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Tongan Oral Genealogy Project
English Version
Interview with
Lesieli Pese Kaufusi
of, Kolomotu‘a Tongatapu, Tonga
Digital Conversion Tape 467
Tonga Tape 192 –Parts 1 & 2
KALOLAINE MAPA : The Tonga Oral Genealogy Project, this is tape # 192 side A, the
interviewer is Kalolaine Mapa, the interviewē is Lesieli Pese Kaufusi of Kolomotu’a, Tonga.
Lesieli Pese Kaufusi will answer the questions concerning her genealogy, and this is the first
interview concerning her genealogy, today is the 3rd of August 1976.
K.M
I’m so grateful to come inside your home and we can greet and see each other
today. How are things going for you, (F) Lesieli?
L.K.
Everything is going great,
K.M.
Please tell me your full name, your birth date and place.
L.K.
I am (F) Lesieli Pese Kaufusi. I was born here at Kolomotu‘a on March 6th, 1906.
How happy and blessed I am to have you come and do this interview. I know
someday I will die, and what we do here today will be a memorial in my behalf to
stand to represent my life to my future generations. My father has died, and so has
my mother. Both of my brothers have died too. My children will be my hope and
trust. I’m so happy and grateful to you, Kalolaine Uatahausi Mapa,. Thank you
for sharing this gift. To me this oral history will stand for generations to come. It
will be a life memorial about me and my family this year in 1976.
K.M.
Tell me, (F) Lesieli, about your spouse and all your children.
L.K.
My husband’s name was (M) Viliami Kaulave Kaufusi from Ha‘apai. We were
married in 1930. After we married we moved from Kolomotu‘a to Kolofo‘ou. Our
home is at the end of Kolofo‘ou and Ma‘ofanga. Our children were:
1. (M) Saimone Kaulave Kaufusi, born Nov. 13th, 1930.
2. (M) ‘Anitelū Kaufusi, born Nov. 17, 1932.
3. (F) ‘Ilaisāne Kaufusi, born April 26th, 1934. She later died.
4. (M) Pese Kaufusi, born March 17, 1936.
5. (F) Mele Kaufusi, born about 1938.
6. (M) Tōmasi Kaufusi, born in 1940.
7. (F) ‘Ilisapeti Kaufusi, born in 1942. That is all of our children.
My husband was a priest for the Church of England. We lived for a while,
then my husband finally died about three years ago. That’s what I have to
share with you at this time.
K.M.
Can you tell me about (M) Saimone’s wife and children?
L.K.
Saimone married (F) Lia a Samoan at Western Samoa in ‘Apia, but now they live
in American Samoa, Pangopango, have one child;
1. (F) Siu Pese
K.M.
Tell me about (M) ‘Anitelū and his family.
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L.K.
Anitelū married (F) Katiola Sale Kaufusi and they had:
1. (F) Mele Kaufusi, now 18 years old.
2. (F) Sēini Kaufusi, now 16 years old.
3. (F) Lesieli Kaufusi jr. now 15 years old
4. (M) Sēpesi Kaulave Kaufusi, now 12 years old
5. (M) Saimone Kaulave Kaufusi jr, now 10 years old
6. (F) ‘Elisapeti Kaulave Kaufusi, now 7 years old.
Mele works for the farmer’s office and none of these children are
married yet.
K.M.
Tell me about (M) Pese.
L.K.
(M) Pese married (F) Tafoki, from Puke . one son:
1. (M) Viliami Kaulave Kaufusi, one year old.
K.M.
Tell me amout (F) Mele.
L.K.
(F) Mele Kaulave has a son:
1. (M) Mekifē ‘Etikā, 11 years old.
K.M.
Tell me about Tōmasi.
L.K.
(F) Tōmasi has three children:
1. (M) Tōmasi Kaulave Kaufusi
2. (M) Pese Kaulave Kaufusi
3. (M)Viliami Kaulave Kaufusi.
K.M.
Who was Tōmasi’s spouse?
L.K.
He married a Samoan named (F) Vainga Lepa.
K.M.
Tell me about (F) ‘Ilisapeti and her children.
L.K.
(F) ‘Ilisapeti married (M) Uatesoni Afu. I named their son:
1. (M) Anitelū Kaulave Jr.
They are now divorced.
K.M.
Tell me about (M) Kaulave’s parents and children.
L.K.
