written
by Veronica Leasiolagi - Lualemagafaigä Barber
illustrated by Joy Goodenow
NONU
ma MANUTAGI LA'ITITI
Sä nonofo Nonu ma ona mätua i se nu'u 'e
latalata 'i le mauga. E mäsani le tämä o Nonu ona alu e seu
manutagi e fai ai la lätou mea'ai.
'Ua fala e le tamä o Nonu se fagamanu e tu'u'ai
le tele o manutagi. Na ia fa'atonuina Nonu e leoleoina lea fagamanu.
Sä faia e Nonu lea galuega ma le fa'amäoni i aso 'uma lava.
E mäsani Nonu ona nofonofo i 'autafa o le
fagamanu ma usuusu ai ni ana pese. I sü tasi aso 'ua 'u'u e
Nonu so fasilä'au ma va'ava'ai manutagi. Te'i lava Nonu i le
aso lea, 'ua lele ifo se tasi o tama'i manutagi ma tü i luga
o lana fasilä'au. Na 'ämata ai i 'inä se uö lelei a Nonu ma
se tasi o Manutagi La'ititi.
Ua ma'i si tamä o Nonu, 'ua le toe mafai
ona alu e seu manutagi. Sä 'äga'i ina 'ua tau leai ni manutagi
o le fagamanu. Ona popole ai lea o Nonu 'ua 'äga'i ina na'o
si ana uö o Manutagi La'ititi e totoe.
'Ua vala'au atu le tinä o Nonu e ' aumai
se manutagi e fai ai le mea'ai mö lona tamä ma'i. Sä tilotilo
Nonu 'iä Manutagi La'ititi ma fa'apea ifo 'iä te iä lava, "O
lëai nei la'u mea o le'ä fai? Toe o Manutagi La'ititi o si a'u
uö. E lë sa'o ona 'ave o ia e fai ai le mea'ai. "Ae lë
sa'o fo'i ona ou talapelo 'iä tinä 'ua leai se manulele o totoe
'ou fa'asola 'iä te ia. Toe o lo'o mana'omia e tinä se manulele
e fai ai le mea'ai a tamä o lo'o ma'i."
Tago lea o Nonu 'iä Manutagi La'ititi, ua
lä o 'äga'i 'i lona tinä. Na tu'u atu e ia Manutagi La'ititi
'i lona tinä ma le maligi lava o ona loimata. Fesili atu lea
o lona tinä, "Nonu, 'aiseä 'e te tagi ai?" Ona tali
lea o Nonu, "Oi tinä 'ua lëai se manutagi o totoe i le
fagamanu. Na'o Manutagi La'ititi lenä o si a'u uö."
Sä te'i le tinä o Nonu i lea tülaga. Sä lilo
'iä te ia 'ua fai se uö a Nonu ma se tasi o manutagi. Sä toe
fesili atu o iä 'iä Nonu, '' 'Ua tonu lä iä te 'oe e fa'aaogä
Manutagi La'ititi e fai ai le meatausami a lou tamä o ma'i?"
Sä lë mafai ona tautala o Nonu i le tagi alofa 'i si ana uö.
Ona lue atu lea o lona ulu e fa'ailoa atu ai 'i lona tinä e
fa'aaogä Manutagi La'ititi.
Tago atu lea o lona tinä i le naifi ma tipi
' ese ai le mänoa mai le vae o Manutagi La'ititi. Na alu 'ese
i lea taimi Nonu mai le umukuka. E le'i fia va'ai o ia 'ua tapë
si ana uö.
E le'i umi ona nofonofo o Nonu i le pä simä,
'ae fa'alogoina e ia le vala'au a lona tinä fa'apea, "Nonu
sau 'ua vela le mea'ai." Tali lea o Nonu, " 'Ua lelei
tinä." Na toe fa'apea ifo lea o Nonu 'iä te ia lava, "Pagä
lea, 'ua vela sï a'u uö o Manutagi La'ititi, mä o a'u le pogai."
