Roua ‘os Hanua
by Rupeni Tausia Fatiaki
Roua ‘os Hanua .
La la‘o se mua...
‘Ahai ta tari la hot‘akia fanau...
Huga sunu ‘e reko Rotuma ‘ae tae la roua...
Leuof fua se ufe te Oinafa..
Kalu ‘e hune‘ele fisi ka tanu ma‘ama‘a...
Hainoaga ma o‘io‘i, kaumanea‘ga ma kainaga...
Fanau te‘isi tae la forauan se vasa....
Luu ta sui.
‘Ahai ta jiji la la‘oan..
Vakai fakamuri se islepi ‘e laloga ne suinemafa....
Siriiena ‘e Sauhata, Ohu, Paptea ma Marama...
‘Afgaha‘'e mua ...‘Itarua la hainoaga...
Fufu‘e taumuri ‘io‘io se la ne lagi...
Ka as ta ifoa la solo se soloag asa...
Pani ne kia'a se rere ne tanu se ‘on ‘ahelava...
Malu faka muri ne ‘os hanua ka Rotuma la maon..
Fu‘uou ko Rotuma ‘atumotu ne a‘sunuhuga
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For many of us that left Rotuma for the first time to come to Fiji, I believe this is the feeling as we sailed away passing familiar places knowing very well that you do not know when you will come back again. I still remember that day vividly way back in 1982 (40yrs ago) as I stood at the back of Belama, watching Rotuma until it disappeared in the horizon with tears in my eyes. I was only 14 coming to a new world on my own. Oh those memories....
