‘Oku ‘ikai ha taha ‘e ha’u mei Ha’apai ‘oku ta’elaukau ‘aki hono Ha’apai′. Neongo ‘oku movete holo e kainga Ha’apai′ ‘i Tongatapu mo e ‘otu muli′ na ka ‘oku nau kei laukau ‘aki pe honau ‘otu motu tupu’anga′.
Pea ‘oku ‘ilonga pē ia he ngāue ‘oku nau fai′. ‘Oku ‘ikai ke fai ha ofo heni he ko e fakakaukau ke pule’i fakataha’i e ‘Otu Tonga′ he malumalu ‘o e ‘Otua Māfimafi′ na’e fatu ia ‘i Ha’apai – mei he fakakaukau mo e loto ‘o e Tu’i Ha’apai′, Taufa’āhau Tupou I.
Ka ‘oku ‘ikai ko e talanoa ‘eni ia fekau’aki mo Tupou I, kā ki he “fanautama ‘a Ha’apai” kuo′ ne fakahāa’i ‘a e ngaahi faingata’a’ia fakafo’ituitui mo fakafāmili, matu’uaki e ha’aha’a e ‘ātakai pisinisi′ pea mo e vīsone ‘oku tu’uloa, ‘o hangē pē ko ia ‘oku angamaheni ki ai e kakai mei Ha’apai′.
Saimone Kapetaua Vuki – ko e tupu’angá
Ko Saimone Kapetaua Vuki′, ta’u 48, ko e tangata Ha’apai mo’oni. ‘Oku ne manatu melie ma’u pē ki he ‘ene ongo mātu’a′ he ko ‘ena ha’u foki mo kinaua mei Ha’apai pea ‘oku ne pōlepole ke ‘ilo “ko e tangata Ha’apai mo’oni au!”
“Ko e mokopuna au ‘o Fakatou’io ‘o Felemea mo Suli Kaafi ‘o ‘Uiha,” ko e fakamatala ia ‘a Saimoné. “Ko ‘eku ongo mātu’a′ ko Malakai mo Mele Keahi Vuki (nee Fakatou).”
Ko e fika 7 ia he fānau ‘e toko 8, ngaahi tokoua ‘e toko 3 mo e ngaahi tuofāfine ‘e toko 4 pea ne nau tupu kotoa hake pē ‘i Felemea. Ko ‘ene tangata’eiki′ ne ofi he ta’u ‘e hongofulu′ ‘ene hoko ko e ‘Ofisa Kolo ‘o Felemea pea ne toe Pule Fakavahe pe foki mo ‘ene kui ko Suli Kaafi′ mei ‘Uiha ‘i he ngaahi ta’u lahi.
Ko ‘ene kuí ko Penisoni Kaufusi Fakatou ka na’e fakanofo Fakatou’io, ‘a ia ko e tamai ia ‘ene fine’eiki′. Na’e Faifekau ia he Siasi Tonga Tau’ataina′ pea ko e punake pea toe hoko foki ko e tokotaha faito’o faka-Tonga ‘iloa ‘i Ha’apai.
“’Oku lahi e ngaahi hiva na’a′ ne fa’u′ pea ‘oku kei ngaue’aki ia ki he hiva Kilisimasi′ mo e Ta’u Fo’ou′ ‘e he Siasi Tonga′ he ngaahi ‘aho′ ni.” Ko e fakamatala ia ‘a Saimone′.
‘Oku ma’u hoa ‘a Saimone ki he fefine mei Ha’apai. Ko Sisīlia Fatafehi Vuki′ (nee Tupou) ko e ‘ofefine ‘o ‘Etueni Tu’iemoana Tupou ‘o Pangai, Ha’apai mo Una Tupou (nee Vete) ‘o Kolomotu’a.
“Ko e ta’u ‘eni ‘e 26 ‘ema mali′ pea mo e fānau ‘e toko ua – ko ‘Etueni Tupou-Vuki, ta’u 25; mo Hadassah Simone Tupou-Vuki, ta’u 15. Neu fetaulaki mo hoku hoa′ he ‘Univesiti ‘o e Pasifiki Tonga′, lolotonga ‘ema kei ako′.”
Halafononga ‘o e akó mo e ngāué
“Neu kamata ako pe he GPS Mata’aho′, ko e lautohi pule’anga pe ia ‘e taha ‘a ‘Uiha mo Felemea(1979-1983) pea ‘i he 1984, lolotonga ia ‘oku ou ‘i he Kalasi 6, ne ‘ave au ki Tongatapu he’eku tangata’eiki′. Neu nofo ai mo hono kāinga ko ‘Emosi ‘Alatini, ko e tangata faiako ‘iloa ia he taimi ko ia′ ka kuo ne ‘osi pekia.”
