2017
Fakamoʻui ʻa e Fonua ʻOfeiná: Ko e Tui ʻa Sūlia Mavipelá
July 2017


Fakamoʻui ʻa e Fonua ʻOfeiná: Ko e Tui ʻa Sūlia Mavipelá

Naʻe liliu fakafokifā e moʻui ʻa Sūlia Mavipelá ʻi he 1955 ʻi he mālōlō hono husepāniti ko Sioné ʻi ha fakatuʻutāmaki. Naʻe hā ʻi he fakamoʻoni ne maʻú ko e tokotaha ne ʻi he meʻalele ʻe tahá, ko ha tangata pālangi, naʻá ne heva mai ki he kauhala ʻa Sioné. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke fakahalaiaʻi e tangata ia ko iá. Naʻe pehē ʻe he kau ʻōfisa polisi pālangí ko e kakai ʻuliʻulí ko e kakai vale he fakaʻulí, ko ia naʻe tukuakiʻi leva ʻa e fakatamakí kia Sione.1

Naʻe taʻu 37 ʻa Sūlia mo ha fānau ʻe toko fā pea mo e taha naʻe kei feitamaʻi. Ne fakahalaʻi ia ʻe he lau lanú, kau polisí, mo e laó. Ka naʻe faifai peá ne ako ke ʻoua naʻa fakavaivai ki he lotomamahí; kae līʻoa ʻene moʻuí ke feinga ke fakaakeake pea fakamoʻui hono fonua ʻofeiná ʻo fakafou ʻi he ngāue tokoni faka-Kalaisí. Naʻe hoko ʻeni ʻi heʻene ʻofa ʻi hono fonuá, tui ki he ʻOtuá mo ʻene līʻoa ki hono moʻui ʻaki e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni naʻá ne tui ki aí.

Naʻe fāʻeleʻi ʻa Sūlia ʻi he 1917, ko e siʻisiʻi taha ia ʻi ha fānau ʻe toko nima. Naʻe mālōlō e tamai ʻa Sūliá ʻi hono taʻu nimá. Naʻe toe pē ʻene faʻeé ke tauhi e fānaú, ko ia naʻá ne ngāue ai ko ha fefine fō mo ha fefine tauhi ʻapi.

Ko ha fefine lotu ʻa e faʻē ʻa Sūliá naʻá ne akoʻi ʻene fānaú mei he Tohi Tapú. Naʻe pehē ʻe Sūlia, “Kuo akoʻi au ʻe heʻeku faʻeé ke u tali ʻa e ngaahi mamahi kotoa pē ʻo e moʻuí peá ne fakalotolahiʻi au ke ʻoua naʻá ku teitei nofotaha pē ʻi he kuohilí kae hanganaki atu ki he kahaʻú.” Naʻe mahino foki ki he faʻē ʻa Sūliá ʻa e mahuʻinga ʻo e akó pea naʻá ne fai e meʻa kotoa naʻá ne lavá ke fakaakoʻi ʻene fānaú ʻaki e kiʻi paʻanga naʻá ne maʻú.

ʻĪmisi
Julia and John Mavimbela on their wedding day

ʻŪ taá ʻi he angalelei ʻa Thoba Elizabeth Mavimbela Karl–Holla

Naʻe māʻolunga ange e tuʻunga fakaako ʻa Sūliá pea naʻá ne hoko ai ko ha faiako mo ha pule ako kimuʻa peá ne toki mali mo Sione Mavipela ʻi he 1946. Naʻe ʻi ai ha falekoloa mo ha fale fakatauʻanga kakanoʻi manu ʻa Sione. Ne fakafisi ʻa Sūlia mei heʻene ngāue maʻuʻanga moʻuí ke ngāue ai. Naʻá na langa fakataha ha ʻapi pea ʻi ai mo ʻena fānau. Neongo e ngaahi fakangatangata ʻi he lau lanú, ka naʻe lelei e moʻuí. Ka neongo ia, naʻe liliu kotoa ia ʻi he mate ʻa Sioné.

