On the 17th of January, 2009, Nanumeans from Melbourne, Australia, gathered at Fiuape & Suialofa Poutongo's abode to celebrate Po o Tefolaha. The event included two floor shows, a scrumptious feast, and a showing of George Samuel's animation on Tefolaha's Nanumean beginnings (a link to the YouTube video is on page 1).
Families that attended the event included: Iakopo and Asita Molotii and family, Fagatoa Samu and family, Sully & Jennifer Taulealea and family, Semi Jr. and family, Fiuape and Suialofa Poutogo, Teatia and Funaki Tekarawa (and family), Marion Valasi Samuels (Sakaio/Taulealea) and family, including George and his sisters.
By the end of the night, all attendees were exhausted
from the feeding frenzy and slowly slipped away into a deep slumber. The echoes and reverberations of the "sleeping choir," which were reminiscent to the snoring sounds made in the Disney animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, showed just how satisfied and content everyone was with the turnout; hopefully, Tefolaha was just as pleased.
George's Photos of Po o Tefolaha, Melbourne
Mai mua ote 12am ne faitala, at 12
midnight ne fai te inunga. Hoko atu ko fatele ke oko kite 3am. Toenga
ote taimi, kote faitala ke oko
kite ao. Po Ono- kote kai mote faitala
iloto ote ahinga. I pongipongi mo afiafi e iai ailoa he tino e fai ne
ia te lotu.
Po Tapu- kai mote faitala hoko atu mote fono lahi. Te fono tenei kote halanga ote kau takitaki o Nanumea mote 2009. Kote kau takitaki fou ko Popeieta Ato Raponi (Te Pule), Matini Kiaua- tona matua ko Taatele tama a Moulongo te taina o Tepou (Pule Lua), Iosua Manuao (Te Teutupe) mo Fatali Telolomi (Te Failautuhi). Ne foki atu matou ki o motou fale ite afiafi.
Kae uke a tino ne fai olotou peti mote Po O Tefolaha mote 2010: ne puaka, laisi, suka, milo ...etc. Kaati kona mo tala mai konei. Ka konei koa fkholoholo atu o ata a motou ne puke. Ke manuia te tauhaga fou. Alofa atu, Pope
Matou konei o motou igoa -- Siaumau Polvia, Filoitofi Siaumau, Tukasi Siaumau, Polevia Siaumau, Laupulaka Siaumau, mo avaga a ma tamaliki, laua ko Monalisa, mo Foumata, mo mokopuna iai e tokotolu, ko tokolua tagata, kae tokotasi te fafine, ako nisi tino aka Nanumea ko Alo Sualau, mo ana tamaliki, mo tena avaga, mo avaga a ana tamaliki, mo nisi tino kola e isi ne gafa Nanumea o latou ne fakatasi katoa loa matou ite aso tena.
Kaati tenei foki loa te aso muamua ne fakamanatu ne matou ite fenua nei, kae ko oti ne iku ke fai loa i tausaga katoa o fakamanatu te aso taua tenei. Ia, matou ne fai tahaoga, lami, tomino, nisi e fai tala, kae koa oko te fiafia o fai te aso tenei.
Luani (a daugher of Tongia and Peesi) writes: "We don't celebrate Po o Tefolaha here for there are no other Nanumean people around to celebrate with."
Au e noho i Western Canada. E tokotolu aku tamaliki kae tokotahi, he tama ne puke. Aku tamaliki, ne tamaliki fafine kae kote tama puke a maaua, he tama tagata a toku taina matua.
Te igoa o taku tama matua mo taku avaga mua, ko Viiga. A, Viiga, ne avaga kia Eliuta tamaliki tagata a Masefili mo Pepeuga. A Viiga, ko toko-tolu ana tamaliki mo tena avaga (oku makopuna ).
Ko ma tamaliki mo taku avaga tenei ko David, e tokolua, la igoa ko, Aloma Steele mo Pesi Steele. Kote igoa ote ma tama puke (tagata) ko Silupe Steele.
Te igoa o taku avaga ko David Steele. A David he tagata Canada kako maua mo maa tamaliki e noho nei i Canada. Aloma, te maa tama matua, e noho ite university.
Talofa Kiti mo Ane mo te Fanau, Fakafetai ki te alofa o te Aliki e manuia katoa matou i Aukilani nei.
Au nei e fakamoemoe o fano ki Brisbane i te aso tenei. E fano o fai te Loto o te Po o Tefolaha mo te Lotu o te Papatisoga o tamaliki mo te Holy Communion Service i te Aso Tapu po 11 Ianuali 2009.
Tena te polokalame o te Lotu a matoi i Brisbane i te Aso Ono po 10 Ianuali 2009. E kami katoa a fanau a Tuvalu i Brisbane ne sologa o Tefolaha mo te Aso Fiafia tenei.
E fakapiki atu ikonei a te Polokalame.
Ke manuia a te Tausaga Fou 2009.
Rev. Suamalie N T Iosefa, JP, Elder Minister
The Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu in Auckland