Son of the Sun (A Tongan FairyTale )

Foha ‘o e La’a

Once upon a time there lived a very beautiful woman in the village of  Felemea on the island of Uiha in Ha’apai. Her name was Fataimoeloa. She was really very beautiful. But she had a strange habit which made her different from all other women. She was violently and unreasonably in love with the sun. The caresses of the rays of the sun on her body excited her more than the touch of any man.

Every morning before the sun rose she used to go to the Liku beach on the eastern side of the island where the first rays of the sun could reach her. There she would wait for the pink hue of the sky which foretold the rising of the sun. Then she would take off the lavalava, the sarong, and swim stark naked as God had made her in the warm water of the sea.

As soon as the sun rose with her fingers of fire and turned the horizon golden she would come out of the water and nude and wet as she was lie on the sand yearning for the touch of her lover – the sun. She would lie there until the sun had thoroughly dried and warmed her, all the time turning in order to expose every part of her body to the warmth of the sun. Only when the heat became unbearable she would put her lavalava on again and filled with happiness return to her village.

Fataimoeloa's sister

                

As time went by she found that she was pregnant. Months passed, and when her time had come she gave birth to a beautiful boy whom she named Sisimataela’a which means “The attraction of the sun.”

The child grew very quickly and was indeed an attractive boy. Fataimoeloa knew very well that the chiefs were always looking for handsome young men to join their services and fight in their battles. And she was fearful that one day a chief might come and take away her son as a servant. For this reason she took her child and moved to the Liku beach where the coast was protected by a reef and no boat could land. And on the spot where she used to wait for the love of the sun she built a Fale Tonga, a palm leaf house, for herself and set about caring for and educating her son. They lived there for some years, and the child turned into a remarkably handsome man. All this happened well before any other people settled in Felemea which is now a village on the western side of the island.

Tu'i Tonga

                

It so happened at the time that the TU’I TONGA, the King of Tonga, had a daughter by the name of Fatafehi. One day the King decided to make a tour to all the islands of his Kingdom in his Kalia, a large double hulled canoe, and at the same time look fore a husband for his daughter. After the preparations the party set out and finally arrived in Ha’apai. At every island where the boat landed a party of men set out to look if it was inhabited and after their return reported to the King.

                

               

After the arrival at the beach of Felemea some of the men went ashore and walked around Uiha along the beach. They came across the house of Fataimoeloa and saw Sisimataela’a.

When they returned to the King they reported that the island was uninhabited except for a woman and her son at a certain part of the Liku beach.

“The son is a fully grown man, and what a young man !” they said. “Your Majesty, he is so handsome that it hurts the human eye to look at him. Yes we are certain that such beauty has never been seen by human eyes.”

The Tu’i Tonga told them to return to shore and take this message to the youth’s mother:

“The King needs the services of your son and will take him on this trip. He will await your son on board.”

Inmagine the sadness of the mother when the men took the message to her ! She had isolated herself and her son to prevent this very thing from happening. She told Sisimataela’a to pick some leaves of the PIU, the fan palm, and bring them to her. Then she made a long cloak of the leaves and put it over his shoulders. She instructed him in the proper way to address the King and how to show respect for him and the chiefs. Then she kissed him and sent him across the island to the beach where the boat was being loaded and prepared for departure.

The royal tour continued from island to island, as far as Futuna and ‘Uvea, and then returned by way of Samoa. On this whole journey they did not find anyone as handsome as Sisimataela’a.

In the middle of the eights night of their return form Samoa Sisimataela’a took off his leaf cloak and crawled on his knees to the Tu’i Tonga. Here he knelt in obeisance.

“What do you want?” asked the King. – “May your boat safely reach its destination, O King,” said Sisimataela’a. “I beg for your permission to swim ashore from here.”

“At which island do you want to swim ashore?” asked the King. – “We are directly opposite my home island of Uiha now,” answered Sisimataela’a. The King was surprised because it was midnight and pitch black. But the son of the sun knew exactly where he was by feeling the movement of the waves and currents.

“No,” the King said. “Wait until we reach Tongatapu, and then some of my people will bring you back.” – “As you wish, Your Majesty,” answered Sisimataela. “I made this request to go ashore now so it would not trouble you to bring me back later.” Thus the royal tour continued to Tongatapu.

The Tu’i Tonga lived at Mu’a. When the party returned home word was sent to the King’s daughter that her father had returned with a husband for her.                          

