Ko e hā ʻa Saione?

Naʻe tala ʻe he ʻEikí ki he Kau Maʻoniʻoní ʻo fakafou ʻi he Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá ʻi he 1831, ke nau tānaki fakataha mai mo langa ʻa Saione ʻi Tauʻatāina, Mīsuli (vakai, Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 62:2–4; 63:24–48). Ko ha niʻihi ʻeni ʻo hono ngaahi fakamatala ʻi he taimi ko iá:

Ko ha feituʻu ia ne ʻi ai ai ha “falekoloa pē ʻe ua pe tolu, ngaahi fale nofoʻanga ʻe hongofulu mā nima pe uongofulu, ko e lahi tahá ne langa ʻaki e papa ne fahi e ongo tafaʻakí fakatouʻosi.”¹

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe ha tokotaha kehe ʻa Tauʻatāina naʻe “fonu ʻi he talaʻofá” ka ne ʻi ai ha “fale papa ʻakau pē ʻe nima pe ono, fale papa ʻe ua pe tolu, hōtele mahalo ʻe ua pe tolu, ko ha fale fakatauʻanga kava mālohi; [mo ha] ngaahi fale koloa siʻi pē.”²

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe ʻIlisa Laimani ʻa e kiʻi meʻa siʻisiʻi ne maʻu ʻe hono fāmilí hili ʻenau hiki ki aí ʻo pehē: “Ne mau … nofo ʻi ha kiʻi fale piliki naʻe totongi ʻe heʻeku tangataʻeikí ke mau nofo ai he faʻahitaʻu momokó, he naʻe teʻeki ʻi ai hano taimi ke langa hamau fale. Ne mau moʻui masivesiva ʻaupito he faʻahitaʻu momoko ko iá, he naʻe ʻikai fie maʻu ʻe he kakai ʻo e fonua ko iá ha meʻa lahi ka ko ha mā pē ne ngaohi mei he mahoaʻa koané mo ha pēkani pea mo ha fanga kiʻi meʻa siʻi pē makehe mei ai; naʻe fakaʻau ʻo ʻikai toe lahi ha meʻa ke fakatau, ka ʻoku ou manatuʻi ne ʻi ai haʻamau talamu hone pea mo e vesitapolo pē ne mau lava ʻo maʻú, ka ne ʻikai ha mā uite, he naʻe ʻikai maʻu ia ʻi he fonuá.”³

Mei he ngaahi kamataʻanga fakaʻofa ko ʻení, ne langaki ʻe he Kau Maʻoniʻoní ha kolo ne aʻu ki he toko 1,200 ʻi Siulai ʻo e 1833. Ka neongo ia, kimui ange ʻi he faʻahi taʻu fakatōlau ko iá, ne tuli kinautolu ʻe he kau fakatangá mei he vahefonuá pea ʻi he 1838, ne tuli kinautolu mei he siteiti ʻo Mīsulí.