Three new books on
Three new books - Veimau, Faiva ta`anga and `Aati `o e Lea Tonga Heliaki – on aspects of Tongan society, history and culture - where a leading Tongan anthropologist, historian, poet and art critic Dr `Okusitino Māhina (Anthropology) was actively involved in their production - were launched at the recent official opening of Tūtoatasi Studyhall and formal establishment of Vava`u Academy for Critical Inquiry & Applied Research, Tāpinga`amaama Campus, in the village of Tefisi-Nga`akau on the island of Vava`u in Tonga, Saturday 1st September, 2007. These are part of the broader educational and developmental activities carried out at the newly-formed Dr `Okusitino Māhina Education Centre.
The original essays in the books are each critically examined in the philosophical context of Dr Māhina’s new culturally-led, empirically-driven tā-vā, time-space theory of reality currently under development by him and several of his colleagues and students. All the three books, funded by the Vava`u Academy and
Veimau: Maau mo Potutatau kae Fepakitu`u mo Fihitu`u: Order and Harmony yet Conflicting and Complex: Ma`alali Faleako Tūtoatasi & `Akatemī `o Vava`u kihe Fakaanga Fakaako & Fakatotolo Faka`aonga: Celebrating Tūtoatasi Studyhall & Vava`u Academy for Critical Inquiry & Applied Research
This new book - co-authored by Dr `Okusitino Māhina (Anthropology), Sēmisi Paula Manuēsina Tōnata Potauaine (Architecture), Mele Ha`amoa Māhina-‘Alatini (Ancient History & Classics), Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai (Te Papa Museum Tongarewa), `Aisea Nau Matthew Māhina (Philosophy) and Manuēsina `Ofakihautolo Māhina (Pacific Studies) - marked the celebrations of the official opening of Tūtoatasi Studyhall and formal establishment of Vava`u Academy for Critical Inquiry & Applied Research. The book is written in both Tongan and English languages. The foreword was by Dr Robin Siale Havea, who teaches pure mathematics at the University of the South Pacific,
These initiatives are part of the activities of the Tefisi-Nga`akau Village Education and Development Trust legally incorporated in 2003, with the New Zealand branch chaired by Dr Māhina. All the authors are members of the Academy which strictly focuses on critical inquiry and applied research and publication in both Tongan and English, with Dr Māhina and Dr Havea as Director and Deputy Director respectively. The Education Centre, where the Studyhall and Academy are situated, is so named after Dr `Okusitino Māhina, in recognition of his work in the community.
The logo of the Academy is a customary design named veimau, literally meaning ordered-water-flow. The cover design is based on an enlarged veimau, the abstract dimension of water. Following its logo, however, the motto of the Academy is: Order and Harmony yet Conflicting and Complex. Not only are they fundamental features of flowing water specifically, they are, too, permanent aspects of reality generally. Besides, the book also includes poems by members of the Academy, along with their literary criticism. The highlight of the book - which is dedicated to the late Noble Fakafanua (Tūtoatasi Kinikinilau) for his unselfish and tireless support over the years - is an original essay by Dr Māhina on philosophical, aesthetic and intellectual aspects of customary Tongan theories of education, talanoa literally talking-critically-yet-harmoniously and mind.
Faiva ta`anga: Maau filifili `a `Okusitino Māhina
This new book (trans. Art of poetry: Selected poems by `Okusitino Māhina) by Dr `Okusitino Māhina (Anthropology) is in Tongan. The foreword, introduction and conclusion were written respectively by members of the Vava`u Academy Tanusia-Kihe-Lotu (Taniela H. Vao), Dr Viliami Uasikē Lātū and `Aisea Nau Matthew Māhina. The book is a collection of a selection of his poems written since early 1970s, when he was a student at `
The book is divided into nine sections, representing the nine poetic genres in which Dr Māhina produces his poetry. They range from nature, historical and scenery poetry through love, dance and political poetry to mourning, social praise and advertisement poetry. Some of his poems that have been translated into English and Māori are included in the appendices. The collection is accompanied by an original essay in which Dr Māhina critiques the nature of Tongan poetry, making important findings relating to such things as heliaki, Tongan epiphoric and metaphoric device for the qualitative and associative exchange of ideas, images and objects in poetry. This includes the generic classification of Tongan poetry by way of form, content, medium and function. Herein, Dr Māhina formulated a ta-va, time-space theory of poetry in particular and of art and literature in general.
