People who think that just because you are a devout person of Faith, you are indoctrinated. That you’ve forgotten your ancestors, your anga fakatonga, kavei koula ‘e fa, your story. But little do they know, your faith is part of your story.

My ancestors, Takai and Fa’e were great warriors from the village of Pea in Tongatapu. They believed in the gods of the Old Tongan religion (Tangaloa, ‘Aho’eitu, Maui, Pulotu etc, an animistic Faith)

One day, their sister Fie’ota’anga fell gravely ill and there was nothing the traditional healers could do about it. One night in a dream, a bright light appeared to Takai and from it came the voice of a man who said to him:

“If you want your sister to be healed, go to the Ma’ufanga, a white man dressed in black with a white collar will come to you in a boat, and he will heal your sister”

Without hesitation, Takai immediately awoke from his sleep and walked to Ma’ufanga to await the palangi. Before the boat even reached the shore, Takai jumped into the water, pulled the Missionary out and took him back to Pea where he prayed over Fie’ota’anga.

At the concluding of the day, Fie’ota’anga showed signs of good health. And thus the gradual process of evangelisation and conversion of the Tu’i Tonga empire began.

On 2/07/1842, under the command of the great King of the Tu’i Tonga dynasty Laufilitonga of Lapaha, the first mass was celebrated by his Grace Bishop Pierre Bataillon S.M on the small island of Pangaimotu villages present: Lapaha, Pea, Ma’ufanga, Houma and other villages gathered

I tell this story so that some people may understand, that the Christian Faith has impacted the lives of not only us, today but of our ancestors yesterday.