Fatafehi

Sisimatela'a

                         

Great excitement reigned in the household of the young princess, and there was anxious speculation about the man whom her father had brought for her. Finally it was time for the princess to meet her future husband. She received a message from her father asking her to come to his house. So amid a babylonic mixture of excited talk the girl was anointed with sweet smelling oil. She was dressed with the most valuable mats and decorated with beautiful flowers and feathers and sea shells. When she was properly prepared she walked to her father’s house with all her maids following behind her in the usual custom. They arrived to find the young man sitting next to the King. Sisimataela’a had lowered his head because he knew in his heart that he would have to marry the princess regardless if she was pretty or ugly.

Then the King told Sisimataela’a that his bride had arrived and half-heartedly he looked up. But when he saw the princess he could not believe his eyes. The young lady was so beautiful ! The same happened to Fatafehi. When she saw Sisimataela’a she fell down on her knees dazzled by his handsomeness. So it was love at first sight between Sisimataela’a and Princess Fatafehi, and the wishes of the Tu’i Tonga were realized.

Preparations for the wedding began immediately, and Sisimataela’a asked the Tu’i Tonga if he could return to Uiha to tell his mother of the great honour that had been bestowed on him. The King granted him this request although the princess did not agree because she wanted the marriage to take place right away. So great was her love for Sisimataela’a that she did not want to let him out of her sight. But because her father, the Tu’i Tonga, had given his consent Sisimataela’a was allowed to go.

Felemea is marked by the blue dot at the bottom of Uiha. 
Liku Beach is on right side.

                 

So Sisimataela’a returned to Uiha and told his mother about his forthcoming marriage. Fataimoeloa then told him that his father was the sun and that he must go and tell his father about the wedding.

He said to her: “But how can I get near enough to tell him? I will be burnt alive if I go near him.”

“You shall swim due east” Fataimoeloa told him, “until you come to a big rock standing out of the deep blue sea. You must climb onto the rock and wait there until the sun rises. Then call to him and tell him about your betrothal.”

Fearlessly Sisimataela’a turned and started swimming in the black darkness of the night. He swam and swam until at last he saw the big rock which his mother had described. He swam towards it, climbed onto it and sat down to watch for the rising sun. As he was sitting there he began to feel drowsy and very tired from his swim. So he stretched himself out and fell asleep. He was awakened by the warmth of the sun on his skin, jumped up in surprise and saw that the sun was already above the horizon and was steadily climbing higher.

 

   

“Oh Sun,” he called out, “please wait until I tell you why I have come. I am Sisimataela’a, and I have come to tell you that I am going to be married. The Tu’i Tonga has seen fit to choose me as a husband for his daughter.”

The sun sent down one of his rays and lifted Sisimataela’a up into the sky. He then put out another ray and pulled a piece of black cloud over his face so that the world could not see him talking to his son.

Sisimataela’a said to his father: “My mother sent me to tell you of my marriage because you are my father. I will marry Fatafehi, the daughter of the Tu’i Tonga.”

“It is good,” the sun told him. “You shall take these two packets: one is MALA (misfortune) and the other is MONU (fortune). You must not see what is in Mala. You shall only unwrap it after the wedding ceremony is over. Monu you must open on the day of the marriage Katoanga (Festival or Celebration).”

The sun pushed the piece of black cloud away and returned Sisimataela’a to the rock. Tied to the rock was a boat with the parcels. Sisimataela’a stepped into the boat and began to paddle. As he paddled he felt a great craving to know what was in the packet Mala. Finally he could no longer restrain his curiosity. So he lifted the corner of the wrapping and peeked into the package.

Suddenly there were bolts of lightening and great crashes of thunder, and the sea became very rough. The wind blew, and he waves tossed the little boat to and fro like a coconut shell being thrown about in the waves. Earthquakes shook the sea. What a frightening experience! It was as if Pulotu, the underworld, had opened its door and released all the evil spirits which dwelt there so they might wreak havoc in the world of men.

Sisimataela’a’s boat sunk in the storm. But he was able to tie the two packets around his neck and swim with them.

Poor Sisimataela’a! He swam and swam until he became very tired and exhausted. He tried to swim on but soon realized that he could not make it to shore because the sea and the wind were so much against him. Finally he gave up and floated on his back like a banana leaf. He could no longer swim. So he drifted with the tide.

The sun looked down and, seeing his son’s plight, took pity on Sisimataela’a and quieted  the wind and the waves. The sea became calm, and the wind instead of blowing against Sisimataela’a turned around and gently pushed him against the shore. At last he was laid on the beach near the house of his mother. He was still alive but unconscious after his ordeal.

Fataimoeloa, his mother, saw him  and  ran to the beach. She very gently massaged him until he regained conciousness. Then she brought him into her little house. How tenderly she cared for him! How she fondled him! For indeed he was her only child. To her he was no longer a grown up man but was still her baby.

