Siueli ‘o e Pasifiki (Jewel of the Pacific) ^Featured

Kātoanga Aoniu (Aoniu Festival) 2020 Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) ‘Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Fe‘auhi Hiva (Music Competition) Kaveinga: ‘Ilo‘i Hoto Tupu‘anga / Tala Tukufakaholo (Theme: Knowing One‘s Identity / Oral History)

Kava Talanoa (& Talāsiti) Kanokupolu – Koe Havelulahi (Kanokupolu Kava Talk Collective [& Trust] – The Havelulahi) ‘Aotealoa (New Zealand)

Siueli ‘o e Pasifiki (Jewel of the Pacific) Koe ta‘anga hiva sani-mo-viki & fetau  (A sung poetry of praise & rivalry)

Maa‘imoa fakafatu/fakafa‘u ‘e (poetry composed by) Kuini Sālote & Fakaafo/fakafasi ‘e (music composed by) Lavaka Kefu

Liliulea ‘Ingilisi ‘e (English translation by) Havelulahi, Ma‘asi Taukei‘aho, Fetongikava Dr Viliami Uasikē Lātū & Hūfanga-He-Ako-Moe-Lotu, ‘Ōkusitino Māhina

 

1. Lave mālie mai matangi taulua

Talanoa he masani moe seti ‘o Suva

Loto leva keu hopo ‘o fakafolaua

Keu luva kiha ati ‘a si‘oto leipua

Pango ē manatu kuo fakatu‘a

Tafesino‘ivai ‘ea ‘oe Hala Vuna

Samipeni fiefia ko si‘ete koula

Hangē si‘a ‘ofa ‘oku kei talamuka

 

2. Letiō sasala ‘ae ongo ‘o ‘Apia

Tapa he po‘uli hono kasa ‘uhila

Tuha ‘oe tafitonga pō ne fetu‘u‘ia

Fie‘eva ‘ihe solo mātā ‘o ni siva

Kae mele kuo taungasino ‘iate kita

‘A si’oto leihuni fio moe fāhina

Muimui hoku loto kā hopo ē māhina

‘A Nuku‘alofa moe veili siliva

 

3. Koe laulōtaha taulanga Pape‘ete

‘A Tahiti kei taku koe Sōsaiete

Koe hauhau tofe tuku ko ‘enau pele

Kete hekasia mai hono matangi lele

Ka neongo ia kuo fakatauele

‘Ae ‘ofa ‘oku tapu ke toe movete

Kihe ‘ōlive ‘oku kapa tu‘umalele

Kanokato ē lelei ‘oku ongo kehekehe

 

4. Fola ‘ihe nusipepa tala ‘o Hauai‘i

Fakalata ‘ae hula hiva ‘ene vanaiki

Koe fānifo‘anga ‘oe filivaihi

‘Ise‘isa hoto loto fielaka he taimi

Kā kuo lītaula ‘a ‘ofa ‘alovili

Ve‘eve‘e heilala koha ‘inisēnisi

Vetekina ai si‘i ‘atamai ‘oku fihi

Sai pē si‘i Tonga siueli Pasifiki

 

English Translation

1. Exquisite touch of the dual-blowing wind

Excuding the brilliance and beauty of Suva

Urged I really am, to hop on board a voyage

So that I may yield my pua garland to an adi

Pity, though, my memory‘s violently recalled

Pleasant is the pleasing air of Vuna Road

My champagne of joy, my precious gold

Like true love that blossoms afresh

 

2. Radio transmitting the sound of ‘Apia

It‘s brilliant lights aflash in the dark

Surrounded by clear skies in a starlit night

For a stroll to watch the unfolding dance

Yet, my being has been wholly-stricken

By my garland of blended huni and fāhina

Mine heart follows when the moon rises

All over Nuku‘alofa and its silver veil

 

3. So unrivalled is Pape‘ete harbour

Of Tahiti, also named Society Islands

The shiny pearls remain their beloved

Wishful I ride its gently blowing wind

But alas, it is so tempting a feeling

Of my forbidden love, never to break

For the olive leaves, bent by the wind

Filled with varied goodness aplenty

 