“Neongo e loto ‘eku tangata’eiki′ keu hū ‘o ako ‘i he Ako Ma’olunga ‘o Tonga′, ka na’e vivili pē ‘a ‘Emosi keu hū pē au ki ‘Atele. Ko ‘ene ‘uhinga′, na’a′ ne pehē teu ako e ngaahi me’a lahi he mo’ui′ he Kolisi′ pea kapau ‘e ‘ikai sai ‘eku ako′ teu lava lelei pē au ‘o mo’ui ‘i ‘uta pē ko ha fa’ahinga feitu’u pē. Na’aku ‘osi mei he Kolisi Tonga′ he ta’u 1990,” ko e lau ia ‘a Saimone′.
Na’e kau a Saimone he ni’ihi ne fuofua fili ke nau ako he ‘uluaki Foomu 7 ‘a e Pule’angá. Na’a′ ne lava’i lelei ‘ene sivi′ pea ma’u foki mo e faingamalie ako mei he Pule’anga ‘Aositelelia′ ke ne ako he ‘Univesiti ‘o e Pasifiki Tonga′ (USP) ‘i Fisi′.
Na’e ikuna e feinga ako ‘a Saimone mei he USP mo e Mata’itohi BA he ‘Ekonomika/Hisitolia/Politikale he ta’u 1994. ‘I he ta’u 1995, na’a′ ne hū ai ‘o kamata ngāue he Pule’angá ko e tokotaha fale’i faka-‘Ekonomika (Economist) he Potungāue Palani′.
Hili ha ta’u ‘e 2 ‘ene ngāue he Potungāue Palani′, ne hiki ai ‘a Saimone ki he taha e ngaahi va’a ‘o e Potungāue Ngāue ‘a e Kakai′, Fefakatau’aki′ mo e Ngaahi Ngāue’anga Iiki′ ko e Tonga Trade ‘o hoko ko e ‘Ofisa Ma’u’anga Fakamatala Fefakatau’aki (Trade Information Officer).
Lolotonga ‘ene kei ‘i he tafa’aki ko ‘eni′, na’e fokotu’u ia ki he lakanga ko e Sekelitali ki he tafa’aki Pule Fe’unga′ (Competent Authority). Na’e toe fokotu’u foki ia ki he lakanga ko e Tokoni Talēkita Pule (Deputy Director) pea mo e taki ‘o e tafa’aki Tonga Trade, ‘a ia ko e lakanga ia na’a′ ne ‘ave ai ke ne le’ole’o he lakanga Sekelitali Lahi/CEO ‘o e Potungaue ha ngaahi taimi.
Na’e fakafisi ‘a Saimone ‘i he 2003 mei he Pule’anga′ ‘o ne hoko ko e pule ia ki he ngaahi Poloseki Mavahe′ & Fakalakalaka Faka-pisinisi′ ‘a e kautaha fakamāmani lahi ko e Shell Oil.
“Neu mavahe mei he Shell he 2005, hili ia hono kaniseli e polōseki ne fakataumu’a ke ‘omi ki Tonga′ ni e ngaahi vaka uta lolo lalahi′ kae pehe ki hono fokotu’u ha ngaahi tuku’anga lolo ‘oku lalahi angē. Fakalalahi ai pē ‘eku mālōlō ko hono fakamahino mei he Shell te nau mavahe kinautolu mei he Pasifiki′,” ko e fakamatala ia ‘a Saimone′.
“’Oku fakaofo ma’u pē ‘a e founga ia ‘a e ‘Otua′. ‘I he 2004, lolotonga ‘eku kei ngāue he kautaha lolo ‘a e Shell, neu fakahū ‘emau kole visa nofo-fonua ki ‘Aositelelia ‘i he ‘enau polokalama Skilled Migration Scheme, ‘a ia ‘oku taumu’a ia ki he kakai ‘oku ‘i ai ‘enau taukei mavahe.”
“Na’e ‘ikai fuoloa mei hono fakahū ‘emau kole visa′ mo e tali mai kuo ma’u ‘emau pepa nofo-fonua′ ‘i Sepitema 2005. Kā ne ta’e‘oua e tokoni ‘a e ‘Otua′ neu mei mate pē au ‘i Tonga′ ni he 2006. Ko hono mo’oni′ neu ‘osi ongo’i pe ia ‘e au kou puke lolotonga e taimi ko ia′.”
Ko e ngaahi pole lalahi ‘o e mo’uí mo e faingata’a’ia
Ko e husepāniti ia mo e tamai, kā na’a ne ma’u e mahaki na’e pehē pē ‘e mole ai ‘ene mo’ui′, ka na’a′ ne ngāue’aki e faingata’a ko ia′ ke fakamālohi’i ‘aki ‘ene tui′ mo ‘ene falala ki he ‘Otua′.