Tufunga lalava artist Filipe Tohi created the beautiful cover design, haulea, for the book, with the veimau kupesi as a background. It involves a translation of one of the shorter poems into the Tongan lalava language, which Filipe discovered to have been secretly but cleverly encoded in the geometric designs.
`Aati `o e Lea Tonga Heliaki: Tufunga mo e Faiva Lea Heliaki
This new book (trans. Art of Proverbs: Material and Performance Arts of Proverbs) by Dr `Okusitino Māhina (Anthropology) and Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai (Te Papa Museum Tongarewa) records, all in the vernacular, some 1695 most beautiful Tongan proverbs, lea heliaki, reflecting on both the breadth and depth of Tongan conceptual and functional sense of creativity, originality and objectivity in connection with language, with the foreword by Tēvita O. Ka`ili and conclusion by Dr Viliami Uasikē Lātū. Unlike Dr Mahina’s first book of proverbs, which featured some 600 proverbs, having more old than new proverbial sayings, this book consists of more contemporary lea heliaki than customary ones, confirming the fact that, like all things, in nature, mind and society, language does change ceaselessly.
In their joint original essay, Dr Māhina and Māhina-Tuai make some critical observations of the nature of Tongan proverbs which are considered an art form, divided temporally-spatially, formally-substantially into tufunga lea heliaki and faiva lea heliaki, material and performance arts. Moreover, they observe that proverbs can be regarded as one-line, one-verse poems, while poems are taken to be a collection of proverbs. Furthermore, they also discover that, like the Tongan arts of myths and legends, Tongan proverbs can be classified aesthetically either as a form of comedy, faiva fakaoli, or a type of tragedy, faiva fakamamahi, or a mixture of both, thereby yielding to their functional value as an instrument for moral instructions. This is related respectively to laughter and shame as outcomes connected with comedy and tragedy, which function as a form of self-knowledge, celebrating the fact that one is now conscious that an error of judgement has been committed in one’s thinking about reality, be they nature, mind or society.
Malo e lelei to all the Tongans. First, please permit me to post my comments in Tongans, since I find myself more comfortable expressing in my native tongue.Secondly the majority of the readers who are interesting in this topic ,know little about English.
‘Oku ou kole pe keu hufanga ‘ihe talamalu ‘oe fonua , moe ngaahi talafakatapu kotoa pe ‘oku fa’a ngaue ‘aki ‘ihe fetu’utaki’anga koeni kae lava mu’a ke hao atu ha talanga kihe topiki kuo fokotu’u ‘e Dr. Ma’afu Palu.’Oku ou lave’i ‘oku ‘iai ‘ae totonu ‘a Dr. Ma’afu Palu ki he’ene fakakaukau mo ‘ene ma’u . Ka ki he vakai ‘ae motu’a tu’a ni ‘oku fu’u ta’efe’unga ia mo ha tokotaha ‘oku leipolo’i ‘i hono hingoa ‘ae Dr. pe koe Toketa. Kataki pe na’a ngali ‘oku ou fiematamu’a ka ‘oku ‘ikai keu ‘ilo’i pe koe mala’e fe teu lava fakatatau ai kiate koe. ‘Oku ‘ikaiha ‘ate toketa ‘o kita .Koe tapinga pe eni ia mei tu’angalu.
‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha tokotaha au meihe ngaahi siasi Metotisi na’a ke fokotu’u mai.Koe me’a ‘oku ou ta’engali’ia ai koe founga ‘oe fokotu’u ho’o fakakaukau ‘oku hange ha ta ki he foaki ‘oku fai ‘ehe ngaahi siasi na’a ke fakaha. Koe me’a ‘oku ha mahino mai , ‘oku ke fai fakamaau . Pea ke ‘uluaki ‘efihia pe ai.’Oku fakaha mai ‘ehe folofola ke ‘oua na’ake fai fakamaau he’e fakamaau’i koe ‘o fakatatau ki ho’o fakamaau ‘oku fai. Ko hono ua ‘oku a’u pe ho’o fakamaau kihe tu’unga kuo ke heka koe he sea ‘oe ‘Otua ‘o fai ‘ae fakamaau’i pe ko hai ‘e ma’u ‘ene tapuaki pe ‘ikai ‘o makatu’unga ‘i he’ene foaki.Fakatatau ki ho’o fakamatala ‘iho’o poini hono fa , na’a ke pehe ai, “we must not expect any special blessing from God for giving money to the church…”.Koe ‘Otua pe ‘e taha ‘oku tufa ‘a ‘ene tapuaki kae ‘ikai fakatatau ki ho’o vakai. Koe’uhi he ‘oku lahi ‘ae konga ‘oe folofola ‘oku ‘asi ai ‘ae foaki ‘o a’u kihe foaki ‘oe pa’anga.’Oku mahino ‘ae poini ‘oku ke feinga ke fakamahino fekau’aki moe ako’i ‘e Sisu ‘ae anga ‘oe foaki (Matthew 6:2-4) pea ‘oku mahino ‘aupito pe ‘ae kakai koia. Ka ‘oku ou tui ‘oku ‘ikai totonu ke tau pehe ‘ae tokotaha kotoa ‘oku foaki he ‘aho koia pea ‘oku ‘ikai keu tui ‘oku pehe ‘ae laumalie kotoa ‘oe foaki ‘ihe misinale. Kapau ‘oku ‘iai ha fa’ahinga ‘oku pehe ‘ae anga ‘o ‘enau foaki pea ‘oku ‘iate ia pe moe ‘Otua.
