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Tin Can Mail - Fa'u 'a Kitione Mamata pea liliu ki he lea faka-Pilitania 'e Wendy Pond
Talangata ‘iate au ‘o fai ki tu’a atu
‘Oua na’a taku na’a kuo te fakatatau
Me’a sai tama ko e fakamanatu
Ki Tonga na kuo te kau he lau
Ka ‘aho vaka leva pea ke lau matangi
Mariposa pe Monterey ke fakafetaulaki
Tafa’anga ke ‘uta he ko hono tahi
Si’ane ‘ofa ketau ‘inasi
Fanongo he matangi Tonga ke fakamafola si’eta koloa
Tuha mo e sola ke kaimelie kau inu ‘a si’ono kona
Fēfē hono fuoloa ho’o fakangalongalo’i kita
Taha tolu e Saame ‘a Tevita
‘Out Felenitē si’ota huafa masani
Fotu si’a vūlangi ngalo keta taha ‘i he kakala ni
Mo’oni pe si’i lea kakai Tonga ni
Si’i femolimoli’i ketau ‘isasi
Tau
Tin Can Mail e ongona ma’u pe
‘A si’o ‘alu na ka teu ‘amanaki pe
Ki ha ‘aho ho’o toe ha’u koe langalanga’i manatu
Keu ‘inasi mai he monū ni kuo lau
Ta nofo pe mo ‘uta ke pau si’ota kaha’u
Si’ota matanga ko hai ‘e tangi ke lau
Ta toil mo fili ‘i si’ota mohu fakamanatu
‘E langa pe na’a kuo te si’i ngalo ‘i he manatu
Tin Can Mail
Translated by Wendy Pond
Pardon this commoner for speaking from the back bench
Don't think I presume to count myself with you
But it's a good thing for a fellow to remind
Tonga that we are part of the proceedings.
It's boat day and the subject is wind
Mariposa or Monterey, whichever we go to meet
Our outrigger sizes up the sea
And we all have our share of the bounty
We hear on the southerly broadcasts of aid
Outsiders get the sweetbreads while my drink is bitter
How much longer will you put me out of mind?
David, Psalm Thirteen.
"The Friendly Islands" is our peerless name
At the sight of a stranger you forget our common lot
There's some truth in the saying abroad in Tonga
Indeed, let's share and share alike.
Chorus
Tin Can Mail, received with keen appreciation
Farewell, and I'll look forward
To the day your return jogs a memory
Hoping I'll have a share of that bounty
Pick and choose from our abundant souvenirs
Our beauty spots -- who can describe them?
We'll stay at home and consider our future
Anxious lest we slip from recollection.
Fakamatala Nounou:
Ko e ta'anga foki 'eni koe fatu 'e he punake fekau'aki mo e founga na'e tufaki 'aki 'a e meili pe ko e fetu'utaki tohi ki he motu mama'o ko Niua Fo'ou na'e ngaue 'aki hono fa'o he kapa pea fakatētē mei he ngaahi vaka lalahi 'oku nau folaua 'a e motu ni.
Na'e toki fakahoko leva hono 'ave 'e he fanga ki'i popao pe vaka 'o a'u pe ki hono kakau'i. 'Oku 'iloa foki 'a e founga ko'eni 'i mamani pea 'iloa ai mo Tonga ni kae tautautefito ki hono 'iloa 'aki 'a Niua Fo'ou 'a e Tin Can Mail Island.
3 comments
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Toutou fanongo ki he hiva ni he ngaahi 'aho atu koee pea moe feinga ke fakakaukau loto atu ki he fa'u ni pea 'oku ou fifili kihe laine fika ?? tau 'aia 'oku pehee "Keu ‘inasi mai he monū ni kuo lau"
Ko'eku fanongo ki he hiva 'oku hangee koa ia koe "Keu ‘inasi mai he monū ni kuoU lau". A'ia koe KUOU kae 'ikai koe KUO.
Mahu'inga nai e tonu ke KUOU mei he KUO?
Hei'ilo kae hangee koe lau, koe anga pe tautaufaa atu ki he fa'u 'ae punake pea ko'eku ki'i faka'uhinga fakapeito pe ki he tau (chorus) koe foki mai 'ae ngaahi kapa (tin can mail) pea 'omai foki e ngaahi tohi (letter) pea koe lau koia 'oe tohi moe faka'amu ke 'inasi he ngaahi monuu 'oku fakahoko mai he tohi (letter).
'Oku hanga 'ehe KUOU lau 'o tuhu'i papau mai (specific) 'ae hu'unga 'oe ngaahi monuu 'oku lau. 'Aia 'oku 'ikai ma'u ia he pehee KUO lau.
Pehee 'ehe liliu fakapilitania, koe monu ko'eni koe bounty. Ka 'oku ou fanongo ki he anga e fa'u 'oku lava pe ke 'uhinga ia ki he monuu kehe. Hangee ko'eni, koe tohi mei hono 'ofa'anga, he koe tangata foki mei Vava'u, pea 'oku lave'i mai ai ha ngaahi fe'ofa'aki (koe monuu foki)!
Kae kehe fu'u malie pe 'ae hiva ni pea malo mu'a hono 'omai ke tau laulau ai. -
Manako ma'u pe he fanongo ki he hiva ni hono hiva'i 'ehe kau hiva he CD koe Kuila koaa ('ikai keu ma'u ki he kau hiva). Ifo atu e fanongo ki honau le'o pea toe malie koe fanongo ki he ngaahi kupu'i lea malie he fa'u neongo na'e 'ikai fu'u 'uhinga malie kiate au.
Hange koe pehee "Ki ha ‘aho ho’o toe ha’u koe langalanga’i manatu", kae toki mahino 'eni hono lau e article ko'eni.
Toe ifo atu e fanongo hiva he fakakaukau loto atu ki he malie moe loloto e fa'u 'ae punake.
Malo hono vahevahe mai 'eni. -
'Oku malie lahi 'a e fa'u ko'eni pea hange kate au ko Kitione Mamata koe tangata mei Vava'u na'e ngaue he makoni 'i Niua Fo'ou. 'Oku kau 'eni he hisitolia manakoa 'o Tonga pea 'oku kei afea pe 'e he ngaahi vakameili 'oku nau folau ofi atu 'i he motu ni 'a Niua Fo'ou koe 'uhinga koe fakahisitolia 'enau founga 'ave meili. Malo Nepituno hono 'omai e fa'u malie ko'eni.