Tag: ‘Uiha

‘Oku ‘oatu ‘a e hiva ko eni ma’amoutolu kau ‘Uiha ma’alahi. Ka ‘i ai ha me’a ‘oku hala pea mou kataki ‘o tanaki mai. 

A good way to re-learn your language is through songs. This song sung by Teine Latu is a hiva hanu a lamenting song for ‘Uiha an Island in Ha’apai and perhaps a girl left behind. The italic bolded words are all landmarks associated with ‘Uiha. This is a literal translation of the song.

Makahokovalu 

1. Fangufangu mohe he vaeua pō
2. Si‘eku ‘ofa’ni mo e manako
3. ‘Oku fuiva ‘a e si‘oku loto
4. He fe‘ofa‘aki he vavamama‘o
5. Ikai malava si‘ono ha‘aha‘a
6.  Si‘eku ‘ofa’ni fai tokotaha
7. Lotomo‘ua he fiemata
8. Kae vaetu‘u a ‘e he vaha
9. Makahokovalu te u si‘i fēfē?
10. He ko e tauala ‘a e folau he
11. Auhanga Mea ‘oku kei taka fe
12. Liku’omatoto te u si‘i vale
13. Tangi muimui si‘oku loto
14. Ongo Ha‘angana ke ta fe‘ao
15. ‘Otukinekina si‘oto makano
16. Ko e na‘a a si‘i to‘onga pō
17. Lose ‘o e MakakoFele’unga
18. Tatongi ‘i hoku mafutefua
19. Huni ‘o e ‘Api ko Hala ‘Ikumea
20. Sio‘ata Vai ko Kanakana 

Makahokovalu

1. Awoken from my slumber in the midnight hour
2. My dear love and one desire
3. My dear heart is a seabird
4. that travels long-distance like our love.
5. Not able to face her busy life full of difficulties
6. My poor love doing it on her own
7. My heart is concerned to see her
8. But my feet stands still in this space/ time
9. Makahokovalu what shall become of me?
10. my voyage is sailing close to the wind
11. but the wind keeps changing direction at Auhanga Mea Pass
12. Cliff-bound coast of Matoto I will be a poor fool
13. My dear heart cries following
14. Two from Uiha look out for each other
15. Weary Island (south of Uiha) is what one desires
16. Calms my emotional state at night.
17. The Rose of Rock of Fele’unga
18. is imprinted in my heart makes it whole
19. like the huni flowers at Home of Hala ‘Ikumea
20. and the Mirrored waters of Kanakana.