Lepeka Suani Uiliami: Tuʻumaʻu mo Taʻeueʻia

Naʻe fāʻeleʻi ʻa Lepeka Suani ʻi Penisilivēnia, ʻAmelika, ʻi he 1798 pea ko e siʻisiʻi taha ia ʻi he fānau ʻe toko 10.² Naʻe hiki honau fāmilí ki Naiakalā, ofi ki he kauʻāfonua mo Kānatá ʻi hono taʻu 9. Naʻa nau nofo ofi ki he Kolotau ko Naiakalaá ʻo nau lava ke fanongo ki he pā ʻa e meʻafaná he taimi naʻe ʻohofi ai ʻa e kolotaú lolotonga ʻa e Tau ʻo e 1812. Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe Lepeka ʻene taʻemanavaheé neongo ne kei finemui. Lolotonga ʻene fononga atu ʻi ha taimi ʻe taha ʻi he loto vaotaá, naʻá ne fetaulaki ʻo fehangahangai mo ha pea ʻi he halá. Naʻá ne toʻo hono kiʻi fakamalú ʻo ne toutou teke mo tuku hifo ʻi muʻa he mata ʻo e peá, pea tafoki leva ʻa e peá ʻo hola.³

ʻI he taʻu 17 ʻa Lepeká, naʻá ne kolosi he Anovai ʻOnateleó ke ʻaʻahi ki hono tokoua ʻi Tituloiti. ʻI heʻene fonongá, naʻá ne fetaulaki ai mo e ʻeikivaka pahauhau mo kanoʻimata ʻuliʻuli ko Feletiliki Kulenisā Uiliamí. Ne vave hono liliu ʻena femanakoʻakí ko e feʻofaʻaki, pea naʻá na mali ʻi he konga ki mui ʻo e 1815. Naʻá na hiki takai pē ʻi he fonua Fakahihifo (Western Reserve) ʻo ʻOhaió, ʻi ʻAmelika, kimuʻa peá na toki nofo maʻu ʻi Ketilani he 1828 nai. Naʻe ngāue fakafaitoʻo hono husepānití pea naʻe ʻiloa ia ʻi he ngaahi meʻa naʻá ne lavá, pea ako mo Lepeka ke tokoni ki ai ʻi heʻene ngāué. Naʻe ʻi ai ʻena fānau ʻe toko fā.

ʻI he faʻahitaʻu fakatōlau ʻo e 1830, ne tūʻuta ai e fuofua kau faifekau Māmongá ʻi Ketilani. Naʻe fie fanongo ʻa Lepeka kiate kinautolu pea naʻá ne ʻalu ki he ngaahi fakatahaʻanga kotoa ʻa e kau faifekaú; naʻe aʻu ʻo ne ʻave ʻene fānaú. Naʻe ʻalu mo Feletiliki he taimi naʻe ʻatā ai mei heʻene ngāué. Naʻe feakoʻaki, fealēleaʻaki mo fakataha ʻa e ongo meʻá ni, ka naʻe ʻikai ke fuʻu fakapapauʻi ʻe Feletiliki ʻa ʻene tuí. Ka naʻe tui ʻa Lepeka ia ki he moʻoni ʻo e ongoongoleleí.

Ne toki fakamatalaʻi kimui ʻa Lepeka ʻe ha tokotaha faʻu piokālafi fakafāmili ʻo pehē naʻe hangē ia ko ʻIvi ʻi he Ngoue ko ʻĪtení: ko ia “ ʻa e tokotaha ke ʻuluaki sio ki he fie maʻu” ko ia ke kau kakato ki he fuakava ʻo e ongoongoleleí.⁴ Naʻe papitaiso ia ʻi ʻOkatopa ʻo e 1830.

Naʻe kei veiveiua pē ʻa Feletiliki. Taimi ʻe niʻihi naʻá ne loto ke tukunoaʻi e Siasí ka ʻi hono fakaʻosí, naʻe ʻikai te ne lava he naʻá ne ongoʻi ke foki ʻo lau ʻa e tohi folofola toputapu mo foʻoú: ʻa e Tohi ʻa Molomoná. ʻI he ngāue ʻa e Laumālié ki hono lotó, naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ai hono moʻoni ʻo e ongoongoleleí peá ne muimui ʻi he faʻitaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Lepeká ʻo papitaiso.