Na toe fa'alogoina fo'i lea e Nonu le vala'au
a lona tinä, "Nonu sau loa." 'Ae tali Nonu, "Fa'afetai
tinä, 'ou te le'o fia ai. Fai le lua meatausami ma tamä, se'i
o'u alu e su'e mai ni lä'au mö le umu taeao." Alu ai lea
o Nonu 'äga'i 'i le vaomätua.
E le'i 'umi lana savaliga, 'ae fa'alogoina
e ia se tagi mäsani ona faia e Manutagi La'ititi. Ona tü fa'afuase'i
ai lea o ia ma tilotilo solo. 'Ae lele atu loa Manutagi La'ititi.
Na fa'apaü 'i lalo lana 'ato ma lana pelu sa u'u, 'ae tämo'e
atu opo mai Manutagi La'ititi ma osooso 'i luga ma lalo i le
fiafia ma fa'apea atu, "O 'oe! O 'oe! O 'oe! Si a'u uö
peleina! 'Ua fa'asaoina 'oe e tinä."
Na manatu ifo lea o Nonu i le mea 'ua tupu.
Opo mau lea o si ana uö o Manutagi La'ititi ma tämomo'e 'äga'i
'i le fale. E taunu'u atu 'iläua o fa'atalitali lelei mai nai
ona mätua. Tamo'e atu lea o Nonu opo lona tinä ma fa'apea atu,
"Fa'afetai mö le fa'asaoina o si a'u uö." Toe liliu
ifo o ia opo lona tamä ma fa'afetai fo'i 'i ai.
'Ua 'uma le feiloa'iga fiafia ona fa'apea
atu lea o Nonu i ona mätua, "Tamä, 'ua 'e ma'i. 'Ae mafai
ona 'ou alu e säili mai ni manulele e fai ai le tätou mea'ai."
Fai atu lea o lona tamä, "Atali'i e, mänaia lou manatu.
'Ua 'e matua fo'i ma 'e agava'a 'e te alu to'atasi 'i le vaomatua
ma 'e toe sau." 'Ae toe tali fa'atopetope atu Nonu, "Tamä,
'ou te lë toe alu to'atasi. A lea e iai Manutagi La'ititi mä
te to'alua." Ona 'ata lëmü lea o lona tamä ma toe fai atu,
"Lelei, fai fa'alelei si au uö. Alofa ma fafaga lelei 'iä
te ia e pei lava o ae. E tele sona aogä 'iä te oe pe'ä 'e alofa
fa'amaoni 'i ai. 'Ae ö mai ina ö e pei o sou manatu e su 'e
mai ni nai manulele e fai ai la tätou mea'ai."
Alu loa le su'egämanulele a Nonu ma Manutagi
La'ititi. Fai atu lea o Nonu 'i lana uö, "Mate o fea e
faigofie ona tä maua ai ni isi manutagi?" 'Ae tali Manutagi
La'ititi, "E lë sa'o lo'u toe fesoasoani atu 'iä te 'oe
e tapu'e mai ni o'u uso. O isi manutagi 'uma o mätou lava e
tasi mai i le 'äiga e tasi." Sä te'i Nonu i le tala a Manutagi
La'ititi. 'A'o tau mäfaufau sana tala, na toe fai atu Manutagi
La'ititi. "E sili ona alu o se tä faiva. E mafai ona 'ou
fesoasoani atu e su'e le mea o tele ai ni i'a." "Manaia
lau tonu," o le tala lea a Nonu, "tä ö 'e fägogota."
Alu loa le faiva o Nonu ma lana uö. Fai atu
lea o Manutagi La'ititi 'iä Nonu, "Alo lëmü atu e oe le
tä paopao, 'ae o leä 'ou lele muamua e tilotilo se mea o tele
ai ni i'a. 'Ä 'e va'ai atu loa o o'u lelelele fa'ata'amilomilo
mai, ona 'e alo vave atuina lea o le paopao." Lue atu lea
o le ulu o Nonu 'ua lelei ma lele ai lea o Manutagi La'ititi.
'Ua lata ina goto le lä o le aso ma sä tauselau
ni manulele 'ua felelei 'äga'i i le vaomätua mo le pö. "Ae
peita'i na 'ese ai lava Manutagi La'ititi le lele 'äga'i 'i
le moana sausau e su'e ni fa'amoegäi' a.