Kaulave’s parents are (M) Tēvita Kaufusi and (F) Kalo Falangā. Their children
were:
1. (M) Pāseisei
2. (M) Sione Havili
3. (F) Mafi. Her daughter was:
1, (F) ‘Ōnita Folau Mahu’inga
4. (F) Manu Siu
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5. (M) Viliami Kaulave, my husband.
They all came from the same father and same mother.
K.M.
L.K.
Can you tell me of your parents and families?
My parents are (M) Kīsione Pese Uhi from Kolomotu‘a, and (F) Siutaisa
Tu‘ipulotu. Their chidren were:
1.(M) Sione Pese
2. (F) Lesieli Pese (that’s me)
3. (M) Finau Pese. He died.
4, (M) Kīsione Kaisa Pese. He died
5. (M) Sione Tu‘itupou Pese
6. (M) Sāmiu Pese
7. (F) ‘Ana Pese. She died at Niua.
K.M.
Did (M) Sione have a family?
L.K.
(M) Sione died as a single man—never had a family.
K.M.
About how old was Sione when he died?
L.K.
He was 30 years old, and at that time I was 24 years old.
K.M.
Tell me about (M) Fīnau and his family.
L.K.
(M) Fīnau Pese married first to (F) Mele and they had:
1. (M ) Vili Uhi
2. ( F) Vaimoana Pese
3. (M ) Manuevaha
Second marriage for Fīnau, (F)Falepua and they had;
4. (F) Ana Pese
5. (M) Fīnau Pese Jr.
After that Fīnau Sr. died.
K.M.
How about (M) Vili Uhi? Any spouses?
L.K.
(M) Vili married (F) Taina from Ha‘apai, and they had:
a. (F) Siu Pese
b. (M) Vili Uhi
K.M.
How about (F) Vaimoana?
L.K.
Vaimoana married (M) Manu Tēvita, and they had:
a. (F) ‘Ana
b. (M) Tēvita
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K.M.
Do you know of (M) Manuevaha is married yet?
L.K.
Yes, (M) Manuevaha married to (F) Papi and had two children:
a. (M) Pila
b. (F) Ni.
K.M.
Can you explain to me (M) Kaisa’s childen?
L.K.
He was not married, had children by (F) Meleane out of wedlock.
1. (M) Kīsione
2. (M) Soakai
3. (F) Vai
4. (M)‘Isime‘eli.
K.M.
Do you know if (M) Kīsione is married yet?
L.K.
Not yet, but he is now living in New Zealand.
K.M.
How about (M) Soakai?
L.K
(M) Soakai married one from Kolomotu‘a. Vai is still single.
K.M.
Any idea when (M) Kaisa died?
L.K.
Kaisa was manager of the Talamalu Market, he died about two years ago (1974)
K.M.
How about (M) Sione Tu’itupou? Any spouse or children?
L.K.
I believe they had 13 children. Sione married (F) ’Ainise of Fatai, but resides at
Puke and I only know some of their children:
1. (M) Tu‘iano Pese
2. (M) Sāmiu Pese
3. (F) Luana Pese
4. (M) Fanguna Pese. That’s all I know.
K.M.
Tell me about Sāmiu and his family.
L.K.
(F) Sāmiu is still single. No children yet.
K.M.
How about ‘Ana and her family?
L.K.
(F) ‘Ana had six children, 4 boys, 2 girls:
1. (F) ‘Etinā. Her father was (M) Hala‘api‘api from Niua Toputapu
2. (F) Kalēsita
3. (M) Paula Vea
That’s all the children that I can remember at this time.
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K.M.
Do you know if (F) ‘Etinā is now married?
L.K.
Yes, (F) ‘Etinā is married one from Hahake (Eastern District)
K.M.
How about (F) Kalēsita?
L.K.
She married a white man and they were managers for the Hotel and they only had
one daughter and now have left Tonga.
K.M.
Tell me about (M) Kīsione Pese’s parents and his families?
L.K.
Kīsione’s parents are (M) Samuela Uhi and (F) Ana Monomono their children
were:
1. (F) Lavinia Ma‘u
2. (M) Pese Uhi
3. (M) Vili Uhi
K.M.
How about (F) Lavinia Ma‘u’s children?
L.K.
(F) Lavinia married (M) Vainikolo and they had:
1. (M) ‘Initamoa
2. (F) Tūfui
3. (M) ‘Isileli Palu
K.M.