Sisimataela’a rested for only a few days, then loaded his boat and set out with his mother for Tongatapu. They took only their bedding and the two packets. When they arrived at Mua the people all flocked to the beach to see what gifts they had brought for the wedding. They were very surprised to see that the mother and son had brought only their bedding and two small packets with them. “Look!” the people said to one another. “How poor is the man who is to marry the princess!”

The chiefs worried about the apparent poverty of Sisimataela’a and his mother and had doubts about the wisdom of the union. But Fatafehi was impatient and regretted the need for the long preparations. She wished the marriage could take place straight away so she could feel that she belonged to her husband and he to her.

When the day of the marriage ceremony came Olotele, the compound of the Tu’i Tonga, was full of excitement and noise, and the harbour was jammed with outrigger boats coming from all over Tonga to join in the wedding celebration of the Tu’i Tonga’s daughter. The only possession of Sisimataela’a’s  mother was a Kie Tonga, a very finely woven mat, which she had made herself. All the people were in a state of excitement and wondering how those two poverty stricken people would receive the Tu’i Tonga’s Koloa, mats and Tapa cloth used in ceremonial exchanges. Tapa is a painted cloth made from the inner bark of the paper maulberry tree.

Everything was in its proper ceremonial place and was now ready. Even the ‘Epa, a bed of Tapa cloth and mats, was ready to receive the bride and groom. Word was sent out to Sisimataela’a that he should come because the Umu, the earth ovens, were about to be opened and the food laid out for the guests.

                                           

Sisimataela’a then took  the parcel  MONU and unwrapped it. Suddenly there appeared a huge Falehau, a large house for the chief, that stretched from Kolongahau, the harbour, to Fue, a place in Mua, and it was filled with all kinds of Tongan Koloa. A multitude of people came into being, taking the koloa and the umu to the King’s property.

 There was such a large amount of food and gifts that it almost covered the whole town of Mua. The King’s people were amazed at what they saw, and they realized that it had all been done by some supernatural power.

Fataimoeloa then made a Vakai, a garment used on special occasions, for Sisimataela’a, and she put the Kie Tonga that she had made earlier on top of the vakai. From that time on the Kie Tonga has been worn on top of the wedding vala.

Thus at this wedding the Koloa and Umu of the groom’s party were far greater than those of the bride’s people. When Sisimataela’a’s people brought their offerings the Tu’i Tonga told them: “After you have put your Umu and Koloa in place you may all come and sit in the ‘Alofi,” the ceremonial kava circle usually reserved for chiefs. That is why even now the decendants of these people can sit in the ‘Alofi after they have made their presentations. They were given this privilege because they were considered to be supernatural beings.

When all the wedding ceremonies were over Sisimataela’a  took the packet Mala and opened it. There blew at once a strong wind which cleared the town of all the rubbish left over from the festivities. It also took away the Falehau. But the people whom Monu had brought were left to care for Sisimataela’a.

And so Sisimataela’a and Fatafehi lived happily at Olotele. In time Fatafehi had a beautiful baby boy, and they named him Fakatou’io, which means “yes to both.” The name was given because if anyone asked: “Is he a god?” the answer would be “yes”. And if anyone asked: “Is he a human?” the reply would also be “yes.”

Sisimataela’a was happy at Olotele. But now that he had a son of his own he felt an ambition to build a place where his son could be a chief and leader. One day he approached the Tu’i Tonga with his request and spoke:

“Oh Great Sky of all Tonga! May the sun shine on your humble servant so that this request is kindly received. I pray that I may be allowed to take both, the treasure Fatafehi whom you have seen fit to bestow upon me, and my son to the island from whence I came – there to bring up my son to serve you.”

The Tu’i Tonga granted his request, and the son of the sun returned to Uiha with his family. There they established the village of Felemea. All the people whom  his father, the sun, had provided him with through Monu also went with them to live there and to serve them.

From this story originated a saying well known in Tonga: “Alu ‘alu ‘i mala kae tau ki monu.” It literally means “Walking in misfortune and ending up in fortune.”

The story also explains the meaning of the name of the village of Felemea. It was named so from the words “fele e me’a” meaning “jumble of things,” because the Umu and Koloa at the wedding were so numerous that they appeared to be a huge jumble of things.

And would you like to know what else happened to Sisimataela’a and Fatafehi? If they have not died they will live ever after. And I returned from the wedding party with a big bag of freshly caught fish.

  

Postscript:

This is Tupou Posesi Fanua, the lady who witnessed all this and wrote it down in the Tongan language. She now resides in Paradise and the sun shines on her and warms her forever.

                     

This story has been collated exclusively for the enjoyment of family and friends and not for any commercial purposes.

Manfred, Brisbane, 10.10.2009