E le'i umi lava 'ae va'aia loa e Nonu le
lelelele fa'ata'amilomilo mai o Manutagi La'ititi. Alo vave
atu loa le paopao e Nonu. E taunu'u atu, sä mäfiafia le tele
o le i'a ma sä tau le mafai ai ona alu o le paopao. Tago atu
lea o Nonu i lana 'ato 'ua asu le i' a ma fa'atumulia ai le
paopao. Fofola lea e Nonu se upega i luga o i'a ma fo'i 'äga'i
i uta.
Sä tete'i mätua o Nonu 'ua a'e atu le faiva.
I le tele o le i'a, na fa'atumulia ni 'ato se lua ma 'ave fa'aämoga
i le fale. Na mäofa mätua o Nonu i le faulala'i o i'a. Fai atu
lea o le tamä o Nonu i lona tinä e vala'au le nu'u 'atoa e ö
mai e lätou te fiafia fa'atasi.
Na 'a'ai tagata 'uma ma le fiafia. Sä lätou
fa'amälö ma vivi'i atu'iä Nonu e tusa ma le ma'eu o lona lelei
i le faiva o le fägota. 'Ua laulelei mä ma'o'ona tagata uma
o le taumafataga, 'ae lë 'uma le i'a. Na toe fa'atütumu lea
o ni 'ato e Nonu ma lona tinä ma 'ave atu e tofu le tagata ma
lana 'ato e 'ave 'i lätou 'aiga. (0 se isi fo'i lea tü ma aganu'u
a Samoa e 'ese mai ai ma isi atunu'u.)
I le tele ma le tele o ni faiva na soso'o
ai o Nonu ma Manutagi La'ititi, sa fa'atumulia pea le lä paopao
ma tufatufa atu i le nu'u 'ätoa le tele o le i'a. Sä 'avea lea
ma mea ua lotovalea ai Nonu e isi tama o le nu'u. Na lätou taupulepule
e sä'ili le mea e maui'a ai Nonu i ona faiva.
I le taeao pö ma 'ua usu le faiva o Nonu
ma Manutagi La'ititi, 'ae mulimuli 'i ai ni ali'i se to'alua
o le väega leaga. 'Ua alo le paopao o Nonu 'äga'i le moana sausau,
ae fë'äei ali'i e to'alua i luga o ni niu säsäo'ö i luga ifo
o le sami ma mäta'i le mea o alu 'i ai le paopao o Nonu.
"Ua 'ämata ona oso o le lä, ma 'ua taumälamalama
tafatafa'ilagi, ona iloa atu lea e ali'i e to'alua le lelelele
fa'ata'amilomilo mai o Manutagi La'ititi ma le alu atu fa' avave,
i ai o Nonu ma le paopao. Ona toe va'aia fo'i lea e nei ali'i
le asu fa'avai o le i'a e Nonu i totonu o le paopao. Na tonu
ai lea 'iä 'iläua e pu'e 'eseina Manutagi La'ititi ma Nonu ma
'ave e fesoasoani 'iä 'ilätou e fa'asinoa ni fa'amoegäi'a o
lätou faiva.
I le taunu'u atu o Nonu ma Manutagi La'ititi
i le mätäfaga, sa osofa'ia Nonu e ali'i e to'alua ma isi tama
o la lätou väega 'ua fa'atasi ifo. Na fetägofi atu 'ilätou 'ua
tata mai Manutagi La'ititi ma tämomo'e 'ese.
'Ua täupule se faiva tele o nei ali'i, ma
'ua logo le nu'u 'e fa'atali 'ilätou ma ni 'ato e la'u ai le
i'a. Na fa'amoemoe tasi 'ilätou 'iä Manutagi La'ititi e fa'asinoina
ni mea o iai ni fa'amoegäi'a.
Ina 'ua maua e Nonu se tala o le faiva, sä
fa'atalitali o ia 'i le mea e ö 'ese ai paopao o le faiva ma
lona fa'amoemoe e toe maua ai i'inä si ana uö o Manutagi La'ititi.