Do you know if (M) ‘Initamoa had any children?
L.K
The children of (M)‘Initamoa were:
a. (M) Vainikolo
b. (M) Samuela
K.M.
How about (F) Tūfui?
L.K.
(F) Tūfui married Kēlepi and their children are:
a. ( ) Sēinileva
b. (F) Mā‘ata
c. (F) Alisi
d. (F) Kolikolo
e. (M) Sione Palu
f. (M) Fou
K.M.
How about (M) ’Isileli’s children?
L.K.
‘Isileli married (F) Ane and their children are:
a. (M) Sione Palu
b. (F) Kolikolo
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K.M.
Lesieli, will you tell me about (M) Vili Uhi’s children?
L.K.
Vili Uhi married (F) Latai Blake of Kolomotu‘a and they had:
1. (F) Vaimoana
2. (M) Lōpeti
3. (M ) Sione Pese
4. (F) Mele Tonga
K.M
Do you know if (M) Samuela Uhi had any other brothers?
L.K.
No
K.M.
How about (F) ‘Ana Monomono?
L.K.
‘Ana’s siblings are (F) Lesieli and (M) Ngauamo. He had no wife.
K.M.
Did Lesieli have any children?
L.K.
Yes She had:
1. (F) Sulieti
2. (F) Luni
3. (M) Tali.
K.M.
Do you know some o f Sulieti’s children?
L.K.
Yes, She married (M) Hopoi had:
1. (F) Talanoa
2. (F) Hulita
3 (M) Sione Hopoi
4 (M) Sāmiu, who is at Fiji now.
(F) Lesieli Pese Kaufusi of Kolomotu‘a, August 16th, 1976
K.M.
What do you know of (M) Siosaia Tu‘ipulotu, your uncle, (F) Siutaisa’s
brother?
L.K.
Yes, (M) Siosaia, married (F) Sālata from Ha‘ano, had 2 sons:
1. (M) Kaulo’a, who died.
2. (M) Siosaia. who married (F) Lāvinia and they had:
a. (M) Maika who died young
b. (F) Simaima, who married a man from Havelu. I don’t know the
rest of her family.
c. (F) Hepisipa
d. (F) Sikipeni
e. (F) Melesēini. She first married one from Vava‘u, then to (M)
Sione Tupou of Puke, but no children.
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f. (F) ‘Oli married (M) Sime had a child before she died:
(1) (F) ’Ana Sime.
(a) (M) Sēmisi
(b) (M) Koli
(c) (F) Simaima.
That’s all I know about this family.
g. (M) Kulī Ve’eono. He is still single. That’s all I know.
K.M.
Do you know where (M) Tu‘ipulotu (uncle) is from?
L.K.
Yes, Tu‘ipulotu is from Kolomotu‘a.
K.M.
Do you know if he had any brothers or sisters?
L.K.
He had a brother named (M) Tupou, He married (F) Pīsila and they both died
without any children.
Tu‘ipulotu had another brother named (M) Soni, who is the current Chief Vahai
of Fo‘ou.
K.M.
Did they all come from the same father and mother?
L.K.
Yes.
K.M.
About Hepisipa. Did she have any brothers or sisters?
L.K.
(F) Hepisipa had 2 brothers;
1. (M) Fielakepa (Chief) and
2. (M) Tupou Leva.
That’s our connection with Kaufusi. There was only one sister and two brothers.
That’s all I know.
K.M.
Lesieli, can you think of anyone we missed in your family?
L.K.
Not that I know of.
K.M
The rest of the time is yours to say closing words.
L.K.
Great! I’m so thankful to the Lord for this day and my love for you and your
husband, Uata Mapa, for sharing this wonderful opportunity of my family and
genealogy. I’m so happy at this time because we have two of our grandchildren
living with us, (M) Anitelū Kaulave and (F) ‘Elisapeti Kaulave. I am grateful
for blessings that are ours at this time.
Now I just had my 70th birthday and above this, I’m so grateful for this program,
or what I should call a gift of love that I will leave with my family when my time
comes to die. I want to continue asking God to bless me and lead me, as he
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stretches forth His hands and will anoint the oil. It will help kēp Satan and his
forces away from us.
I had bēn married to my husband for 43 years and we were together until death
kept us apart now. But we made some covenant until the end of this life time.
I leave this with you and my love.
Lesieli Pese Kaufusi
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