The main meaning of Manawanui in Maori is Patience but, as a verb, it also means to be steadfast, stout-hearted, tolerant, patient, unwavering, resolute, persistent, committed, dedicated, unswerving, staunch, dogged, according to Wikipedia.

I am certain that when the New Zealand government named the new addition to its fleet HMNZS Manawanui, it had all those meanings of the Maori word in mind.

The physical ship itself, of course, could not possess any of the traits and characteristics in the meaning of its name, but the aim and thought obviously was that the crew, the captain and the sailors, would demonstrate by their attitudes and actions what the name of the ship meant.

I do not doubt that in trying to update the outdated 1987 charts of the Samoan waters the crew of the HMNZS Manawanui were doing everything to be as true to their ship's name as possible.

But S…T happens. And the HMNZS Manawanui now lies and leaks  oil on the Tafitoala reef..

Now we read that we should demand compensation from the New Zealand government for the damage to the reef and the livelihood of those who depend on the sea's bounty in the area.      

Strong sentiments have been expressed about whether the Samoan government has a backbone to demand compensation not only for the current damage but also for the long-term effects of the oil and fuel on the people's lives. We do not talk of the backbone of course; we say whether we have the ate (liver) to do anything onerous and dangerous.

But is that a fair attitude to take to what is a pure accident?

Did we take that attitude when the multi-million-dollar gift ship from Australia was grounded on the Salelologa reef? Did we demand an inquiry about that accident?

No doubt the people who enjoyed the fish and other goods of the reef will go without for a while, but the first victims of the accident are obviously the fish and the palolo worms in the reefs which are now swimming and drinking oily seawater.

Those were the first victims of the accident but since we don't know what the fish and worms are thinking, or if they think at all, we can't comment on it further.

But we can look back and think about plans that did not work out; intentions that went haywire for one reason or another.

We can remember times when we planned for things to turn up one way but turned up quite differently. What was the situation? What was our reaction? How did we deal with the changed circumstances?

Each of us experienced different situations and reacted differently. But as we have said above, in this situation, is it fair to demand compensation from New Zealand which has suffered the loss of the valuable asset which was trying to help Samoa?

People do react differently and a worthy reaction to follow is that of the most famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns, when he ploughed through the nest of a mouse. He wrote a poem about it - An Ode To a Mouse - expressing his feelings towards the mouse and his home.    

“Ode to a Mouse” by Robert Burns. Modern English translation by Michael R. Burch

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, Sleek, tiny, timorous, cowering beast,

O, what panic's in thy breastie! why's such panic in your breast?

Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Why dash away, so quick, so rash,

Wi' bickering brattle! in a frenzied flash

I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, when I would be loath to run after you

Wi' murd'ring pattle! with a murderous plowstaff!

I'm truly sorry Man's dominion I'm truly sorry Man's dominion

Has broken Nature's social union, has broken Nature's social union,

An' justifies that ill opinion, and justifies that bad opinion

Which makes thee startle, which makes you startle,

At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, when I'm your poor, earth-born companion

An' fellow-mortal! and fellow mortal!

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; I have no doubt you sometimes thieve;

What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! What of it, friend? You too must live!

A daimen-icker in a thrave A random corn-ear in a shock's

'S a sma' request: a small behest; it-

I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, 'll give me a blessing to know such a loss;

An' never miss't! I'll never miss it!

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! Your tiny house lies in a ruin,

It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! its fragile walls wind-rent and strewn!

An' naething, now, to big a new ane, Now nothing's left to construct you a new one

O' foggage green! of mosses green

An' bleak December's winds ensuin, since bleak December's winds, ensuing,

Baith snell an' keen! blow fast and keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast, You saw your fields laid bare and waste

An' weary Winter comin fast, with weary winter closing fast,

An' cozie here, beneath the blast, and cozy here, beneath the blast,

Thou thought to dwell, you thought to dwell,

Till crash! the cruel coulter past till crash! the cruel iron ploughshare passed

Out thro' thy cell. straight through your cell!

That wee-bit heap o' leaves an' stibble, That flimsy heap of leaves and stubble

Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! had cost you many a weary nibble!

Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, Now you're turned out, for all your trouble,

But house or hald. less house and hold,

To thole the Winter's sleety dribble, to endure cold winter's icy dribble

An' cranreuch cauld! and hoarfrosts cold!

But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, But mouse-friend, you are not alone

In proving foresight may be vain: in proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men

Gang aft agley, go oft awry,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, and leave us only grief and pain,

For promis'd joy! for promised joy!

Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me! Still, friend, you're blessed compared with me!

The present only toucheth thee: Only present dangers make

But Och! I backward cast my e'e, But, ouch!, behind me I can see

On prospects drear! grim prospects drear!

An' forward, tho' I canna see, While forward-looking seers, we

I guess an' fear! humans guess and fear!

Yes, The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men

Gang aft agley, go oft awry,

With TA'I'S best wishes for all the children on their Sunday, the reef, the fish, the Palolo and the crew of the HMNZS ManawanuiI.

Manuia le Aso Sa o Tamaiti.