'Ae peita'i e le'i taunu'u lea fa'amoemoe i le täofiofi i tua
o Nonu e ni isi tama o le väega leaga, 'ae alo 'ese vave se
tasi o paopao e isi ali'i e to'alua ma 'ave 'ese ai Manutagi
La'ititi. Sä fai poto le amio a nei ali'i ma nonoa le vae o
Manutagi La'ititi i se afa e lë mafai ai ona sola 'ese o ia.
'Ua fa'alele e le ta'ita'i o le vaëga leaga
Manutagi La'ititi e su'e se mea o iai ni fa'amoegäi'a. Sä fa'amätagataga
lëmü e ia le afa o Manutagi La'ititi ma täofiofi ai lava 'iä
te ia. E le'i umi 'ae va'aia e lätou le lelelele fa'ata'amilomilo
mai o Manutagi La'ititi. Alo atu loa paopao o nei ali'i ma le
fiafia o le'ä tele ni lätou i'a ä maua. 'Ae le'i taunu'u lelei
atu i le uliuli mai o le fa'amoega, 'ae va'aia e 'ilätou se
mea 'ese o se fa'amoegämalie. Na toe täliu fa'atopetope paopao
o nei ali'i ma alo 'äga'i i fauna i le fiafeola. 'Ae lele 'ese
ai Manutagi La'ititi ma lele 'iä Nonu.
E taunu'u atu le väega leaga i uta, o fa'atali
mai le nu'u ma 'ua lätou maua se tala sa'o ma le 'ato'atoa mai
'iä Nonu. Sä fiafia 'ilätou i le fa'aolatia atu o lätou fanau
ta'itasi, 'ae na lätou lagonaina, se matamuli i le mea 'ua tupu.
Na le fa'atali le alu atu fa'avai o ni läuga ma ni apoapoa'iga
e pei o tü ma mäsani a Sämoa pe'ä fa'ao'otia se luma i se 'äiga
po'o se nu'u.
O se tasi o tamä o se matai täua o le nu'u
ma sä o'otia lona loto i le mä ma le tigä i le mea 'ua tupu,
na fa'asaga atu o ia o le'ä fasi lona atali'i. 'Ae tapa atu
Nonu fa'apea, "Fa'amolemole aua le o'o lou lima 'iä te
ia. Na ou ta'u atuina le mea na tupu ina ia e silafiaina ai
le mea sa'o.
'Ae lë aogä le o'o o lou lima i si ou atali'i,
'aua e lë fesoasoani lenä mea o le fasi i lona mana'o o le fia
'avea e ia ma tagata fagota. Tu'u mai e mate uö mä o se taimi
o muamua e toe alu ai le mä faiva ma Manutagi La'ititi, ona
sau lea e mätou te ö. Ou te mana'omia tele se fesoasoani."
Ona fa'apenä lea ona faia e lenei tamä. Sä fa'alogoina e isi
tagata o le nu'u le mea 'ua tupu, ona lätou fa'amolemole atu
lea 'iä Nonu e fa'a taulia atu ai ma a lätou fanau i se faiva
o muamua. Na tali leleia e Nonu mea 'uma ma lülü lima fa'atasi
i le fiafia ma tagata o le nu'u ma ana uö fou.
2.
Tigä le vevela o le lä
Mälosi mai o le afä
Lolo vai le tele o timugä
'Ae alu pea o ou faivä
'Ua faulala'i o le i'ä
Laulelei le tele o tagatä
Oi Manutagi e La'ititi
Fa'afetai säili
3.
Fiafia 'uma o tagatä
I le maua o se a'oa'ogä
A alo ma fanau a Samoä
I lou mä'ele'elegä
Tumau fo'i lou onosa'i
I le felanulanua'i
O tagata ma le olagä
E le tasi 'ae lasi.
NONU AND SMALL PIGEON
Nonu lived with his parents in a small village
at the foot of a hill. Nonu's father went out to catch pigeons.
Some of them were cooked for the family's dinner and his father
made a cage to keep the rest of the pigeons. He assigned Nonu
the chore of guarding the cage. Nonu did his assignment faithfully
everyday.
