Sā iai le ulugāli’ i e igoa 1 i ā Vi ma Vo ma lo la alo-tama’ ita’ i e to’atasi e igoa ‘i a Sinausuimanu. ‘0 lenei tama’ita’i e lauiloa fo’i ‘i le fa’apu’upu’uga o Iona igoa, Sina. ‘0 Sina lenei sa sili ona alofa ‘i ona mātua na i lō mānaia ma tagata maualuluga sa aumoe atu ‘i ā te ia. Ma ‘o le tala lenei ‘i mea na tutupu i nā aumoega.
‘0 le aumoega muamua na fa’atō’ai ‘i ā Sina, ‘o le aumoega lea a le Tui Fiti. ‘E taunu’u ane le aumoega a le Tui Fiti i le fale o Sina, ‘e ‘o iai Vi ma Vō, ‘a e na ‘o Sina o lo ‘o nofo i le fale. Sā fiafia le Tui Fiti ‘ ina ‘ ua ia va’ ai atu ‘ i ā Sina, ma sa ia ulufale loa ‘ i le fale ma nofo ‘i lalo. Sā faiatu loa Sina ‘i le Tui Fiti, “‘Ua lelei ‘ua maliu
mai, ‘a e fa’atali atu ‘i le fale, se’i ‘ou alu e sā’ili mai so tātou ‘ava. Sā tū loa ‘i luga Sina ma savali ‘i fafo o le fale, ma alu atu ai loa ’i le fa’ato’aga o lo ‘o iai ona matua ‘o Vi ma VŌ. Sa ta’u e Sina ‘i ā Vi ma Vo le aumoega a le Tui Fiti. ‘Ona faiatu lea o Vi ma Vo ‘i ā Sina, “Alu e ati se tou ‘ava ma ali’i. ‘A ‘uma ona fai le tou ‘ava, ‘ona ‘e faiatu lea ‘i ali’i e toefo’i le lātou fua, se’i ‘e nofo pea se’i ‘e matua, ona lātou toe ōnai lea.”

Sā fa’apea lava ona fai e Sina ‘ina ‘ua ia alu ane ‘i le fale o lo ‘o iai le Tui_Fiti ma lana ‘aumalaga. ‘Auā ‘ina ‘ua ‘uma le lātou ‘ava,’ona ia ta’u atu lea ‘i le Tui Fiti le fa’atonuga a ona mātua. Sā 18 fa’anoanoa le Tui Fiti i le tali a Sina, ona lātou tutu gugū lea ma o ‘ese ma le fale. Sa latou ō ifo ‘i le matāfaga ma fa’ae’e loa le lātou fua, ma tu’uva’a loa mo Fiti.

‘A ‘o lātou i le vasa, sa lātou fetaia’i ma le fuāva’a o le Tui Toga
o lo ‘ o malaga ‘ i Samoa e aumoe 1 i ā Sina. Sā fa’ alatalata ane le va’ a o le Tui Toga ‘i le va’a o Tui Fiti, ona fesili lea o le Tui Toga, “Po ‘o fea na maliu ‘i ai lenā sā?”
Sa tali ane le Tui Fiti, “S3 mātou 5sia le tama’ita’i ‘o Sinausuimanu ‘i Samoa.”