ʻI he vave ʻene hoko ʻa e Siasí ko e uho ʻo e moʻui ʻa Feletiliki mo Lepeká, naʻe ʻaonga ia he taimi pē ko iá ki hona fāmilí. Naʻe fakanofo ʻa Feletiliki ko e kaumātuʻa hili pē hono papitaiso mo hilifakinimá. ʻI he ʻaho pē hono hokó, naʻá ne tali ha ngāue ke mavahe ʻi ha ngaahi uike siʻi ʻo ngāue fakafaifekau mo ʻŌliva Kautele. Naʻá na pehē ʻe uike tolu pē ʻa e ngāue fakafaifekaú; ka naʻe hoko ia ko ha fononga māhina ʻe 10 ki Mīsuli. Ko ʻene mavahe fuoloa koʻeni mei ʻapí, ko e ʻuluaki pē ia ʻo ha ngaahi taimi pehē kia Lepeka. Koeʻuhí ko e ngaahi ngāue fakafaifekau ʻa Feletilikí mo hono uiuiʻi ia ki he Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí, naʻe lahi ai ʻene faʻa mavahé. Naʻe nofo ʻa Lepeka ʻi ha ngaahi māhina lahi ʻi honau ʻapí, ʻo hangē pē ko e kau fafine Māmonga ʻi he kamataʻangá, ʻo ʻohake ʻena fānaú ʻo ʻikai ha tokoni ʻa hono husepānití

Neongo e ngāué, ne hoko atu pē e faivelenga mo e ngāue loto lelei ʻa Lepeká. Ne nofo ʻa e Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá mo hono fāmilí ʻi he ʻapi ʻo e fāmili Uiliamí ʻi he fuofua hiki ko ia ʻa e fāmili Sāmitá ki Ketilaní. Ne mateakiʻi ʻe Lepeka e Palōfitá mo hono fāmilí ʻi heʻene tokangaʻi kinautolu he ngaahi taimi faingataʻá. Ne ʻi ai ha taimi ne ʻātakaiʻi ai ʻe ha kau fakatanga ʻa e ʻapí ko e kumi ʻo Siosefa. Ne hanga ʻe Lepeka ʻo fakatui hano tatā mo e pulupulu ʻo fakapuli ʻaki ʻa Siosefa. Naʻe lava ʻa Siosefa ʻo mavahe mei he falé pea fakalaka atu he fuʻu kakaí ʻo hao.

Naʻe toe fai ʻe Lepeka ha tokoni mahuʻinga ki he Palōfitá ʻi Māʻasi ʻo e 1832 ʻi he taimi naʻe ʻohofi ai ʻe ha kau fakatanga ʻa e faama ʻo Sione Sionisoní ʻi Hailame, ʻi ʻOhaiō, ʻo fakamamahiʻi ʻa Siosefa Sāmita mo Sitenei Likitoni. Hili hono tā ʻe he kau fakatangá ʻa Sitenei ʻo pongia mo feinga ke fakainu ʻaki ʻa Siosefa ha meʻa koná, naʻa nau vali tā ʻa e Palōfitá mo fakapipiki ki hono sinó ha fulufuluʻi manu. ʻI he mamata ʻa ʻEma Sāmita ki hono husepānití, naʻá ne pehē ʻe ia ko e toto ʻa e valitaá peá ne pongia.⁵ Ne nofo hifo ʻa Lepeka mo Feletiliki he pō ko iá ʻo toʻo ʻa e valitaá mei he sino ʻo Siosefá ʻa ia ne toto mo lavelaveá, mo tokangaʻi e fānau ʻa e fāmili Sāmitá. Naʻe ʻaonga ʻena tokoní ke maʻu e ivi ʻo Siosefa ke malanga he pongipongi hono hokó.

Ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi ʻamanaki naʻe tatali fuoloa ki ai ʻa Lepeká ke tali ʻe hono fāmilí, kae tautefito ki heʻene tamaí, ʻa e ongoongolelei kuo toe fakafoki maí pea maʻu ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki fakafiefia ʻo e tuí. Kuó ne ʻahiʻahiʻi e ʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá, ʻo hangē ko Līhaí, peá ne loto ke ʻinasi ai mo kinautolu naʻe ofi taha kiate iá (vakai, 1 Nīfai 8:12). Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa Lepeka ki he meʻá ni peá ne tohi fiefia leva ki hono fāmilí ʻo kau ki hono fakauluí mo ʻene fakamoʻoní pea mo e fiefia lahi naʻá ne maʻu ʻi heʻene hoko ko e mēmipa ʻo e Siasí.

Ka naʻe ʻita ʻa e tamai ʻa Lepeká ʻi heʻene uluí. Naʻá ne tali fefeka ki ai ke ne mavahe mei he Siasí. Ka naʻe ʻikai lava ʻo toe ueʻi ʻa Lepeka. Fakatatau ki he fakamatala ʻa e faihisitōlia fakafāmilí, naʻe tali ʻe Lepeka ʻo pehē “naʻe toe mālohi ange ʻene tui ki he moʻoni ʻo e ngaahi tokāteline faka-Māmongá” peá ne fakakau atu ai ʻene fakamoʻoni mālohí.⁶ Naʻá ne loto mamahi ʻi he ʻikai ʻomi ʻe heʻene tohi ko ʻení ʻa e ngaahi ola naʻe ʻamanaki ki aí. Naʻe fakamanamana mai ʻene tamaí he ʻikai ke ʻi ai hano ʻinasi ʻi he koloa ʻa e fāmilí peá ne fuakava he ʻikai ke ne toe fetuʻutaki mo ia kapau he ʻikai mavahe mei he Siasí.

Ka ne ʻikai pē ueʻi ai ʻa Lepeka ia ʻo kei hokohoko atu pē ʻene ngaahi ngāue ke vahevahe e ongoongoleleí mo e niʻihi kehé. Naʻá ne fai ha toe tohi ʻe taha ʻi he 1834 ki heʻene tamaí—ko e tohi pē ia naʻe kei maʻú—ʻo fakahā kiate ia ʻa e lahi ʻo ʻene tuí mo ʻene loto mamahi ʻi he ʻikai ke ne tali ha faʻahinga meʻa ʻe taha ʻa e kau Māmongá.

Naʻe lau ʻe heʻene tamaí ha ngaahi fakamatala he nusipepá ʻo fakafepakiʻi e Siasí, kae tautautefito ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná mo e fakamoʻoni ʻa e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú peá ne feinga ke fakalotoʻi ʻaki ʻeni ʻa Lepeka.

Naʻe tohi ki ai ʻa Lepeka ʻo pehē, “ ʻOku ou loto mamahi ke fanongo ʻokú ke fuʻu hohaʻa fekauʻaki mo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná.” Naʻá ne vahevahe ange ʻene fakamoʻoni ki he Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻo ne lau ha ngaahi potufolofola mei he Tohi ʻa Molomoná pea mo e ngaahi fakahā foʻou naʻe maʻu ʻe Siosefa Sāmitá. Naʻá ne fakamatalaʻi ange foki naʻe kikiteʻi ʻi he tohí ʻa hono fili ʻo e kau fakamoʻoni ʻe toko tolu ki aí. Naʻá ne fakamoʻoni ki ai ʻaki ʻene toʻo e lea ʻa e palōfita ko ʻEtá ʻi he kuonga muʻá, ʻa ia naʻá ne pehē “ ʻi he ngutu ʻo e kau fakamoʻoni ʻe toko tolu ʻe fakamoʻoniʻi” ʻa hono moʻoni ʻo e tohí” (ʻEta 5:4).⁷

