Carole M. Stephens
Tokoni ʻUluaki ʻi he Kau Palesitenisī Lahi ʻo e Fineʻofá
Naʻe fakaʻapaʻapa maʻu pē ʻa Kalo Meniseli Sitīveni ki he ngaahi meʻa toputapu mo māʻoniʻoní. Naʻe kamata ʻa e ongoʻi ʻaʻapa ko ʻení ʻi he taimi naʻá ne kei siʻi aí, ʻi he taimi naʻe silaʻi ai hono fāmilí ʻi he temipalé ʻi he hili ʻo e ului ʻa ʻene faʻeé ki he ongoongoleleí.
Naʻe pehē ʻe he tokoni ʻuluaki foʻou ʻi he kau palesitenisī lahi ʻo e Fineʻofá, “Naʻe ʻikai mahino kotoa kiate au ʻa e meʻa naʻe hokó. Ka naʻá ku ʻilo naʻe mahuʻinga. Naʻá ku fuʻu lahi feʻunga ke u manatuʻi ko e temipalé ko ha potu toputapu.”
Naʻe fāʻeleʻi ʻa Sisitā Sitīveni ʻi Māʻasi 1957 kia Kala L. mo Fōlesi Manisela, ko e fika tolu ia ʻo e fānaú ʻe toko hiva pea tupu hake ʻi ʻOkiteni ʻi ʻIutā ʻi he USA. ʻOkú ne manatuʻi lelei ʻa e ngaahi sīpinga naʻe tā ʻe heʻene mātuʻá ʻi he ngāué, feilaulaú, pea mo hono ʻuhinga ʻo ʻena fakamuʻomuʻa ʻo e fāmilí pea mo e Siasí.
Naʻá ne pehē, “Naʻe mahuʻinga taha pē ʻa e ongoongoleleí kiate kinaua, pea naʻá na fakahaaʻi mai ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e ngāue faka-Kalaisí ʻi heʻena tā sipingá. Naʻá na akoʻi kimautolu ki hono ʻuhinga ʻo e ngāué—ʻa e founga ʻo e ngāue moʻoní.”
Naʻe fakakau ʻe heʻene mātuʻá ʻena fānaú ʻi heʻena ngāue ko ia ʻi he ngaahi fatongia kehekehé. Naʻa nau fakatupu ʻa e anga fakakaumeʻá ʻiate kinautolu he lolotonga ʻo e ngaahi taimi ko iá—ko ha faʻahinga meʻa kuó ne feinga mo hono husepāniti ko Mātini “Mati” Sitīvení, ke fakahoko mo ʻena fānau ʻe toko onó.
Naʻá ne fetaulaki mo Mati he lolotonga ʻena ako he ʻUnivēsiti Uepá ʻi ʻOkiteni ʻi ʻIutā, ʻa ia naʻe ako ai ki hono akoʻi kei iiki ʻa e fānaú (early childhood education). Naʻá na mali ʻi ʻEpeleli 1976 ʻi he Temipale Lōkani ʻIutaá. Naʻe pehē ʻe Sisitā Sitīveni kuó ne hoko mo hono husepānití ko ha “timi” lelei ʻi he ngaahi taʻu kuo maliu atú ʻi heʻena fepoupouaki ʻi ha ngaahi ngāue kehekehe, kau ai hono ngaahi fatongia ko e palesiteni Fineʻofa ʻi he siteikí mo e uōtí, tokoni palesiteni, mo e faiako; palesiteni ʻo e Kau Finemui he uōtí; tokoni palesiteni ʻo e Palaimelí he uōtí, faiako, mo e taki Sikautí (Cub Scout); faiako semineli; mo e faifekau tokoni he Siasí.
Naʻá ne pehē, “Neongo ʻa e femoʻuekiná, ka kuó ma maʻu ha fiefia mo ha nēkeneka lahi. ʻOkú ma fakakau ʻema fānaú mo e makapuná ʻi heʻema ngāué. Koeʻuhí ko ia, kuo mau fakatupulaki ai ha fetuʻutaki fakafāmili mālohi ʻi heʻemau ngāue fakatahá.”