Monthly Archives: November 2013

5 ways to say the Tongan letter F

Tongan letter F

5 ways to say the Tongan letter F: FA-FE-FI-FO-FU

  • Tongan is a phonetic language – say it the way you read it.
  • Take your ʻEnglish languageʼ hat off when you are learning Tongan. There are no silent letters, therefore do not get caught up by second guessing yourself about how to pronounce each letter.
  • Remember the rule: Vowels always follow a Consonant.
  • Look for the VOWEL following the consonant which will tell you how to pronounce the syllable.
  • A vowel and itʼs corresponding consonant syllable can only be said one way eg. A = (ah) and consonant F = (fah)

Using the picture prompts above for the F syllable letters practice saying some of the following words;

  1. fafa = to carry someone on your back
  2. fefafa = to carry someone on your back
  3. fēfē? = how are you?
  4. fī = to plait

Mālō ho mou meʻa mai kihe peesi masiva ko ʻeni. Koloa pe ʻe lava eni ʻo tokoni kiate koe mo hoʻo feinga ke fakalakalaka ange ʻa e lea faka-Tonga ho mou fānau.

Fuaʻamotu and the white horse

This is the story of how Fuaʻamotu got the nickname, the white horse. Ko e tala eni ʻo e hoosi teaʼ ʻa ia ko e hingoa fakateneteneʼ ʻa Fuaʻamotu.

hoositea

Fuaʻamotu, a town in Tongatapu has the unusual nickname of hoosi tea’ which means the white horse. According to oral stories, this name came about during the time of Tungi vaivai, either the father or grandfather of Queen Saloteʼs husband, Tungī Mailefihi. He had a brother who lived in Fuaʻamotu and who would often ride his white horse to visit Tungī vaivai in Mu’a. On one of these occasions, Tungī vaivai heard the trotting steps of a horse and he asked his minders who was that trotting towards them.

Ko hai ‘ena ‘oku patupatū mai? his people replied “Ko e hoosi teaʼ”
Who is that trotting towards us? his people replied, it is the white horse. That is how Fuaʻamotu came to be known as ʻThe white horseʼ town.

Ko e tala ʻo e hoosi teaʼ

Ko e hingoa fakateneteneʼ ʻa Fuaʻamotu ne faʻu ia he taimiʼ ‘o Tungī vaivai ʻa ia ko e tamaiʼ pe ko e kuiʼ ʻa Tungī Mailefihi. Naʻe nofo ha tangataʻeiki ʻi Fuaʻamotu pea naʻaʼne faʻa ʻaʻahi ange ki Muʻa ʻo vakaiʻi ʻene taʻokete ko Tungī vaivaiʼ. ʻI he ʻaho e taha ne fanongo ʻa Tungī vaivai ki he patupatū ʻo pehe ʻange ki heʻene kau tauhi “Ko hai ʻena ʻoku patupatū mai?” Ne tali e kau Muʻa “Ko e hoosi teaʼ”. Aʻu ki he ʻahoʼni kuo ʻiloa hingoa fakatenetene ʻa Fuaʻamotu ko e hoosi teaʼ.

(Anyone who wants to correct my Tongan composition please feel free to do so.)

Tongan Letter M colouring in activity

Here is another letter activity for your kids to enjoy.

  • Letter M is for manupuna (bird)
  • Manupuna literally means flying animal: manu (animal) puna (flying)
  • pronounced as MA (mah)
  • Tip: keep it simple and colour in for the little toddlers
  • Tip: for the older kids add feathers & coloured paper for them to paste

letterManimalactivity

Check out our Activities page tab up the top for more activities.