Tangaloa ‘Eitumatupu‘a (koe ‘‘otua moe ‘eiki lahi’ moe ‘fu‘u toa’ koe heliaki kihe ‘fefolauaki [vaka]’ moe ‘tau [povai]’) moe ‘ene fa‘e (fehuhu), ko ‘Ilaheva na‘e toe ‘iloa ko Va‘epopua (koe ongo hingoa kihe fefine ‘hoihoifua fau’ mo toe ‘‘eiki tete‘e’) na‘e lahi ‘ae ngaahi fepaki fakalotofonua mo fakavaha‘afonua, ‘aia na‘e ‘uhinga lahi ai ‘ae mavahe mai ‘ae kau Maama, Lalofonua/Lalomaama (Tonga) moe kau Langi (Ha‘amoa) mei Pulotu (Fisi). ‘Oku ‘asi heni na‘e fai ‘ae tau lahi he vaha‘a ‘o Tonga moe Tu‘i Manu‘a mo Ha‘amoa, ‘aia na‘e ikuna ‘e Tonga, ‘o ‘to-mo-holo-hifo’ ‘ae ‘mafai-moe-pule’ ‘ae pule‘anga hau ‘oe Tu‘i Manu‘a kae ‘hoko-mo-hopo-hake’ ‘ae ‘mafai-moe-pule’ ‘ae pule‘anga hau ‘oe Tu‘i Tonga.

 ‘Oku malie lahi hono vahevahe ‘a Maama kihe ‘hahake,’ ‘hihifo,’ ‘tokelau,’ moe ‘tonga,’ ‘o toe ‘iloa ‘ae ‘tokelau’ moe ‘tonga’ koe ‘‘olunga’ moe ‘lalo,’ ‘o hange koe sio ‘a Fisi mo Ha‘amoa mei ‘olunga he tokelau ki Tonga ‘i lalo he tonga, ‘o toe ui ai ‘a Tonga koe Lalofonua/Lalomaama (Lolofonua, Lolomaama). ‘Oku toe ‘uhinga ia na‘e tu‘u ‘a Tonga ‘i ‘lalo’ ‘i Fisi mo Ha‘amoa, ‘aia koe Fonua ko Maama ‘oku tu‘u ‘i ‘lalo,’ ‘i ‘tonga’ ne toe ‘iloa ko ‘Lalofonua, Lalomaama,’ na‘e hokohoko atu ai ‘enau ‘fehokotaki moe fetu‘utaki,’ mo kau ai ‘koloa-taukei moe ‘ilo-poto.’ ‘Oku hoko ‘a Pulotu (Fisi) koe ‘kuohili, kuongamu‘a,’ kae hoko ‘a Maama (Tonga) koe ‘lotolotonga, kuongaloto,’ mo Langi (Ha‘amoa) koe ‘kaha‘u, kuongamui’ na‘e toki ‘fakafelavai ai ‘enau fehokotaki moe fetu‘utaki’ he funga ‘enau ‘fakafetongiaki’ ‘ae ‘koloa moe taukei moe ‘ilo moe poto.’

 ‘Oku malie fau ‘ae kau ‘otua Maui mo honau vahefonua ko Maama mo Lalofonua/Lalomaama (Lolofonua, Lolomaama) na‘e lahi nofo ‘a Maui Motu‘a (koe kui ‘a Mau Kisikisi) ‘i Lolofonua (‘o matamata ko Fisi [Pulotu] mo Ha‘amoa [Langi]) kae lahi fe‘alu‘aki ‘a Maui Kisikisi (Maui Fusifonua) he vaha‘a ‘o Maama mo Lolofonua moe va ‘o Maama (Tonga) mo Pulotu (Fisi) mo Langi (Ha‘amoa). ‘Oku lau na‘e tu‘u ‘ae matapa ki Lalofonua, Lalomaama, he motu ko Koloa, Vava‘u, na‘e ma‘unga fakahakonoa kiai ‘ae Tu‘i Tonga, ‘o toe vaofi ange mo Fisi (Pulotu) mo Ha‘amoa (Langi) he ‘tokelau,’ ‘‘olunga,’ na‘e tu‘u ai ‘a Fisi (Pulotu) mo Ha‘amoa (Langi). ‘Oku taku na‘e to heni ‘ae hingoa fakatenetene (fakaheliaki) ‘o Vava‘u koe Ha‘afuluhao (Safulusao) he fa‘a tukua mai ‘ae kau fefine hoihoifua Ha‘amoa (Langi) kihe Tu‘i Tonga.

 ‘Oku toe malie atu ‘ae ‘uhinga ‘oe Lalofonua/Lalomaama, ki Tonga he ‘hake’ ‘a Maui Kisikisi mei ‘lalo’ mei Tonga ki ‘‘olunga’ ki ‘tokelau’ ‘i Pulotu (Fisi) mo Langi (Ha‘amoa), ‘o foki mai moe ngaahi ‘koloa-taukei’ moe ‘‘ilo-poto lahi,’ ‘o hange koe afi, mata‘u, moe ngaahi faiva moe tufunga kehekehe kau ai ‘ae faiva fanifo moe sika‘ulutoa moe tufunga langafale, fo‘uvaka moe fonua na‘e fokotu‘utu‘u fakataha moe ako ‘oku ngaue‘aki ‘ae ‘afi’ koe heliaki kihe ‘maama.’ Na‘a ne foki ma‘u mai mei Lalofonua/Lalomaama, pea mo Pulotu (Fisi) mo Ha‘amoa (Langi), ‘o mahino ‘ae ‘fakapopula moe fakapupuha‘a’ ‘ae ‘mafai-pule’ ‘ae hou‘eiki moe kau taula ‘oku heliaki kihe ‘tu‘apiko’ ‘ae kakai he ‘vaofi-‘ae-langi-mo-maama’ moe ‘fuonounou ‘ae hopo-moe-to’ ‘ae ‘la‘a he ‘aho,’ ‘a ia na‘a ne toki ‘teke ‘ae langi’ mo ‘taulatu‘u ‘ae la‘a’ koe heliaki ‘oe ‘fakatau‘ataina.’

 ANFF leva e malanga kae a‘u,

‘Ofa fau & na‘una‘u ma‘u,

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.