Naʻe tohitongi ai ʻe Sūlia ʻa e ngaahi leá ni ʻi he maka fakamanatu ʻa hono husepānití:

ʻI he manatu ʻofa kia

Sione Filipe Kōlai Mavipela.

Mei hono uaifí mo e kāingá.

Ka ʻoku kei ongo pē ʻa e mamahí.

Toka ā ʻi he nonga.

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Sūlia ʻa e laine hono faá ʻo pehē, “ʻI he taimi naʻe tohi aí, ko e mamahi naʻe toé ko e ongoʻi tāufehiʻa mo e lotomamahi—ki he tangata naʻá ne fakatupunga ʻa e fakatuʻutāmakí, ki he polisi naʻe loí, [pea] ki he fakamaauʻanga naʻa nau fakahalaiaʻi hoku husepānití ki he fakatamaki naʻe mole ai ʻene moʻuí.”2 Ko e taha ʻo ʻene ngaahi faingataʻa lahi tahá ko ʻene ikunaʻi e lotomamahi mo e ʻita ko ʻení.

Hili ha taimi nounou mei he pekia ʻa hono husepānití, naʻe “fāifeinga ke mohe” ʻa Sūlia ʻi ha pō ʻe taha, naʻá ne misi ai ʻo sio kia Sione ʻoku hā mai kiate ia ʻo ʻoange ha ʻū ʻovalolo, peá ne pehē ange, “ʻAlu ki he ngāué.” Naʻá ne fakamatalaʻi e ola ʻo e misi ko ʻení ʻo pehē, “Naʻá ku ʻilo ha founga ke u hanganoa ai mei he loto-hohaʻa ʻo e ngaahi taʻu ko ʻení, pea naʻe fakafou ia ʻi heʻeku kau atu ki he ngaahi ʻekitivitī fakakoló.”

Hili ha taʻu ʻe uofulu mei ai, ʻi he 1970 tupú, naʻe iku e fakahāhā loto melino ʻa e kau ʻuliʻulí ko ha fetāʻaki fītaʻa. Ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi feituʻu naʻe pau ke hoko ai e fetāʻakí ko Soueto, ʻa ia naʻe nofo ai ʻa Sūliá. Naʻá ne pehē, “Naʻe hangē ʻa Soueto ia ha feituʻu ʻoku ʻikai ke mau ʻiló—naʻe hangē ia naʻa mau nofo ʻi ha malaʻe taú.”

Naʻe manavahē ʻa Sūlia naʻa faifaí kuó ne toe ongoʻi e lotomamahi naʻá ne maʻu kimuʻá: “Kuo lava ʻeni ha taʻu ʻe uofulu tupu talu mei he mālōlō ʻa Sioné, ka naʻá ku kei ongoʻi pē ʻa e mamahi ko iá.” ʻI haʻane feinga ke fekumi ki ha tokoní, maʻana mo hono kakaí fakatouʻosi, naʻe fakakaukau ʻa Sūlia, “Mahalo kapau te u akoʻi e fānaú ke nau manako ʻi hono ngāueʻi e kelekelé, he ʻikai mole noa e meʻa kotoa.” Naʻá ne kamata ha ngoue fakakolo naʻá ne fakataipe ʻa e ʻamanaki leleí ki he kakai naʻa nau ongoʻi manavahē mo ʻitá.

ʻĪmisi
Julia working in a community garden

ʻI heʻene ngāue fakataha mo e fānaú ʻi he ngoue fakakoló, naʻá ne akoʻi kiate kinautolu: “Tau keli e kelekele ʻo e mamahí, tō ki ai ha tengaʻi ʻakau ʻo e ʻofá, pea tau sio leva pe ko e hā hono fuá. … He ʻikai ke tau maʻu ʻa e ʻofá taʻe kau ai hono fakamolemoleʻi ʻa e niʻihi kehé.”