Ko e tamai ia ki he foha ne ma’u hono sino′ ‘e he faito’o konatapu′ neongo kuo ‘osi mavahe ia mei he tō’onga mo’ui ko ia′. Hili e ta’u ‘e 8 ‘a e fou atu hono fāmili he “mamahi lahi” koe‘uhi′ ko e fili hono foha′ ki he faito’o konatapu′ kae fakafeta’i kuo fakatau’atāina’i ‘e he ‘Otua′ ‘a ‘Etueni Tupou-Vuki.
Na’e hoko atu e fakamatala ‘a Saimone′ ‘o ne pehē “Neu lesisita ‘eku kautaha pisinisi fo’ou na’e ‘iloa ko e International Development Co Ltd ke fengāue’aki mo e kautaha ko e Healthy Living Co Ltd ke fāngota’i mo uta ‘a e limu tanga’u′ ki ‘Amelika.
Kae pangō, na’e hoko e tō lalo fakamamani lahi ‘a e maketi pa’anga ‘a mamani′ (Global Financial Crisis) he ta’u 2005-2006, ‘a ia na’e kamata ‘a e tō lalo e maketi fakatau’api ‘a ‘Amelika′, ko e mole fakapa’anga lahi faka’ulia ki he ‘eku kautaha′ he na’e mole ai pē mo ‘emau māketi ki he limu tanga’u′ ‘i ‘Amelika′. Na’e iku ai ke faka’auha kotoa e meimei toni limu tanga’u ‘e 300 ne ‘osi fa’o he ngaahi koniteina ‘aisi teuteu ke uta ki muli.”
Hili e mole ‘a e maketi′ mo hono faka’auha e ngaahi koniteina′, na’e puke lahi ‘a Saimone kā ne hanga ‘e he ngaahi taimi na’a ne ‘i he mohenga ‘o e mamahi′ ‘o liliu ‘ene mo’ui′.
‘Oku manatu melie ‘a Saimone ki he ‘ene feohi mo e tangata’eiki Faifekau ko ‘Isileli Taukolo kuo′ ne pekia′ pea mo ‘ene tataki ia ke tukulolo ‘ene mo’ui′ ki he ‘Eiki′ pea ke ne a’usia ai ‘a e mālohi ‘o e faifakamo’ui ‘a e ‘Otua′.
“Na’e hanga ‘e he ‘eku faingata’a’ia faka-pa’anga′ mo ‘eku puke′ ‘o ‘ave au keu toe ofi ange ki he ‘Otua′. Neu fakapapau’i ko ‘eku puke′ koe‘uhi′ ko ‘eku to’onga mo’ui faiangahala′ mo ta’etokanga ki he ‘eku mo’ui lelei′. Ko hono mo’oni′ na’e ‘osi ma’u ‘e he ‘alokaholo′ ia hoku sinó, pea ne fonu pē ‘eku mo’ui′ ‘a’aku ‘iate au pea neu mātu’aki mo’ui ‘afungi mo siokita foki,” ko e fakamatala ia ‘a Saimoné.
“‘I Fepueli 2006, lolotonga ia ‘eku fefa’uhi mo e palopalema he pisinisi limu tanga’u′, neu fakakaukau ai mo hoku hoa′ ke mau hiki ki ‘Aositelelia koe‘uhi′ he na’e faka’au pē ke toe kovi ange ‘eku tu’unga fakamo’ui lelei′.”
“Na’e kamata ke ha’u e toto′ ia he’eku ‘anu’anu′, hūfanga he fakatapu′, pea ‘alu ke toe kovi ange ‘eku mofi′ mo e fakamokosia′. Ko hono mo’oni′ neu manavasi’i na’a kou kānisā. Na’e pehē pē mo e fakafuofua ‘a e taha e kau mataotao he falemahaki St. Vincent ‘i Senē′ pea pau ai ke fai hoku ngaahi sivi.”
“Na’e toki ‘ilo ai ‘oku ‘i ai e fo’i ngungu (tumor) fōlahi, he tafa’aki to’omata’u hoku kia′. ‘I Ma’asi′, ne pehē ai ‘e he kau Tōketa′ ke to’o ha konga mei he fo’i ngungu′ ke sivi pē ‘oku kānisā. Fakafeta’i nae mahino mai ‘oku ‘ikai ke kānisā e fo’i ngungu′ pea ‘e ngali faingamālie pē.”