Ma’afu Palu, na’ake pehe ‘i ho’o ‘uluaki poini ‘o pehe ‘oku fakamatala fakalaumalie ‘ehe kau faifekau Metotisi ‘o fakapulou mai ai ‘a ‘enau taumu’a koe feinga’i ke foaki ‘ae kakai ki he siasi kihe ngaahi ngaue ‘ae siasi kae fakalea ‘o pehe koe feilaulau pe foaki mo’ui. Pea ke pehe ai koe feilaulau na’e ‘osi fai ia ‘e Sisu ‘ihe kolosi.
Kapau na’e ‘afi’o'i ‘a Sisu ko ‘ene feilaulau pea mo hono kolosi ‘oku lava ai pe ‘ae me’a kotoa, ‘oku ou tui na’e ‘ikai ke toe folofola mai ke fua hotau kolosi pea tau muimui ange ‘iate ia. Koe feilaulau na’e fai ‘e Sisu he kolosi , koe huhu’i ia ‘o ‘etau hia ka ‘oku mahino ‘aupito pe ‘ae fua kolosi ‘oku fiema’u ke tau muimui ‘ia Sisu ‘oku ‘iai hono ngaahi pole pea ‘oku ou tui ‘oku mahino pe ia kia koe ma au.’Oku ‘iai ‘ae ngaahi taimi ‘oku tau kalusefai ‘etau ngaahi fiema’u ka tau foaki kihe siasi . ‘Oku ‘ikaiha siasi ia ‘i mamani talu mei he kau ‘apositolo ‘o a’u mai kihe tamimi ni, ‘oku lava ke lele ta’ekau ai ‘ae tokoni hono kau memipa ‘o a’u kihe tokoni fakapa’anga. Kapau ‘oku’iai ha siasi ‘oku ‘ikai ke ne fiema’u ‘e ia ‘ae pa’anga mei he kakai pea ke fakaha mai, kau talaatu ‘ae pa’anga ‘oku ne ma’u meihe kakai.
Ko hono ua ho’o poini na’a ke pehe ai ‘oku ‘ikai ke fiema’u ‘ehe ‘Otua ‘etau pa’anga pea koia ‘ai ‘oku ‘ikai ke totonu ke tau foaki ki he siasi.
Koe ‘uluaki ‘o ‘eku fakakaukau ki ho’o poini, ‘oku ke mo’oni ‘oku ‘ikai ke fiema’u ‘ehe ‘Otua ia ‘a ‘etau pa’anga. Pea ‘oku ‘ikai ke ne fiema’u ‘e ia ‘a hotau poto mo hotau ivi he te ne lava pe ‘e ia ‘o fai ‘ae ngaue tokotaha pe. Ka ‘oku ‘ikai koe poini ia.’Oku tau fononga ‘ihe pilikimi ki fonua ko Hevani pea ‘oku ne fiema’u ke tau ngaue ‘i mamani kae tautefito ‘ihe siasi. Koeha ‘ae siasi.Koe siasi ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha sino ‘oku makehe meia Sisu ka koe sino ha mai ia ‘o Sisu ‘i mamani-(1Cor.12,12f ;Rom.12,5. ; Eph.1,22f.)Pea ‘oku tau kau kotoa ki he sino ‘o Sisu ‘o tatau aipe pe koe fe ‘ae siasi ‘oku ke tui kiai.Koia ai Ma’afu , koe foaki ‘oku ke fai kihe siasi ‘oku ke kau kiai ko ho’o foaki ia ki he sino ‘o Kalaisi. Pe koeha ho’o ‘uhinga ‘a koe kai ka ‘oku tau kau kihe sino ‘o Kalaisi.