4. Newspaper spreads the story of Hawai‘i

Its enchanted hula dance, with music so soft

A surfing attraction for ingenuous surfers

Alas how tempting to march with the time

Yet, my everlasting love has been anchored

In ve‘eve‘e heilala as a sweet-scented incense

Undoing confusion in my baffled mind

That Tonga is the best, jewel of the Pacific

 

Koe kinikini / huluhulu nounou

‘Oku ngāue‘aki lelei ‘ehe ta‘anga hiva sani-mo-viki moe fetau mālie koe “Siueli ‘oe Pasifiki” ‘ae heliaki fakafetongiaki, heliaki fakafekauaki, moe heliaki fakafefonuaki, ‘aia koe “lea kihe me‘a ‘e taha kae ‘uhinga kihe me‘a ‘e taha.” ‘Oku ‘uhinga ‘ae “viki-moe-sani” hono “hiki ‘oe ngaahi lelei moe fakalata ‘aha me‘a, taha pē ngāue,” ‘o hangē koe ngaahi fonua ‘oe Pasifiki kae ‘uhinga ‘ae “fetau” kihe “fe‘au‘auhi he vaha‘a ha ngaahi me‘a, kakai pē ngāue,” ‘o hangē koe “fakavaha‘afonua” ‘a Nuku‘alofa mo Tonga ki Suva mo Fisi, ‘Apia mo Ha‘amoa, Pape‘ete mo Tahiti / Sōsaiete, mo Honolulu mo Hauai‘i. Neongo ai ‘ae lau mai ē moe kau mai ē, ‘o Fisi (Suva), Ha‘amoa (‘Apia), Tahiti / Sōsaiete (Pape‘ete), mo Hauai‘i (Honolulu) mo hono ngaahi “lelei moe fakalata” ka ‘oku kei sai mo lelei mo laka taha pē ‘a Nuku‘alofa koe “Kolo Hau ‘o Felenite” mo Tonga koe “Siueli ‘oe Pasifiki.” ‘Oku “sani-mo-viki” ‘ae kohi / laini 1-4 kae “fetau” ‘ae kohi / laini 5-8 ‘oe kupu / veesi 1-4 kotoa (fakataha moe liliu fasi ‘o hangē ‘oku kupu / veesi ‘ae kohi / laini 1-4 kae tau / kōlesi ‘ae kohi / laini 5-8), ‘o katoi he kupu / veesi 4, kohi / laini 8 ‘i Tonga koe “Siueli ‘oe Pasifiki.” ‘Oku ui ‘ae maka koloa kotoa pē koe “siueli,” ‘o tumutumu he maka koula moe maka taiamoni ‘oku fakafuo‘aki mo fakauho‘aki ‘ae kalauni ‘aha tu‘i ko hona faka‘ofo‘ofa moe ‘aonga mohu mo fonu.

A brief English summary

The most beautiful sung poetry of praise and rivalry “Jewel of the Pacific” makes both affective and effective use of the types of heliaki, defined as “metaphorically / symbolically saying one thing but historically / really meaning another,” namely, qualitative epiphoric heliaki, associative metaphoric heliaki, and constitutive metonymic heliaki, By “praise,” reference is made to highlighting the good qualities of a thing, person or work, as in the islands of the Pacific, and “rivalry” points to competing between things, persons or events, as in Nuku‘alofa and Tonga versus all of Suva and Fiji, ‘Apia and Sāmoa, Pape‘ete and Tahiti / Society Islands, and Honolulu and Hawai‘i. While the “goodness and beauty” of Fiji (Suva), Samoa (‘Apia), Tahiti / Society Islands (Pape‘ete), and Hawai‘i (Honolulu) have all been duly enumerated in the lyrics, those of Nuku‘alofa as the “Mighty Village of the Friendly Isles” and Tonga as the “Jewel of the Pacific” are by far unrivalled. Lines 1-4 are a form of “praise” and lines 5-8 a type of “rivalry” of all the verses 1-4 (as well as respective melody changes, as if lines 1-4 are verses and lines 5-8 as choruses), culminating in verse 4, line 8 in Tonga as “Jewel of the Pacific.” All the precious metals and stones belong in the jewelry, notably gold and diamond, normally used to make the crown of a monarch for both their immense beauty and utility.