Naʻá ne pehē, “Naʻá ku ʻiloʻi moʻoni ne u veuki e kelekele ʻo ʻeku ngaahi mamahi pē ʻoʻokú ʻi heʻeku fakamolemoleʻi ʻa kinautolu ne nau fakamamahiʻi aú.” Naʻe kamata ke mole atu e lotomamahi naʻá ne maʻu hili e mālōlō ʻa Sioné.

Naʻe fakafeʻiloaki ʻa Sūlia ki he Siasí ʻi he 1981. ʻI ha ngāue tokoni ʻa e ongo faifekaú ʻi Soueto, naʻá na ʻiloʻi ai ha senitā maʻá e tamaiki tangatá naʻe fuʻu fie maʻu ke fakaleleiʻi. Naʻa nau fakamāʻopoʻopo ʻa e falé ʻi ha ngaahi uike lahi.3

ʻI ha ʻaho ʻe taha, naʻe kole kia Sūlia ke ngāue tokoni ʻi he senitā tatau pē ko iá. ʻI heʻene aʻu atú, naʻá ne ʻohovale he sio ki ha “ongo tamaiki tangata pālangi ʻokú na keli ʻaki ʻena huó e kelekelé.” Naʻe kole ange ʻe he ongo faifekaú pe ʻe lava ke na ʻaʻahi atu ki hono ʻapí ke fakahoko ange ha pōpoaki. Hili ha ʻaho ʻe tolu mei ai, naʻe ʻaʻahi atu ʻa ʻEletā Tēvita Makoma mo Sioeli Heatoni ʻokú na tui hona teunga fakafaifekau kakató.

Naʻe pehē ʻe Sūlia ko e ongo fuofua lēsoni faifekaú “naʻe haʻu pē he telinga koē ʻo hū he telinga koeé.” Ka ʻi heʻena ʻaʻahi hono tolú, naʻe fehuʻia ʻe he ongo faifekaú ʻa e laʻitā ʻo Sūlia mo Sione ne tautau he holisí. Naʻá ne talaange kuo mālōlō hono husepānití, pea naʻe ueʻi ʻa e ongo faifekaú ke na talanoa kau ki he palani ʻo e fakamoʻuí mo e papitaiso maʻá e pekiá. Naʻá ne pehē, “Ne u toki kamata fakafanogo leva, ʻo fanongo fakamaatoato, ʻaki hoku lotó. … ʻI hono akoʻi mai ʻe he ongo faifekaú ʻa e tefitoʻi moʻoni ʻo e vā fetuʻutaki taʻengatá, ne u ongoʻi ko e founga ʻeni ke u toe fakataha ai mo ʻeku ongomātuʻá mo hoku husepānití.” Naʻe papitaiso ʻa Sūlia hili ha māhina ʻe nima mei ai.

Hili ha māhina ʻe taha mei hono papitaisó, naʻe fai ʻe Sūlia ha lea ʻi he konifelenisi fakasiteikí. Naʻá ne pehē “ʻI heʻeku lue ki he tuʻunga malangá, mahalo naʻe ʻohovale ʻa e tokotaha kotoa pē. Ko honau fuofua taimi ia ke sio ai ki ha ʻuliʻuli ʻokú ne fai ha lea ʻi he konifelenisí—mahalo ko e niʻihi ia ko e toki fuofua taimi ē ke nau fanongo ai ki ha ʻuliʻuli ʻokú ne lea ʻi ha haʻofanga kakai.” Naʻá ne ongoʻi naʻe ueʻi ia ke ne talanoa kau ki he mālōlō hono husepānití mo ʻene fekuki ʻi ha laui taʻu mo e faingataʻá. Naʻá ne fakamatalaʻi ʻene lotomamahí mo e founga naʻe “faifai ange peá ne maʻu ʻa e siasi te ne akoʻi au ke u faʻa fakamolemole moʻoní.”

