Volcano
Written by [email protected]
Once there lived a mighty island chief named Chief Tongaloafa. He
ruled the South Pacific island of Tonga. He and his people worshipped Pele,
goddess of the volcano. They served her well. Tongaloafa's neighbors on
Samoa worshipped Oro, god of war. Samoa was led by the High Chief
Mtangi. The Samoans were very warlike at that time and yearned to do
battle with Tongaloafa's people. Chief Tongaloafa was a magnificent young
man. He usually only wore a blue-gray loincloth. He wore a
medallion around his neck and an arm bracelet around his left bicep. He
was barefoot and barechested. His body was incredibly smooth, hairless,
and handsome. He was shaved bald in the ritual manner of the Tongans.
Every few years both the Samoans and the Tongan warriors sailed to the island
of Tuomatu, which was uninhabited and volcanic. There, they made
offerings to their gods. This year, there might be trouble. As luck had
it, both outriggers arrived at the same time. Each carried about
twenty-five warriors each. The fifty or so men, all shirtless, all barefoot,
armed with spears, clubs, and knives, made their way to the top of the volcanic
mountain at the center of Tuomatu. They worshipped their respective gods.
Soon a fight broke out. The Tongans and Samoans paired off. Many> were
hurt. A few were killed. A few fell into the volcano or were pushed
into it. Suddenly the volcano rumbled to life and the entire island
shook. The men stopped fighting and rushed back to their outriggers to
escape the volcano. Tongaloafa and Mtangi spied each other. Both went for
their knives and thrusted and parried with their knives. Tongaloafa was only
nicked. Mtangi made the mistake of getting too close to Tongaloafa and
the Tongan chief plunged his obsidian knife into Kono's waiting, vulnerable,
golden brown South Pacific belly. Mtangi's bellybutton was
destroyed. The island shook
again. Chief Tongaloafa was knocked down and fell backward landing on
Mtangi and pushing the knife deeper into Mtangi's belly. Suddenly the
volcano erupted and hot lava came splashing down the sides of the volcanic
mountain.Tongaloafa couldn't get up fast enough. A wave of lava washed
over him. "Aaagghhh. No. My brave young body. I cannot
die this way. I am Chief Tongaloafa. No. Aaaagghh." Some men made it back to the outriggers and
sailed as the island blew up. The Tongan people remembered Chief Tongaloafa
forever.