Nonu used to sit next to the cage and sing
songs. One day, he was holding a short stick while watching
the pigeons. Surprisingly, one of the small pigeons flew out
and stood on the end of Nonu's stick. This started a good friendship
between Nonu and Small Pigeon.
One week Nonu's father got sick and could
not go out to catch pigeons anymore. The number of pigeons in
the cage was getting low. Nonu started to worry that his friend,
Small Pigeon, would have to go.
Nonu's mother called him and asked him to
bring a pigeon to make dinner for his sick father. Nonu looked
at Small Pigeon and said to himself, "What am I going to
do? The only pigeon left is my friend the Small Pigeon. It is
not right to take him to make the meal. Yet, it is not
right for me to let him go and lie to Mother that there aren't
any pigeons left. Besides, mother wants a pigeon to fix a meal
for father who is sick."
Nonu picked up Small Pigeon and walked towards
his mother. He handed Small Pigeon to her with tears running
down his face. His mother asked, "Nonu, why are you crying?"
Nonu replied, "Oh mother, there are no pigeons left in the cage
except my friend, Small Pigeon, which you have."
Nonu's mother was surprised because she had
no idea Nonu had made friends with one of the pigeons. She asked
Nonu, "Are you certain that I can use Small Pigeon to make
dinner for your sick father?" Nonu could not talk as he
was crying inside. He simply nodded his head to show his mother
that it was the best thing to do.
Nonu's mother took a knife and cut off the
string on Small Pigeon's leg. Nonu walked away from the kitchen
as he did not want to watch his friend being killed.
Not too long after, Nonu was sitting on the
cement fence; he heard his mother calling, ''Nonu come the food
is ready." Nonu replied , ''Yes mother I'll be there shortly."
Then it occurred to Nonu what had happened and told himself,
"Alas! My friend Small Pigeon is cooked, and it's all my
fault."
Nonu heard his mother calling again ''Nonu
come now." He replied, "Thank you mother, but I'm
not hungry. You and father go ahead and have your dinner while
I go to find wood for tomorrow." Nonu slowly walked towards
the woods.
Not too long after he entered the forest
, he heard a familiar cry like the one that Small Pigeon used
to make. He stopped quickly and looked around and saw Small
Pigeon flying towards him.
Nonu dropped his basket and knife and ran
to get hold of his friend Small Pigeon and jumped up and down
with joy saying, "It's you! It's you! My dearest friend!
Mother saved you."
Nonu thought of what had happened, firmly
took hold of his friend, Small Pigeon, and ran towards the house.
When they arrived his parents were waiting for him. Nonu ran
to his mother and embraced her saying, "Thank you for sparing
my friend." He turned and embraced his father and thanked
him also.
After the happy reunion, Nonu said to his
parent, "Father, you are sick. I can go and find us more
birds to eat." His father said, "Son, you are thoughtful.
You are also a big boy and capable of going alone into the forest
and returning safely." Nonu interrupted excitedly saying,
"But father, I won't be going alone anymore. I'll have
my friend, Small Pigeon, to keep me company."
The father smiled softly and said, "Good,
take good care of your friend. Love and feed him well as you
would yourself. He can be very useful to you if you love him.
You and he can go as you wish to find some birds to eat."
Nonu and Small Pigeon went towards the forest
to find birds. Then Nonu asked his friend, "I guess you
know of a place where we can easily find other pigeons?"
Small Pigeon answered, "I cannot help you find and catch
my own brothers. All other pigeons are the same as me, we're
a family." Nonu was surprised by Small Pigeon's reply.
While he was trying to think of what to say, Small Pigeon made
a suggestion, "It's best that we go fishing. I can help
you find the place where we can get lots of fish." "That's
a good idea," answered Nonu, "Let's go fishing.''
Nonu and his friend took a canoe and went
out into the ocean. Then Small Pigeon said to Nonu, "You
row the canoe slowly and I'll go and look for the place where
there are lots of fish. When you see me flying in a circle,
bring the canoe to that area as fast as you can."