‘I ho’o poini hono tolu ‘oku ke pehe ‘oku lohiaki’i ‘ehe kau ma’u mafai moe kau faifekau ‘oe ngaahi siasi koeni ‘ae kakai ‘o tala ‘oku ma’u honau tapuaki makehe ‘ihe ‘enau foaki ‘a ‘enau pa’anga. Ko ‘eku ki’i tokoni pe ke lau ‘ae Acts.5,1-11. Koe pa’anga koia na’e taumu’a kiai ‘a Ananias mo Sapphira ‘ihe fakatau atu ‘ae konga kelekele , koe taumua ‘e foaki he misinale pe koe foaki kihe siasi pea koe me’a na’e hoko ‘ihe ‘ikai ke na foaki kakato ‘ae pa’anga koe iku ‘o na mate.Koe fakamahino ia koe foaki ‘oku tau fai ki he siasi koe foaki kihe ‘Otua.Hange koe lea koia ‘a Pita kia Anania mo Sapphira, “‘Oku ‘ikai ko ha’o loi kihe tangata ka ko ho’o loi ki he ‘Otua.”Te ke toe fakamatala fefe’i ia. Koe faoki kihe siasi , koe foaki ia kihe ‘Otua.
‘I ho’o poini hono fa, ‘oku ke pehe ai ‘oku ‘ikai hoifua ‘ae ‘Otua kiate kinautolu ‘oku foaki ke ‘ilo ‘ehe kakai Mat. 6;2-4. ‘Oku ou tui mo’oni kihe mo’oni koia . Ka ko ‘etau nofo ke tau fakasiosio ‘ae kakai koia pea tau pehe ai ‘oku hala ‘ae kakai kotoa he siasi koia , koe’uhi ‘oku ke tui ‘oku nau foaki pehe kotoa. Tuku pe mu’a kihe ‘Otua kene ke ne toki fakamaau’i , he ‘oku kehe ‘ae anga ‘o ‘etau sio mei vakai ‘ae ‘Otua.
Ko ho’o poini hono nima pea ‘oku malie he ‘oku a’u aipe ‘a ho’o faifakamaau ‘o fakamaau’i ‘ae kakai ‘oku totonu ke nau hao honau laumalie makatu’unga ‘i ho’o tui ‘oku ‘ikai ke ‘aonga ‘ae foaki moe ngaue lelei.Na’a ke pehe, “we should not expect to enter eternal life on the basis of what we give to the church whether it is money, our time or our work “.
‘Oku ou tui he’ikai ke hanga ‘ehe folofola ‘o toe faka’ikai’i pe ‘ae folofola. Hili ia , ‘oku tau tui koe folofola ‘oku ma’oni’oni pea ‘oku mo’oni ‘ae ngaahi me’a kotoa ‘oku fakaha mai ai.’Ihe Kosipeli ‘a Matiu ‘oku fakamatala ai kihe ‘aho ‘oe fakamaau , pea vahe’i ai ‘ae fanga sipi meihe fanga kosi. Pea folofola ‘a Sisu,”Na’a ku fiekaia pea na’a ke fafanga au, na’aku ‘ihe pilisone pea na’a ke ‘a’ahi mai kiate au….” Pea ‘eke ange ‘e kinautolu na’e ‘ihe to’omata’u, “‘Eiki na’a mau ‘ilo fakaku koe na’a ke fiekaua pea mau fafanga koe pe te ke ‘ihe pilisone….” Pea folofola ‘a Sisu ,”Koe me’a kotoa pe ‘oku ke fai kihe si’i taha ‘i ho fanga tokoua , ko ho’o fai ia kiate au”. Koe lea faka’osi na’e fai ‘e Sisu kihe kakai koeni ‘i hono to’omata’u, “Hu mai kimautolu ki hoku pule’ange”.
‘Oku ke pehe leva ‘e Toketa Ma’afu Palu ‘oku ‘ikai ha ‘aonga ‘oe ngaue lelei.Hange koe fafanga ‘ae fiekaia, ‘a’ahi kihe pilisone etc. Koe ola ‘oe ngaue lelei koia koe hu kihe pule’anga ‘oe ‘Otua. Kapau ‘oku ‘ikai ke ke fiemalie ai pea ke lau ‘ae Matthew 7;21 “Oku ‘ikai ko kinautolu ‘oku nau pehe ‘Eiki ,’Eiki, ka ko kinautolu ‘oku nau fai ‘ae finangalo ‘oe Tamai,
Roman 2;2-8 “…’ae fakamaau totonu ‘ae ‘Otua, ‘a ‘Ene ‘Afio te ne ‘atu kihe tangata takitaha , ‘o fakatatau ki he’ene ngaue.”