Sā toe fesili le Tui Toga, “‘O fea lā ‘o iai le tama’ita’i?”
Sā tali le Tui Fiti, “Tālofa e, ‘ua leva lava ona oti le tama’ita’i.”
Sa faiatu loa le Tui Toga, “‘Ua lelei, ‘a e se’i mātou ō ane pea e asi ivi o Sina.”
Sā fa’aauau pea le malaga a le Tui Toga ma taunu’u ‘i Sāmoa. Sā lātou 5 fo’i ‘i uta ma maua le fale o le tama’ita’i ‘o Sina. S3 iloa ane fo’i e Sina le Tui Toga ma lana ‘aumalaga, ona ia vala’au ane lea, “Malin
mai ‘i fale nei, se’i ‘ou alu e sā’ili mai so tātou ‘ava.”
Sa ō ane loa le Tui Toga ma lana ‘aumalaga ‘ua fa’atali i totonu o le fale, ‘a ‘o Sina ‘ua alu nei e ta’u le aumoega a le Tui Toga ‘i ā Vi ma Vo.
S3 tali ane fo’i Vi ma Vō ‘i ā Sina, “‘Ua lelei ‘ua taunu’u mai le aumoega. ‘A e alu e ati se tou ‘ava, ‘ona ‘e alu lea ma ta’u ‘i le Tui Toga lau tali lea na fai ‘i le Tui Fiti.” Sā fa’apea lava ‘ona faia e Sina e pei
ona fa’atonuina ai ia e ona mātua. Sā ia alu ‘ua ati le ‘ava, ‘ona ia ‘ave
lea ‘ ua fai ai lo lātou ‘ ava ma le Tui Toga ma lana ‘ aumalaga. Na ‘ uma
le ’ava, ona ia ta’u lea ‘i le Tui Toga lana tali lea na fai ‘i le Tui Fiti. Sā fa’anoanoa le Tui Toga ’ina ’ua le talia e Sina Iona mana’o. Ma ‘o le mea lea na lātou ō ifo ai ‘i le matāfaga ma fa’ae’e loa le va’a ma toe fo’i loa ‘i Toga. ‘A ‘o le’i te’a ‘ese ma le ava le va’a o le Tui Toga, sā lātou fetaia’i ma le va’a o Tigilau. ‘Ona vala’au ane lea o Tigilau ‘i le Tui Toga, “Maliu mai lenā sā po ‘o fea na iai?”
Sā tali atu le Tui Toga, “Sā mātou ō ‘i ā Sinausuimanu i Samoa.”
Sā faiatu loa Tigilau. “Fa’aauau ia le faigāmalaga, ‘a e se’i mātou ō e asi Sina po ‘o mālōlōina.”
Sā alu ane le aumoega a Tigilau ma taunu’u ‘i le fale o Sina. ‘Ona tali fo1 i lea o Sina ‘ i ā Tigilau e pei ona ia faia 1 i le Tui Fiti ma le Tui Toga. ‘Ona toe fo’i fa’anoanoa lea o le aumoega a Tigilau.
Sā nonofo pea Sina ma ona mātua ‘o Vi ma Vo. Sa manatua pea fo’i e Sina aumoega a tagata ia na fa’atō’ai ane ‘ i ā te ia. Ma na o’o ‘ina ‘ua matua Sina, ona manatu lea o Vi ma Vo, ‘ua tatau ona nofo-tāne Sina.

Peita’i, sa mamao lea manatu ma le māfaufau o Sina. Mā ‘o le mea lea na latou toe nonofo ai na ‘ o lātou ma fa’ atali pe toe fo’ i atu aumoega ia na latou te’ena muamua. Sa siliga ona toe fo’i ane se aumoega ‘i ā Sina, ‘ona fa’apea lea o Vi ma Vō, “‘Ua siliga ona toe sau se aumoega ‘i ā Sina, ‘a e leai fo’i se fa’ailoga e iloa atu ai ‘o mana’o Sina i se tāne.” Sa fai loa le tonu a Vi ma Vo, ‘ e sili ona la o e ‘ ave Sina ‘ i tagata na aumoe mai, ‘ā tonu e sui ai le māfaufau o Sina. Mā sā fa’apea lava ona lā faia.

Na o’o ‘i le isi aso, ‘ona faiatu lea o Vi ma Vo ‘i ā Sina, “Sina, sau ia tātou ō tātou te ‘au’au i le sami.” Sā lātou ō ifo loa ma ā lstou fuipopo ‘ua lafo ‘i le sami, ‘ona latou fe’ausi ai lea. Sa alu le latou fe’ausiga ma taunu’u ‘i le nu’u o le Tui Toga. ‘E latou te taunu’u atu,’o 1° fsi le fono a le nu’u e fa’ataga ai mea sa fa’asāina mo Sina ‘ona ‘o le aumoega a le Tui Toga.

Sā faiatu loa Vi ma Vō ‘i ā Sina, “Alu ia e asi le Tui Toga, ‘a ‘o le’a mā fa’atali atu i le matāfaga.” Sa alu loa Sina ‘i uta ‘a e fa’atali atu Vi ma Vo i le matāfaga. ‘E alu atu Sina ‘o nofo le Tui Toga i le malae o lo ‘o fai ai le fono. Sā faiatu loa Sina ‘i le Tui Toga, “‘O le ā lenā fono?”