Ka neongo iá, naʻe teʻeki pē ke mole atu ʻene fekuki mo e fetaʻemahinoʻakí mo e filifilimānakó ʻo aʻu ki he taimi naʻe fakangata ai ʻa e puleʻanga lau lanú ʻi he 1994.

ʻI he lea ʻa ʻEletā Teili G. Lenilani ʻo e Kōlomu ʻo e Kau ʻAposetolo ʻe Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá ʻi he konifelenisi lahi ʻo ʻEpeleli 2015, “Kāingalotu ʻOua Naʻa Tuku e Feingá,” naʻá ne talanoa ai ki ha meʻa naʻe aʻusia ʻe Sūlia mo hono ʻofefine ko Topá ʻi he taimi naʻe “ʻikai ke fuʻu angaʻofa ange ʻa e niʻihi ʻo e kāingalotu hinehiná kiate kinauá.” Naʻe lāunga ʻa Topa ʻi he founga hono talitali kinauá. Ne mei faingofua pē ke hoko ia ko ha ʻuhinga ke na mavahe ai mei he Siasí, ka naʻe hoko ia ko ha taimi akonaki mahuʻinga. Naʻe tali ange ʻe Sūlia, “ʻE Topa, ʻoku hangē ʻa e Siasí ko ha fuʻu falemahakí, pea ʻoku tau puke kotoa ʻi ha ngaahi mahaki kehekehe. ʻOku tau omi ki he lotú ke tokoniʻi kitautolu.”4

ʻĪmisi
Julia in native Zulu dress and in temple dress

Toʻomataʻú: Ko Sūlia ʻi hono teunga Sulu fakafonuá pea mo ʻene ngāue ʻi he Temipale Sohānesipeeki Saute ʻAfiliká.

Tā ʻo Sūlia ʻi heʻene ngāue ʻi he temipalé ʻi he angalelei ʻa e Laipeli Hisitōlia ʻo e Siasí

Ne ʻilo ʻe Sūlia naʻe malava ke fakahoko ʻa e fakamoʻuí ʻi he ongoongolelei ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻo ʻikai ngata ʻiate ia pē, ka ʻi he fonuá foki. Naʻe akoʻi ia heʻene ngāue ʻi he Temipale Sohānesipeeki Saute ʻAfiliká ko e temipalé, “ʻoku ʻikai ha fakamakehekehe fakamatakali ai. ʻOku ʻikai ha kehekehe koeʻuhí ko e lea faka-Pilitāniá. ʻOku ʻikai ha kehekehe koeʻuhí ko e lea faka-Sitú mo faka-Sulú. ʻOkú te ʻiloʻi ʻa e ongo ʻo e uouangatahá.”

Naʻe mālōlō ʻa Sūlia Mavipela ʻi he ʻaho 16 ʻo Siulai, 2000.

Maʻuʻanga Fakamatalá

  1. Tukukehe ka toki fakaʻilongaʻi, ngaahi leá meia Laura Harper, “‘Mother of Soweto’: Julia Mavimbela, Apartheid Peace-Maker and Latter-day Saint,” teʻeki pulusi ʻa e fakamatalá, Laipeli ki he Hisitōlia ʻo e Siasí, Sōleiki Siti.

  2. ʻI he fakamatala ʻa Harper, ʻoku fakaʻaongaʻi e foʻi lea lamp kae ʻikai ko e lump. Ka naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻe Topa ko e foʻi lea ʻoku tohitongi ʻi he maka ʻo e faʻitoká ko e lump.

  3. Mei he David Lawrence McCombs, ʻinitaviu mo e faʻutohí, Aug. 25, 2015.

  4. Dale G. Renlund, “Kāingalotu ʻOua Naʻa Tuku e Feingá,” Liahona, Mē 2015, 57.