Side-Tracked
pp. 53-55 · Read in the full issue
The Story of Sione
'T'HE story of young Sione, of the Tokelaus, who was blown away to sea in a fishing canoe, and drifted to the Wallis Islands, and became an international complication, and was returned towards home via Noumea and a Qantas plane, was told in October PIM. But Sione did not go home, directly—he got side-tracked.
D. C. Morse, of Niue, tells the story of Sione after he was landed at Laucala Bay airport, in Suva, and put onto the Tofua, for Samoa and the Tokelaus.
WHEN the Tofua, en route from Fiji to Samoa, called at Niue early in October Sione came ashore for a stroll and looked up his father’s brother, Tui. Tui is a Tokelau Islander who married a Niuean woman in Apia. After seven years in Apia they came down to Niue for a visit and to meet the family; but Tui’s wife, Manogiahi, wears the trousers; so the visit has lasted 17 years.
Exuberant at meeting a nephew from his homeland Atafu, Tui, with true Polynesian hospitality, insisted that the much-travelled Sione should stay awhile. All we have to do (said Tui) is call at the Resident Com missioner’s office and get permission to land.
I was busily preparing the Com missioner’s outward mail when Tui called at the office with Sione. It seemed that Sione was a beloved relative of Tui, travelling on the Tofua, and they would be forever grateful if we could make it possible for Sione to accept Tui’s invitation.
His 39 days alone in a canoe, his six months on Wallis Island followed by trips on schooner and aeroplane to Fiji, were items too insignificant to mention.
Tui is a respected resident of Liku Village, with plenty of taros planted and chickens galore, so the R.C. agreed to the issue of a landing per mit for Sione. In deep appreciation, Uncle Tui danced a couple of steps and gently stroked the arm of the Resident Commissioner. After 18 years in Polynesia, the latter has a tolerant attitude towards wayfaring islanders—it’s in their blood, he says.
With large smiles and profuse thanks Sione (truly, an intelligent and attractive lad) left the office to get his things off the Tofua, with instructions to call the following day to complete application forms. A medical check-up showed that he was
in good health, apart from a small ringworm infection.
There was a slight flutter in local police circles shortly before the Tofua sailed that night. An anxious Niuean constable reported a stow away, when what he meant was that a passenger had landed without a permit.
When the parties called the following day, further enquiries re vealed that Sione had come from New Caledonia and Fiji. Uncle Tui mentioned something about going to New Caledonia from the Tokelaus by canoe; but this I took with a grain of salt.
ON the next call of the Union Co.’i Matua our copy of the Octobei PIM arrived. My office boys wem through this issue more quickly thar usual, and the editor’s story aboui Sione was pushed under my nose about five minutes after the wrappei was taken off. As I read, it came tc my mind that somebody would probably want to know how Siom came to land in Niue. The R.C. wa< unperturbed.
Three weeks later, international complications began again. The Government of Western Samoa asked the R.C. to investigate whether theii castaway was anywhere on Niue,
md, if so, please have him arrested md re-embarked for Apia.
The Resident Commissioner of Viue is not without a sense of lumour; he and the Secretary to the Jamoan Government are old friends n the Islands service, as members )f the N.Z, Island Territories Depart nent. Niue is administered by N.Z. mder the Cook Islands Act; Samoa inder the Samoa Act. The chance 0 have a friendly dig at his colleague n Samoa does not come very often. ?he Resident Commissioner of Niue adioed to the Secretary of Samoa: On what charge do I arrest Sione lease”.
The Samoan Government could, f course, have charged Sione with ;aving the Tokelaus without a ermit. But finally a personal plea 5 the R.C. did the trick, and Sione r ill continue his journey tomorrow 1 charge of the Tofua’s purser.
I have just had a little talk with ione and Tui and they are not appy about our statement that Sione as to leave. Said Tui: “We were □ping that he could stay here with le until next year. I might be taking trip home to Atafu”. Said Sione, ith tearful eyes: “I like Niue, here’s plent of kai. Much more lan Atafu”. And then, more cheer illy: “The girls? Yes. Some nice rls at Liku”.
An official’s life in the Islands is not without amusement, when he deals with the human problems that arise. So Sione leaves Niue tomorrow without a stain on his character. Furthermore, his visit has not been a charge on the N.Z. taxpayer.