Sā tali ane le Tui Toga, “‘O le fono lenei o le’ā tataga ai mea sa fa’asāina mo lau afioga.”
Sā faiatu loa Sina, “Tū’ua ia lenā fono ‘a e sau tā ō ‘i sou fale.”
Sā fa’atū’ua loa le fono, ‘a ‘ua 5 ane Sina ma le Tui Toga ‘i le fale o le Tui Toga. Na lā taunu’u ‘i le fale, ona faiatu lea o Sina ‘i le Tui Toga, ” ‘Ā fa’apefea se mea’ai mā a’u ‘auā ‘ua lata fo’i ona goto le 11? Faiatu ia ‘i taulele’a e ‘avane le ta’alolo a le tou nu’u ‘i le malae, ‘a e ‘aumai ‘i ‘inei na ‘o ni polapola se lima, ‘ia tofu fo’i nl polapola ma ni fāsi-mea o mea ‘uma na fa’asāina mo a’u.”

Sā fa’apenā lava ona faia e pei ‘ona mana’o ai Sina. Sa ‘avane le ta’alolo a le nu’u ‘ua tu’u ‘i le malae, ma ‘aumai fo’i ma le taumafataga
a Sina ma le Tui Toga.

Na o’o ‘ina ‘ua goto le lā, ‘ona ō ane lea o VI ma Vō ‘ua ‘ai ‘uma le ta’alolo a le nu’u na tu’u i le malae. ‘A ‘o le taimi fo’i lea ‘ua fai ai ma le taumafataga a le Tui Toga ma Sina. Na ‘uma le taumafataga a Sina ma le Tui Toga, ‘ona ō ane lea o galu-teine a le Tui Toga ‘ua fofola fa’atasi fala-moe o Sina ma le Tui Toga. Peita’i, ha o’o ‘i le taimi e monoe ai, ‘ona alu ahu lea o Sina ‘ua toso le tasi fala-moe ma ‘ave fo’i ma le tasi ‘ali ‘via fofola ‘i le tasi tala o le fale. ‘Ona fa’apea atu lea o Sina ‘i le Tui Toga, “Sena ‘o lou ‘ali ma ou fala nā, ‘a ‘o lo’u lenei ‘ali ma o’u fo’i fala. ‘A e tā mcmoe ia, ‘auā ‘ua ‘e silafia fo’i e mamao le mea na ‘ou ‘a’au mai ai.” ‘Ona mcmoe ‘ese’ese ai lea o Sina ma le Tui Toga.
Na o’o ‘i le tūlua o pō ma ao, ‘ona 5 ane lea o Vi ma V5 ‘ua fafagu Sina ma faiatu ‘i ai, “‘Ua ā ‘ea lou loto?”
Sā tali ane Sina, “‘E le’i b’o lava ‘i lo’u loto se mana’o ‘i mānamea.”

Sā lātou toe ō ifo loa ’i le matafaga ma lafo a lātou fuipopo ’i le sami, ’ona lātou toe fe’ausi ai fo’i lea. Sā lātou fe’ausi ma taunu’u ’i gātai o Pata ‘i Falelātai. Ma ‘o le nu’u fo’i lea o lo ‘o nofo ai Tigilau ma le ‘aunonofo i talau. Na 5 a’e Sina ma ona mātua ‘i le matafaga ona faiatu lea o Vi ma Vō ‘i ā Sina, “Sau ia inā alu e asi Tigilau, ‘a e mā fa’atali atu i le matafaga.”

Sā alu loa Sina ‘i uta ‘a e fa’atali atu Vi ma Vo i le matafaga.

‘E taunu’u ane Sina ‘i uta, ‘o fa’alele le lupe a Tigilau. ‘Ona faiatu lea o Sina ‘i ā Tigilau, “Tu’u ia o lau lupe, ‘a e sau ts ō ‘i sou fale.