Naʻe fakamatala leva ʻa Lepeka ki heʻene sio tonu ki he Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻe Toko Tolú—ʻa Tēvita Uitemā, Māteni Hālisi, mo ʻŌliva Kautele—pea fanongo ki heʻenau fakamoʻoni ki heʻenau mamata ki ha ʻāngelo mo e ʻū lauʻi peleti koulá. Hili ʻene taukaveʻi ʻenau ngaahi fakamoʻoní mo honau ʻulungāangá, naʻá ne kole ki heʻene tamaí ke toe fakatotolo lahi ange ki he ngāué. He naʻá ne tohi ki heʻene tamaí ʻo pehē, kapau “te ke ʻiloʻi mo ʻeku faʻeé ʻa e tūkunga ʻo e ngaahi meʻá ʻo hangē ko ia ʻoku mau ʻilo fekauʻaki mo e ngāué ni, ʻoku ou tui te mo tui ki ai.”⁸

Naʻe toe fakaongo ange ʻe Lepeka ʻa e palōmesi ʻa Molonai ʻi he ngataʻanga ʻo e Tohi ʻa Molomoná, ʻo ne kōlenga ki hono fāmilí ke nau kole ki he ʻOtuá “ke ne fakamaama [honau] ngaahi ʻatamaí ʻi he hala ʻo e moʻoní.” Peá ne palani leva ke fekau atu ha faifekau “ ʻokú ne lava ʻo akoʻi ʻa e Ongoongoleleí ʻo fakatatau mo e akonaki ʻa Sīsuú” ke toe tokoni kiate kinautolu.⁹ Ka ne iku ʻo ʻikai pē tali ʻe heʻene tamaí ha meʻa fekauʻaki mo ia.

Naʻa mo ʻene ngaahi tohi ki hono tuongaʻane ko Sioné—ʻa ia ne fuʻu ofi ʻaupito ki ai ʻa Lepeka—ne fakafoki mai ʻoku teʻeki ai ke fakaava. Naʻe tohi mai ʻa Sione ʻi he tafaʻaki ki mui ʻo ha taha ʻo e ngaahi tohi ne fakafoki mai ʻo pehē, “ ʻOku tapui ʻe heʻeta tamaí ke u lau hoʻo tohí, pe tohi atu. Nofo ā pea ke faitāpuekina maʻu pē koe ʻe he ʻOtuá. Ko ho tuongaʻané, Sione.”¹⁰

Neongo iá, naʻe ola lelei e ngaahi feinga ngāue fakafaifekau ʻa Lepeka ki hono taʻokete ko Sela Suani Kalaké. Naʻe kau ʻa Sela ki he Siasí ʻi Misikeni ʻi he 1832. Naʻe kau foki mo e fānau fefine ʻa Selá ki he Siasí pea nau faivelenga ʻi he kotoa ʻo ʻenau moʻuí.

Naʻe kei ʻofa pē ʻa Lepeka ʻi heʻene tamaí neongo ʻene loto mamahi mo mamahi ʻi heʻene ngaahi fili naʻe faí. Naʻá ne tohi ʻo pehē: “ ʻOku mamahi hoku lotó ʻi hoku kāinga ʻi he totó. … ʻOku ou lotua ke fakafiemālie koe ʻe he ʻEikí ʻi ho ʻaho fakaʻosi ʻaki Hono Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní pea fakatauange te nau hoko ko ho ngaahi ʻaho lelei tahá. … ʻOku ou ʻamanaki pē te ke maʻu ha fakakaukau lelei fekauʻaki mo e ngāué ni. Te u fakapapauʻi atu pē ʻoku mau tui mālohi ki he ngāué he ʻoku mau ʻiloʻi ʻoku ʻi he fohé ʻa e ʻEikí.”¹¹

Naʻe ʻikai ngata pē ʻi he fekuki ʻa Lepeka mo e taʻetui ʻa ʻene tamaí, ka naʻá ne palopalemaʻia ʻi he tukupā ʻa hono husepānití ki he tuí. Ne toutou ʻi ai ha fetaʻemahinoʻaki ʻi hono husepāniti ko Feletilikí ʻa ia ne hoko ko e mēmipa ʻo e Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí lolotonga e 1837 mo e 1838, mo e kau taki kehe ʻo e Siasí. Naʻe aʻu ʻo ne mavahe fakataimi mei he Siasí pea naʻe tuʻusi. Ka ne ʻikai fuoloa mei ai kuo maʻu ʻe Feletiliki ha loto fakatōkilalo, toe kau ki he Siasí, pea mālōloó kuo foki kakato mai ki he Siasí. ʻOku ʻikai ke mau maʻu ha lekooti ʻo e ongo ʻa Lepeka he taimi ko ʻení, ka naʻe ʻikai haʻane fakaʻiseʻisa ʻi he ngāue līʻoa mo e Kāingalotú pea kei moʻui mateaki pē.