Eph.2;8-10 + 2Cor.5;10 + 2Cor.11;15 +1Peter1;17 + Rev.20;12-13 + Col.3;24-25
Lau ‘ihe tohi ‘a Semisi 2;14-24 “Si’oku kainga, koe ha tu hano ‘aonga ‘ae pehe ‘e ha taha ‘oku ne tui, ‘osi ‘oku ‘ikai ha ai ha ngaue ? Kapau te ke lau ‘ae veesi kakato 14-24 ‘e mahino lele kiate koe ‘ae mahu’inga ‘oe ngaue lele ki he’etau mo’ui fakalaumalie pea fakapapau mai ai ‘ae mo’ui kihe maama kaha’u.
Koe faka’osi ho’o fakamatala na’a ke pehe ai ki he tradition. ‘Oku totonu pe ke tau toe vakai fakalelei kihe me’a ‘oku tau fakamaau’i na’a koe tradition pe ia ‘oe siasi mei mu’a ‘ae foaki moe ngaue lelei , ka ‘oku ke ha’i fakataha pe ‘e koe ‘ihe fo’ilea koe misinale. Koe foaki pa’anga kihe siasi ‘oku faka’otua pe ‘o hange koia na’aku lave kiai kimu’a. Koe ngaue lele ‘oku faka’Otua pe pea toe fakatohitapu.Ko hono fakahoko pe ‘o’ona ‘ihe ‘uhinga hala pea ‘e hala ia. Koe ‘Otua pe ‘oku ne ‘afio’i ‘ae ‘uhinga hala.
fekau’aki moe tradition pe tukufakaholo, ‘oku fakatohitapu pe mo ia.2Thess.2;15 “‘Aua, koia kainga,ke mou puke ‘ae ngaahi tu’utu’uni (tradition) na’a mou ako ‘i he’emau ngaahi lea moe tohi.” ‘Ihe tohi ‘a Paula kihe kakai Kolinito, 1Cor.11;2 “…pukepuke ‘ae ngaahi tu’utu’uni (tradition) ‘o fakatatau ki he’eku tuku atu.”
Koia ai Dr.Ma’afu Palu, ‘oku ou kole atu ke tau faka’apa’apa’i pe mu’a ‘ae ngaahi fokotu’utu’u ‘oha siasi pea ka ‘oku ‘iai ha’o fie fekumi kihe mo’oni pea totonu (fair) ki he faha’i koia ‘oku ke fakaanga’i pea ‘oku ‘iai ‘a ‘eku fokotu’u. Fefe ke fokotu’utu’u ha tau tipeiti ke lava ke ke fehangahangai ai moe ngaahi siasi koeni pea fokotu’u kiai ‘a anga ho’o fakakaukau pea ke ‘oange mo ho’o poupou fakatohitapu,fakahisitolia etc. pea lava ai ke ke fanongo tonu mei he ‘uhinga moe ngaahi mo’oni ‘oku ‘ihe ngaahi siasi koia.
‘Oku ou kole fakamolemole atu na’a ngali ‘oku ou tukuhifo ho ngeia mo ho langilangi ka ‘oku ou ongo’i pe ‘e lave ke hoko ‘ae ngaahi lotomamahi pea ‘e fai ‘ae feta’aki fakasiasi pea ‘e hoko leva ‘ae ngaahi ‘a vahevahe koe tukia’anga ‘ae anga ‘o ‘etau feohi fakatonga moe fe’ofo’ofa ni fakakainga.Kapau ‘oku ‘iai ha feinga ke tau femahino’aki ‘ihe ngaahi fehu’i ‘oku tau tafu’ua ai pea ‘oku ou tui ‘oku ‘iai pe ‘ae founga ‘oku fakapotopoto,melino,faka’apa’apa,toka’i .Neongo ‘etau kehekehe ‘e lava pe ke tau taha pea tau kei malohi pe ‘i he’etau nofo faka-Togna.
UNITY AND SOLIDARITY IN DIVERSITIES.
Malo moe ‘ofa lahi atu kihe Tonga kotoa.JP.