Sā vave ‘ona tu’u e Tigilau lana lupe ‘ina ‘ua ia va’ai atu ‘i a Sina. Sā ia fa’atele’a’i atu fo’i ‘ua ‘u’u le lima o Sina ma sāvali loa ‘ i le falelau o Tigilau. Sa sili ona alofa Tigilau ‘ i ā Sina i lō se isi
lava fafine. ‘Aua ‘ina ‘ua la taunu’u ‘ i le fale, sa ia si’i Sina i ona lava vae. Na o’o fo’i ‘ina ‘ua moe Sina, ‘ona ia 1aluga lea i le manava ‘o Tigilau. Na malama a’e le taeao o le aso na soso’o ai, ‘ona lagona lea e Sina, ‘ua tatau ‘ona ia nofo ‘i le fale o Tigilau ‘ona ‘o uiga alofa o lo ‘ o fa’ aali atu e Tigilau ‘ i ā te ia. Ma sā nofo ai loa Sina i le fale o Tigilau, ‘a ‘ua 5 Vi ma Vō ‘ua nonofo i le isi fale o le nu’u.
Na o’o ‘i le isi aso, ona alu lea o Tigilau e fa’alele lana lupe, ‘a
e nofo Sina ‘i le fale. ‘Ona alu ane lea o le isi āvā fa’ataulāitu a
Tigilau ‘ua talanoa ma Sina. Sa ia fa’aosooso Sina ma faiatu ‘i ai, “‘O Tigilau e moe lava i le sami i ana alogā-atu. ‘A e talu lava ‘ona ‘e sau,
‘ua le alu le ali’i e fai sona faiva.” Sā talitonu lava Sina ‘i tala a le fafine fa’ataulāitu, ‘a e na te le iloa o lo ‘o taunafai le fafine ‘i se ‘auala e moe ‘ese ai Tigilau, ‘ona ia alu ane lea e ‘ave le agaga o Sina. ‘Aua ‘ua fuā isi āvā ‘urra a Tigilau ‘i a Sina ona ‘o le alofa fa’apito ‘i ai o Tigilau. Na o’o ‘ i le afiafi, ‘ona fo’i ane lea o Tigilau ‘i le fale o Sina. ‘E taunu’u ane Tigilau ‘o tagi Sina, ‘ona fesili atu lea ‘i ā Sina, “Po ‘o le ā le mea ‘ua ‘e tagi ai?”
Sā tali Sina, “Talu lava ‘ona ‘ou sau, ‘ou te le’i ‘ai lava ‘i se i’a.”

Sā faiatu loa Tigilau, “‘Ua lelei, ‘ua ‘ou iloa le mea ‘ua ‘e tagi ai. Ma ‘o le’ā ‘ou alu nei loa ‘ou te alo-atu.”
Sā alu loa Tigilau ‘ua alo-atu, ‘a e fa’atali atu Sina i le fale.
Sā leva le pō ‘ o fa’ atali pea e Sina le alogā-atu a Tigilau, ma sa i’ u
lava ‘ina ia ta’oto ifo ma moe loa. ‘A ‘o moe Sina, sa tolotolo ane le āvā taulāitu a Tigilau ‘ua ‘ave le agaga o Sina, ‘ona oti ai lea o Sina.

Na malama le taeao, ’ona a’e fiafia ane lea o le faiva o Tigilau ma le anoano o atu. ‘A e tālofa e, na vave ona suia le fiafia o Tigilau, ‘ina ‘ua taunu’u atu ‘i le fale ma va’aia Sina ‘ua oti. Sā ia tago ifo ‘i le tino o Sina ‘ua si’i atu ma tagi ai. Sa ia memo’e ‘i fafo o le fale, ma fa’asaga ‘i le lagi, ma tagi tauvala’au ‘i le teine ‘o Tausi’io’io’ie ma fa’apea atu, “le teine e, Tausi’io’io’ie, sau ia e alu ‘i le Lā, ‘ia talia mai lo’u tigā.”
Sā alu loa Tausi’io’io’ie ‘ua faiatu ‘i le Lā, “Funa e, le Lā, ‘o Tigilau o lo ‘o ‘alaga mai i Iona tiga.”
‘Ona tali ane lea o le Lā, “Ō ia ‘inā muamua atu ‘i lalō. ‘Ave ma le
‘ie fuaiva lenei e ufiufi ai le tama’ita’i.” Sā alu ifo loa Tausi’io’io’ie ma le ‘ie fuaiva ‘ua ō ma Tigilau ‘ua ufiufi ai Sina. ‘A ‘o Vi ma V5 o lo ‘o fetāgisi ma fa’apea ane, “‘O Tigilau mativa na te le
maua se mea.”

