Dear Famili,

Malo ho’omou lelei. I’m grateful for many things, esp. that we’re still keeping in touch with each other. These are difficult times for us, but we’re grateful as family that we always pull through. For us here at the Lalo Kalosipani, we are so grateful that some of you dare to remember us in your daily prayers and your wonderful meals . . . just as we remember you lots in your daily struggles, especially from big Maliana, whom you all have to thank. Our grand Lady Maliana is still in charge here at the Lalo Kalosipani with the assistance of Tiana & Fita. Our new man of the house Neniti, has right away got his hands on the house and we’re happy, so happy. If he wasn’t here, I don’t know pe ‘e utu fefee’i e ki’i ma’ala ‘a e ongo patele. Ka ko Neniti pe ‘oku ki’i mofi (mahalo lahi pe pu’i ‘a Tiana). Ko Milika eni lolotonga tutuku ‘enau ako Kindergarden Sangato Falakiko ‘o Asisi. Now she’s with her little brother Saimone at our Lady Maliana’s Kindergarden here at the Lalo Kalosipani. Poini and wife Silia with son Thomas (aka Tomu) are doing great. I have to tell you that with that many people, our Lalo Kalosipani feels more like a home for quite some time now . . . and I hope it’ll continue that way when my mum will return from Bundy.

First Mass with our new Parish Priest at Kolovai

We had mass today (Sunday the 11th April 2010 at 4pm) at Kolovai with our new parish priest, Fr.Mateo Lui who got shifted from Vava’u. Our two former parish priests, Fr.Saimone Moala is vacating to Jamaica (so I was told) and Fr. Visone Tangifua is being relocated to Ha’apai. As to our first mass with our new parish priest, I couldn’t help but being annoyed he tomui hotau kaingalotu, fielau hono tala ko e kaingalotu Vaotu’u (reason being is the embarrassment to the city). I was already ready to leave, believe me I was, waiting . . . but 10minutes after mass started, ko e toki maau mai ia e family 'o e Lalo Kalosipani kemau tuli ki he misa, ki Kolovai. As we came up ki hotau loto kolo . . . check this out . . . ‘oku lolotonga fakahoko mai ai e fakama’uma’u hiva ia ‘a e siasi ‘o Vaotu’u ‘i hotau holo. So we call out to them, “Pe ‘i mou fakama’uma’u hiva a moutolu hena, kamau tuli mautolu ki he misa hotau siasi”. (For your info – ko e fakama’uma’u hiva ia ki he po-hiva ‘a e palokia after the mass today). On our way to Kolovai, we had to drive with ease, for Maliana's comfort koe’uhi ko e luoluo ‘a e hala. We ran at a maximum of 30km/hour. We arrived at our destination ko e hiva mai ia ‘a e lotu “Kololia”. Just as Maliana got out to pass over the main entrance ki he falelotu, ko e toki taupatu mai ia ‘a e kaingalotu Vaotu’u he’enau me’alele, pea mo’oni ai ‘a e lau ‘a e Patele mei Peru, “I am a Matahauan”. Mahalo ‘oku pehe ‘e he tauhi palokia fo’ou ia ko ha ‘atunga lau ‘a e tomui ‘a e ki’i kaingalotu mei he Mata-'oe-hau!

Easter week & Station of the Cross

Our Easter week has been full of blessings (so I wish). Our Palm Sunday mass was at Kolovai. Ko e misa moeaki ‘o e pekia on Holy Thursday was done here in the city. Good Friday’s Station of the cross was commemorated at Te’ekiu, then Saturday Easter Mass and Sunday were both celebrated at Kolovai. For all the travelling here and there, I had to advise ‘emau pulengaue (Tu’ifua) in my role as treasurer ‘oku lolotonga hala pa’anga e kaingalotu. But greatful enough that Tu’ifua negotiated with Ngalukilo (Samuela Lamaika Moala) ke lele fakamo’ua pe kaingalotu he pasi ‘a e siasi Mamonga, and that is what happened, pea ‘oku kei tu’u ai e ‘otu mo’ua ko ia ‘a e kaingalotu ke totongi ‘aki e pasi. Mahalo na’a vave ange ke lukuluku fo’i ‘ufi pe 'a e kaingalotu ia ki he pasi, ‘e vave ange ia he ‘ai ke tanaki ha silini.