“Hili e ngaahi sivi ne fai kiate au′, na’e mahino mai ‘oku ma’u au ‘e he mahaki ko e Extra-Pulmonary Tuberculosis pe ko e ETB. Na’e fakamahino mai ai pē ‘e he kau Tōketā′ ‘oku sai ange pē ia he kānisā′ he ‘e lava pē ia ke faito’o.”
“Mei he ta’u 2006 ki he 2007, neu muimui kakato ki he fale’i ‘eku Tōketā′ pea fai mo e ngaahi faito’o kiate au he vaha’a taimi ko e mahina ‘e 18, pea toe sivi au ‘o mahino kuo mole atu e vailasi ETB meiate au. Ne mavahe fakataha pe ‘a e mahaki′ mei hoku sino′ mo hono fakafoki mai kiate au ‘a e manavahē kia Sihova!”
Toe hoko atu e ngāué mo e akó
Ko hono natula pisinisí, ‘i he lau ‘a Saimoné, na’e “Kouna ai au keu faka’aonga’i e faingamalie kotoa pe na’aku ma’u′. Pea ko e taimi na’e ‘ikai ai ha ngāue fale’i faka-pisinisi keu tokoni ai ki hoku hoa′ ki he ‘emau nofo′, na’aku ‘alu ‘o ngāue he falengāue fo’u koloa ‘ou hoko ko e tokotaha fokotu’u kongokonga misini pea fai ai pē foki mo e ngaahi ngāue faka-malu’i he taimi ‘oku fiema’u ai′”.
“Ko e taimi faingata’a ‘eku hū ‘o hoko atu e feinga ako′ taimi kakato he ‘Univesiti kehekehe ‘e 2 ‘i ‘Aositelelia ‘o fe’unga mo e ta’u ‘e 4. Na’e ‘āsili e faingata’a′ ko ‘eku ako mo toe feinga ke lele lelei ‘eku ngāue ko e tokotaha fale’i fakapisinisi homau feitu’u′ he ne lahi foki e fe’au’auhi′.”
Na’e lava’i lelei ‘e Saimone ‘a e faka’ilonga fakaako ko e MBA (Master of Business Administration) mei he ‘Univesiti′ ‘i ‘Aositelelia kae pehē foki ki hono faka’ilonga ko e Master he Lao Fakapisinisi′ (Master in Business Law) pe ko e MBL. Na’e tokoni hono ongo faka’ilonga fakaako fo’ou′ ki he ‘ene ngaue fakapisinisi ‘i ‘Aositelelia′.
Foki ki ‘Api′
Na’e foki mai ‘a Saimone mo e famili′ ki Tonga′ ni ‘i he 2019. “Ko e mo’oni atu e lau koee ‘oku pehē ‘Te tau ‘ave e tamasi’i′ mei motu ka he ‘ikai lava ke to’o ‘a motu mei he tamasi’i′’,” ko e lau ia ‘a Saimone′.
Ko e sea ia e Poate ‘o e ongo kautaha pisinisi ko e Allegiance Consulting Services Co Ltd pea mo e SAP Pacific Co Ltd. ‘Oku ne fakalele mo ‘ene ngaahi pisinisi kehe ‘oku fekau’aki mo hono uta ki muli ‘a e ngaahi veve kona′ mei Tonga′ ni, kae pehē foki ki he veve ukamea′. ‘Oku toe kau foki ki hono feinga’i ke tu’u ha faama mokohunu, faama tō vesitapolo he vai′, mo e ngaahi polōseki kehe foki.
‘Oku toe lele foki mo e kautaha ngāue‘ofa ‘a Saimone ‘oku ‘iloa ko e Ascent to Life pea ‘oku ngāue fakataha ai mo e ni’ihi mei ‘Aositelēlia pea kuo ne ‘osi fai foki mo e ngaahi ngāue tokoni ki he kakai faingata’a’ia tokolahi ‘i ‘Initia.
Na’e faka’osi pe ‘a e fakamatala ‘a Saimoné mo ‘ene pehē ‘oku ‘i ai ‘ene taumu’a makehe he ngaahi ngāue ‘oku ne faí ki hono langa fakalakalaka ‘o Ha’apaí, “ ke fua ‘e Ha’apai honau fatongia langa fakalakalaka ma’a Tongá, pea ke ngāue’aki e ngaahi koloa ‘o motú mo e kakai ‘o Ha’apaí ke fakahoko ‘aki e langa fonuá!
Kā, ‘oku ‘ikai ko e ‘osi ia e talanoa fekau’aki mo e fanautama ko ‘eni ‘o Ha’apai mei Felemeá. Ko e kamatá pe ‘eni ia, he ko ia ‘oku hoa ngāue mo Maliu Mafi mo au, Kalafi Moala, ‘i hono fokotu’u mo fakalele ‘a e fungavaka mitia ko e Talanoa ‘o Tongá.