‘E le’i leva ona taunu’u Tigilau ma Tausi’io’io’ie ‘i le fale, ‘a e alu ifo loa ma le Lā ‘i le isi pitonu’u, ‘ua ia ‘āmata mai ai ona ‘ai tagata. Na taunu’u le Lā ‘i le fale o Tigilau, ‘ona faiatu lea ‘i a Tigilau, “Fat ‘i lou to’alua taulāitu e ‘avane le agaga o le tama’ita’i.” Sā su’e ane e Tigilau lana āvā taulāitu, ma ‘ua ‘avatu ai le agaga o Sina, ma ‘ua toe ola ai le tama’ita’i ‘o Sinausuimanu.

‘ A ‘ o le avS taulaitu a Tigilau 1 ua ‘ ai e le La.

There was a married couple named Vi and Vo who had an only child, a daughter named Sinausuimanu, who was known simply as Sina. Sina was so very beautiful, reports of her beauty spread throughout all the islands of the ocean. Because of this, many men, near and far, courted her. But Sina loved her parents more than anyone, even those who were high chiefs and kings, and had no interest in leaving them to marry anyone- even a king- despite his high status. This is the story of the courtships of Tuitoga, Tuifiti, and the young handsome chief of Falelatai named Tigilau.

The first marriage proposal to Sina was made by the King of Fiji (Tuifiti). Sina’s parents had left her home alone while they went to work on the plantation. When Tuifiti and his party entered their house, Sina became startled, since, being a king and finding her alone, he had entered without announcement or permission and seated himself without invitation. Sina searched for an excuse to leave Tuifiti and his entourage there so she could find her parents Vi and Vo, and ask their advice. Flustered, Sina said to the seated Tuifiti, “Welcome, come in, but please, would you mind waiting here while I go and fetch some kava root for us?” Sina stood up and hurried out of the house, and went to the plantation in search of her parents. Sina excitedly explained to them that Tuifiti had made the long journey to come to their house with a proposal of marriage. Vi and Vo were not surprised, being aware of the wide reputation of her beauty, but understood that she was too young, too attached and too anxious to accept a proposal at this time, even from such a prestigious suitor. Vi and Vo advised Sina, keeping in mind her future. “Go and get a kava root fit for a king, and make the kava ceremony. When you are finished, explain to him that you are not ready, tell him that he might return to Fiji in his canoe and sail home today, and wait there until you are older, and then return when you are ready to marry.”

Sina did as Vi and Vo instructed. She returned home where Tuifiti and his traveling party awaited her, and served the kava ceremony. She told Tuifiti exactly what her parents had told her to say. Tuifiti was so surprised and saddened by her postponement and rejection, he and his entire party stood up, and quietly left the house without another word. They went to the shore, and prepared their boat for the journey, setting their course for their return to Fiji.

While far out on the vast ocean, they came upon the vessel carrying the King of Tonga, Tuitoga, who, by coincidence, was sailing to Samoa to propose to Sina. Tuitoga steered his boat close to Tuifiti’s boat, and the one king asked the other, “Where are you sailing to?”

Tuifiti answered, “We went to visit Sinausuimanu in Samoa.”

Then Tuitoga asked, “And where is this young lady?”

Tuifiti was suddenly seized with a jealous impulse, and answered him with a lie, “What a poor thing is Sina! Unfortunately, she passed away a long time ago.”

Then Tuitoga, not believing a word of this spiteful report, replied, “That’s alright, we’ll go ahead anyway, and visit Sina’s bones.”

Tuitoga continued his voyage, and finally arrived in Samoa. They went inland and found Sina’s house. When Sina saw the Tuitoga and his traveling party approaching her house, she called out, “Welcome, come in and sit down, while I go look for some kava roots for us.”

Tuitoga and his traveling party went into the house and waited. Sina knew exactly what to do, and as before, ran to tell Vi and Vo about the arrival of Tuitoga and his entourage.