Our stations of the cross (setasio) was well done (as I was told). For this special Good Friday I was hoping to play the main character (Jesus), but disappointingly they put me up in one of the roles of the two thieves that were crucified together with Jesus. Even more disappointing, is that I had to play the thief na’a ne fakafisinga’i ‘a Sesu, not just once, but this has become the second time, as I did it also at last year’s Station of the Cross. I have to say, the ONLY best memory for me on playing this role, is hearing my little niece Milika crying out in front of the crowd ke “’oua ‘e tutuki ‘a Hiko ia . . . Tiana ko Hiko e ‘e mate ia . . . ei tuku hono tutuki ‘eku ungkolo”, and she was crying when saw me with the thought of being put to my death. Although she did the same in last year’s station of the cross, Milika actually thought it was the end for me. We came home, and she kept telling Maliana and everybody that somehow I'm alive again, like I was the one resurrected (fielau ko e ‘Ahau).

Po-hiva ‘o e Toetu’u

Na’e faka’osi ‘aki foki e fakamanatu ‘o e uike Pekia & Toetu’u ‘a e po-hiva, na’e fakahoko pe ki he ‘api siasi ‘i Kolovai after the Sunday mass. Kuo hoko ‘eni e kau hiva ia ‘a Matahau, ko e fakaoli pe, he na’e toki teuteu’i hake pe ‘enau hiva hili pe ‘a e misa. Kuo puli foki e faihiva ia (Stanley) pea hange kuo he ai pe mo e kau hiva. Ko hono toki ‘ohofi hake pe 'i he miniti faka’osi, in trying to save us from the embarrassment of missing out without a choir mei he po-hiva. Tukukehe ange ‘a hono fakakata’i mo hono manuki’i mai mei he ngaahi kolo kehe ‘a ‘emau last minute preparation & rehearsal, ka na’e ongo mai foki ‘a e lea faka’ofa’ia mei he ni’ihi ‘o e kaingalotu kehe mei Fatai, Kolovai mo Te’ekiu, ki he kuonga fo’ou ‘oku ‘i ai e komiuniti Sangato Sosefo ko e Tangata Ngaue (tokua ‘oku nau ngaungaue) mo e manatu ‘ofa kia Matakaiongo (who’s been ill and with his knee problem he can only stay home these days). Na’e hoko atu e po-hiva, and who can’t deny or stop e fehalaaki makatu’unga mei he ta’emateuteu he’ene pehe fau. My aunty and former city citizen, Lepeti Ta’ai couldn’t help her tears but moved over ke tokoni ki he'emau hiva as they (Te’ekiu) sat right next to us. The other choirs, they look solid, in numbers and unified, but it didn’t stop ‘a ‘enau ngaahi fo’i ‘oho noa’ia holo lolotonga ‘enau ngaahi hiva, talu ai pe hono fakaseifi’i ke fakaoli. Only my aunty and former citizen, Lepeti Ta’ai, was not impressed, hili ange ‘ene fo’i ‘ohohala hake lolotonga 'enau hiva, mo e mahu’u hake foki e kata ia ‘a e ta’ahine he kau hiva ‘a Matahau, pea tuku ai e hiva ‘eku aunty, ka ne tafoki hake mo ‘ene fu’u iiii ‘o fakama’u he lou fofonga ‘o ‘emau ta’ahine for laughing at her (Lepeti), a big mistake to try it on Lepeti as you guys know her too. This was all visible to the guests of that day, Fr. Saimone & Fr. Visone who were so amused by the incident.

