E iloa mea i le malaga ma ali’i. One learns from travelling with chiefs.

The story of Sa Sa’umani (Sa’umani Family) and Sa’umani-‘afa-’ese (Sa’umani with a different sennit) is the legendary tale of how the King of Tonga’s pet turtle, Sangone, ended up in a umu at a village in Salega, Savai’i.

The Sa Sa’umani fishing expedition picked up a young man at Puna at the boundary between what is now Foailalo and what is now Sagone. When he was asked his name, he didn’t answer but instead asked the fishermen what their names were. When told that they were the Sa Sa’umani family, the youngster then said, OK, you are all Sa’umani, and I am therefore Sa’umani-‘afa’’ese, (Sa’umani with a separate sennit line).

When the group noticed the i’a sa (sacred fish) the Sa’umani men dived down but could not bring the turtle up. Then Sa’umani-‘afa-‘ese went down and, unseen,  guided the turtle to a spot between Falelima and Fagafau and dragged the turtle through the lava and the spot is called Tosogai’a (where the fish was dragged) to this day.

Sa’umani-‘afa’ese could not carry his catch by himself so he wrapped it up with some tapa and mats and waited.

He asked some people that passed for help carry his ‘mother’ but they weren’t interested. Fortunately, a couple of brothers later agreed to help him.

They were half way up a steep climb towards the present village of Fagafau when the turtle died and the climb is called Matega (death of an animal) to this day.

Saumani’afa’ese and his helpers carried on until they came to what is now Sagone. They needed a rest and they left their burden ashore and went for a dip in the sea.

They were shocked when they came ashore and found other people had cooked the turtle and ate it leaving only part of its shell.

That part was buried up on a mountain and is featured in the story of the subsequent Tongan search for the missing Sangone.

The story is remembered by the sayings derived from it. For example: E iloa mea i le malaga ma ali’i.   One gains knowledge from a journey with chiefs.

This was Sa’umani’afe’ese’s answer when he was asked what was there for any person who helped him carry his mother.

It is also remembered for:Po’o i ai sina toe o Sagone? An alleged request by a Malietoa of Sa’umani’afa’ese who was now called Pule-le-‘i’ite (Pule the predictor) because of his success at predicting whatever Malietoa expected to happen with his riddles.

However, Malietoa failed to guess the real meaning of Pulele’i’ite’s request for a tula o la’u lupe. He was asking for a wife, not a perch, as there were tons of trees in Salafai-Savai’i.

There is also: Ua ta’ialalo le i’a a Sa Sa’umani. The fish of Sa Sa’umani was led down deep, [away from the Sa Sa’umani family].

So why is this column called ‘TA’I’S TAKE?

Because my birth name was ‘Ta’ialalo’ before I was stolen at two years old and raised by the kindest, loving, generous human beings I have ever known, Loli Mulu and his wife Matau’aina, and their daughters Tulu’iga and Taufao of Vaipu’a,

Salega, Savai’i.

They changed my name to Pito’aso- the name of the residential site of the title Loli.  

In their honour I dedicate this column with all the love in my heart.