Vi and Vo again advised her, “Good, the entourage has arrived, go again and get some kava roots for the ceremony and give Tuitoga the same answer you gave to Tuifiti.” Sina again did as she was instructed by her parents. She gathered the kava, performed the ceremony, and when that was concluded, Sina gave Tuitoga the same response she gave Tuifiti. He should return home and await a future time when she would be ready to accept his proposal. Tuitoga was just as sad as Tuifiti when Sina denied his request, and prepared for the voyage back to Tonga. But before they reached the ocean breakers, Tuitoga met Tigilau’s boat, which was just coming ashore. Tigilau was a handsome young chief, known throughout Samoa for his skills and bravery. Tigilau then called out to Tuitoga, “Welcome to Samoa, where have you sailed to?”

Tuitonga answered, “We have come to Samoa to see Sinausuimanu.”

Tigilau answered him, concealing from the king that he had in mind exactly the same plan, and said, “Continue your journey, we will go to visit Sina, and see how she’s doing.”

When Tigilau’s entourage arrived at Sina’s home, his proposal was met with the same answer she had given to Tuifiti and Tuitoga. Tigilau and his crew left Sina’s house with great sadness.

Sina continued to live contentedly with her parents, Vi and Vo, wanting nothing more than their company. But, as Sina grew older, Vi and Vo worried that she should be married and were increasingly concerned that marriage was still far from her mind. Nevertheless, they waited patiently, living together by themselves, anxiously hoping that one of Sina’s rejected suitors would return. After a long while, when none of her suitors returned, Vi and Vo thought, “A long time has passed and still no proposals have come for Sina. Worse, we see no indication that Sina even wants a husband.” Reluctantly, Vi and Vo decided to wait no longer, thinking it might succeed if they took Sina to again meet those who had come to propose to her. Perhaps then, they hoped, Sina would have a change of heart. And so it was done as planned.

One day, without revealing their true plan, Vi and Vo told Sina, “Sina, come let us go for a swim in the ocean.” So they went, not in a boat which would arouse Sina’s suspicion, but with their coconuts gathered together into a floating raft, which they threw into the ocean and started swimming. They swam the great distance to Tuitoga’s village. When they arrived, they found the whole village had gathered together for a meeting.

Vi and Vo told Sina, “Go and visit Tuitoga while we wait on the shores.” So Sina went alone inland while Vi and Vo waited on the shores. When Sina arrived and met Tuitoga, he was sitting on the field where a meeting was being conducted. Sina asked him, “Tuitoga, what is the meeting for?”

Tuitoga replied, “This meeting is being conducted to lift the ban on all the things that were forbidden to the people on your behalf.”

Sina then said, “Leave that meeting, and come let us go to your home.”

The meeting was then adjourned and Sina went with Tuitoga to his home. When they reached the house, Sina said to Tuitoga, “Could you arrange some food for me? The sun is about to set. Tell the young men to take the ta’alolo (food) to the village malae (field) and bring here just five braided coconut–leaf baskets, with each basket filled everything which was forbidden before.”

All was done as Sina wished. They took the ta’alolo to the village malae (field) and they also brought a meal for Sina and Tuitoga.

As the sun set, Vi and Vo came to the field and ate all the food that was left on the village malae, while Tuitoga and Sina had theirs. When they had finished eating, Tuitoga’s female servants prepared sleeping mats for Tuitoga and Sina. However, when they were ready to sleep, Sina pulled one of the sleeping mats and a wooden pillow and placed it far apart from the other on one side of the house. Sina then told Tuitoga, “Those are your mats and wooden pillow and these are mine. Let us go to sleep apart now, because I have swum a great distance, all the way from Samoa.” So Sina and Tuitoga slept separately.

But Vi and Vo could not sleep at all, so anxious were they to have their daughter marry Tuitoga. They crept into the house, and woke Sina, whispering to her “How is your heart feeling?” Sina answered her concerned parents with complete honesty, stating, “I still have no desires for any man.”

Dejected, they left the house and reached the shore, where they threw their coconut floats in the ocean, and started swimming again. They swam the great distance until they came seaward towards the village of Pata of Falelatai, the village where Tigilau and his followers were living. Sina arrived with her parents on the shore, where Vi and Vo told her, “Come, go and visit Tigilau while we wait here by the shore.”