Nonu nodded in approval and Small Pigeon flew away.
The sun was near setting and hundreds of
birds were heading towards the forest for the night. But Small
Pigeon was flying in the opposite direction from all of the
other birds. He was heading towards the deep ocean in search
of schools of fish.
Shortly after Small Pigeon flew out over
the sea, Nonu saw him flying in a circular fashion. Nonu rowed
the canoe as fast as he could towards his friend. When he arrived,
the fish were thick and he could hardly move the canoe. Nonu
reached for his basket and scooped the fish into the canoe until
it was full. He covered the fish with a net and headed for shore.
Nonu's parents were surprised by the fishing
trip. There were so many fish that Nonu filled two baskets and
carried them home with a yoke. His parents were amazed at the
pile of fish. His father then asked his mother to call the whole
village to come and feast with them.
Everybody ate and feasted with joy at the
feast. They praised and complimented Nonu for his excellency
in the art of fishing. When everyone was full, there was still
lots of fish remaining. Nonu and his mother then filled single
baskets with fish for everyone to take home. (This is a common
thing for Samoans to do.)
On all of the fishing trips Nonu and Small
Pigeon made afterwards, the canoe was filled and the majority
of the fish were given out to the villagers. This caused the
other young men of the village to be envious of Nonu. They wanted
to find out how Nonu caught so many fish.
In the early morning when Nonu and Small
Pigeon went out to fish, two young men of the village followed
them. When Nonu rowed the canoe out towards the deep ocean,
the two young men climbed the tall coconut trees near the sea
and kept watch on Nonu's whereabouts.
The sun was beginning to rise and with light
over the horizon, the two young men saw Small Pigeon flying
in a circular fashion with Nonu rowing the canoe towards him
as fast as he could. Then they saw Nonu scooping the fish into
the canoe like water. The two consulted and decided to catch
Small Pigeon and take him away from Nonu to help them locate
schools of fish on their fishing trips.
When Nonu and Small Pigeon pulled up on shore,
the two young men and the rest of the gang who had joined them
by now jumped Nonu, grabbed hold of Small Pigeon and ran away.
The boys met and planned a fishing trip.
They told the villagers to bring baskets to the beach upon their
return in order to take the fish home. They depended solely
on Small Pigeon to show them areas with schools of fish.
When Nonu heard of the plans, he waited at
the canoe boarding point in hopes of getting his friend Small
Pigeon back. But his plans did not succeed because some members
of the village gang held him back while two gang members boarded
one of the canoes and rowed off as fast as they could with Small
Pigeon aboard. The gang members also made sure Small Pigeon
would not escape by tying one of his legs with a long string
of sennit rope.
The head of the village gang prepared to
let Small Pigeon go to find a place with schools of fish. He
slowly loosened the sennit rope for Small Pigeon, keeping him
under his control. Not too long after Small Pigeon flew off,
the village gang saw him flying in a circular fashion. They
paddled their canoes towards Small Pigeon with joy, hoping to
find lots of fish. Just before they reached the area they thought
was darkened with fish, they saw it was a school of sharks instead.
At such a sight, they turned their canoes in a hurry and headed
for shore. Small Pigeon then flew away to Nonu.
When the boys reached the shore, the villagers
received the true story from Nonu. The parents were very glad
to see their youngsters back safely, but they were also ashamed
of the situation. The speeches and the scoldings poured out
like water as expected in Samoan tradition when shame is brought
upon the family or village.
One of the fathers was a very high chief
of the village and he was ashamed and upset with his son to
the point of raising his hand to give his son a good beating.
But Nonu ran to him and said, "Please do not hurt your
son. I told you the truth. But your son wants to be a fisherman
and it will not help him for you to beat him up. Let me be his
friend and next time Small Pigeon and I go fishing, he can come
along with us. I need a lot of help." The father agreed
to do as Nonu suggested. Other villagers heard Nonu's suggestion
and asked him to please include their sons in the next fishing
trip. Nonu was only glad to get some help and agreed to take
along as many boys as he could. He shook hands with the villagers
and his new friends with joy and laughter.
MY
PIGEON
(to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean)