Crime Status in the city

Ok, for the sake of Easter, let me fill you up on some crime status - good news with the latest crime bust in the city. Kuo ‘osi fakahoko foki ‘a e fono ‘a e ‘Eiki ma’u tofi’a hotau fonua, Nopele Tu’ivakano, fekau’aki mo e tangata ko ia na’a ne kaiha’asi ‘ene ongo fu’u pulu ‘e ua, both valued at $10,000 ‘o fakatau atu both for $1,300, ke ne mavahe leva he vave taha mei hono tofi’a. Ko e hili ia hono ma’u pea ‘ilo e tangata ni, (now referred to as Sione “Pulu” pea faka’ilo ‘i he fakamaau’anga polisi ‘i Nukunuku, pea tautea malu’i angalelei ai. ‘Oku fakaofoofo e tokolahi he ta’eufi ‘a e ngaue pango ni, neongo ‘oku ‘ikai ofo ai ‘a e motu’a ni, he kapau kuo kakaa’i ‘e Sione Pulu ‘a e fa’ahinga tapu (kau taupo’ou) pea ko e ha me’a ka toe holomui ai mei he ‘eiki ma’u tofi’a. The Hon. Tu’ivakano himself had reports ‘o e ngaahi kaiha’a ngoue such as ta’aki manioke mo e kumala (which has become as common today as stealing koloa fakaTonga in today’s Tongatapu) ‘a Sione Pulu mei he kainga Vaotu'u, not to mention his stealing crops from our own citizens in Matahau. During our polopolo, he signaled me over to take a picture of him and his harvest (which he seemed to be proud of), and I walked the other way, thinking to myself, ‘ai na’a ne pehe teu faitaa’i, na’a ma’u hala ‘e he kakai ko ha tama Matahau ia. Kaikehe, neongo ‘a e fiefia he'ene mavahe atu, ka ‘oku ‘i ai pe ‘a e teki, koe’uhi ‘oku mei vave ta’aki ‘e manioke. Ko ia ‘a e kole atu ko ‘eni kia Patele Palenapa ki Peru, ka ke ka sio atu hena ha me’afana li noa’ia pea ke kataki ‘o fakamoimoi’i mai ke le’o ‘aki ‘etau manioke. If possible, pea ke ‘omai e kalasi 'oku ui ko e “AK-47” ‘oku ‘aka’aka pea toe le’o lahi foki. Koe’uhi ko ‘ene fo’i pa pe ‘e taha ‘a e me’afana, pea ko ‘ene poto ia 'etau kau kaiha'a ke ‘oua na’a nau toe feinga mai ki he'etau manioke.

Lisiate Manu Jr First Birthday Celebration

The main celebration today, na’e katoanga’i ai ‘a e birthday ta’u taha ‘o e mokopuna ‘o Lisiate mo Kasanita Manu, ka ko e foha ‘o Tu’akilaumea Jr mo Siniva 'oku ui pe ko "Lisiate ‘Okusitino Leonati Puluno Hola mei Faua Maumau he ‘Ofa Manu Jr". Lau mai ho'omou hingoa loloa e! I just found out about the celebration last night, when my brother Samisoni asked me ke drop-off ia mo Paea ‘a Tu’ifua & Tefa, ki he konga tahi toafa ‘i Kolovai ke na ‘alu ‘o ama, ko e feinga ha kiki ke tokoni ki he birthday. So I dropped them off by 9pm last nite, and picked them up at 3am Sunday morning. They made a good catch though (please click here for more pictures in our photo gallery), and so was I, after getting my share for providing the transport (see this photo below). Ma’u ai pe fo’i paka ‘a Maliana, ‘ota for me and Neniti, mo e kai lelei ai pe ‘a e fanau ‘o e Kindy Lalo Kalosipani, Milika, Saimone mo Tomu he kuo fu’u fo’ou e ‘asi ‘a e mata’i ika, as we could only afford the kapapulu and alanga’i moa. But the celebration today, was blessed by Fr. Saimone, na’e fakahoko pe ‘i he ‘api fakafamili ki Ma’olunga. Na’e ‘i ai foki ‘a Tu’ila, kae pehe ki he kau faikava, with the blessing of the neighbourhood ki hono fakahounga’i e teu. Na’e fakaafe fakalangilangi ‘a ‘AnaMaka, kae pehe kia Talivaka. Na’e ‘i ai e fakafofonga ‘o e fahu, ‘a Makalita (with husband Lopiseni) kae pehe kia ‘Otolata mo ‘ene fanau.

Kaikehe famili, tuku mu’a keu ki’i koma a he. At least ke mou kei mea’i pe, ‘oku mau ‘ofa lahi atu kiate kimoutolu hono kotoa mo e hufaki lahi foki. Pea ke mou tauhi lelei foki. Tokanga na’a ke li noa’ia ha’o silini, manatu ‘oku 'iai e ‘api masiva ‘i Tonga 'oku ui ko e Lalo Kalosipani, he ‘oku mau hounga’ia ma’u pe, ‘i ha ‘ofa pe tokoni ‘e ma’u mai. Kae faka’osi a ‘emau haka ‘ufi na’e ngako. ‘Ofa lahi atu ki he fanga ungkolo, ki fe pe 'oku mou 'iai, mo e fanga fa’ee. Sorry atu to anyone if you feel offended by the jokes I put here. My humble apology. But please, keep it to yourself, I'll be working on it for sure. Mou nofo a. 'Ofa atu 'aupito.

Ko au Hiko-‘i-Taulanga

Lalo Kalosipani News Update 9