ʻI he aʻu atu ki he tamai ʻa Lepeká ʻi Niu ʻIoke ʻa e talanoa ki he mavahe ʻa Feletilikí, naʻe fakaʻamu ʻa ʻAisake ʻe fakaʻikaiʻi foki ʻe Lepeka ʻene tuí. Ka naʻe tohi ki ai ʻa Lepeka ʻa ia ne fakahā ai ʻe hokohoko atu pē ʻene anganofó. Ka ʻi hono lau ʻe ʻAisake ʻene talí, naʻá ne kalokalo mo pehē, “Halaʻatā haʻane pehē ʻoku fakatomala.”¹²

Naʻe kei tuʻu mālohi pē ʻa Lepeka ʻi hono taukaveʻi ʻo Siosefa Sāmita mo e Siasi kuo toe fakafoki maí. Pea neongo ʻa e ngaahi feilaulau naʻe tupu mei heʻene fili ki he Siasí kae ʻikai ki heʻene tamaí, naʻe kei hokohoko atu pē hono fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ia ʻe Lepeká. Naʻá ne mahuʻingaʻia ʻi he meʻa ne akonekina ia ki ai ʻe heʻene tamaí, pea naʻá ne fakahā ʻa ʻene ʻofá mo e houngaʻiá kiate ia. Naʻá ne fakaʻosi ʻene tohi ʻi he 1834 ʻaki ʻene pehē te ne “manatuʻi ʻa e fakahinohino … ne u maʻu mei heʻeku Tamai ʻofeiná ʻo taʻengata.”¹³

Naʻe mālōlō e tamai ʻa Lepeká ʻi he 1839. Naʻe mālōlō hono husepānití hili ha taʻu ʻe tolu mei ai. Neongo e ngaahi faingataʻa fakamamahí ni, ka naʻe kei tolonga pē e tui mo e loto-toʻa ʻa Lepeká. Naʻá ne ʻalu mo e fāmili ʻo ʻene tama tangata ko ʻĒselá ʻi he fononga fakahihifo ʻa e Kāingalotú ki ʻIutaá, pea ko ia pē naʻá ne angi ʻene salioté. Naʻá ne maʻu kimui ha faama ʻi Mila Kiliki. ʻI he ʻosi hono langa ʻo e Tāpanekale ʻi Sōlekí pea kole ki he Kāingalotú ke tānaki mai ha meʻa pē te nau lavá, naʻá ne foaki ha seti sēpuni siliva ke ngaohi ʻaki e ngaahi laulau ki he tēpile sākalamēnití. Pea ʻi he 1860 leva, neongo naʻá ne fuʻu ongoʻi vaivai ʻi hono ui ʻe Palesiteni Pilikihami ʻIongi hono fāmilí ke nau nofoʻi ʻa e Teleʻa Kāseí (Cache Valley), ʻa ia naʻe mamaʻo mei ai, ka naʻá ne loto fiemālie ke toe hiki—ʻo ne toe angi pē ʻene salioté.

Naʻe mālōlō ʻa Lepeka ʻi Sāmitafila (Smithfield) ʻi ʻIutā, he ʻaho 25 ʻo Sepitema 1861. Naʻá ne tauhi moʻoni ki he ngaahi meʻa naʻá ne tui ki aí, ki heʻene ʻiloʻi ʻo e moʻoní, mo e ngaahi meʻa naʻe hoko kiate iá. Naʻá ne kei “tuʻu maʻu mo taʻe-faʻa-ngaue” pē ʻo aʻu ki he ngataʻangá (Mōsaia 5:15).