Ana Latu
"There are not many children's lullabies in the Tongan language. This probably has to do with the old traditional attitude that kids should be seen but not heard. 'Ana Latu' is the closest one I could think which is a well known children's lullaby a lot of mothers sing to their kids. But if you listen closely to the words, this song is actually a lamenting song about Ana who has departed this world." -Let's Learn Tongan
Ana Latu
Ana Latu
Lullaby
Lullaby
(Tongan)
(English)
He 'oiaue Ana Latu
Ana tauele kiate 'au
si'e ma fononga he 'one'one
he na'a ma topu va'e taha pe.
He 'oiaue Ana Latu
Ana tauele kiate 'au
si'e ma fononga he 'one'one
he na'a ma topu va'e taha pe.
Si kau tangata moe kau fefine
mou ma tuku 'atu 'o mohe
kae tuku keu 'au fia pe
he ko ho ma faka'osi po e.
Si kau tangata moe kau fefine
mou ma tuku atu 'o mohe
kae tuku keu 'au fia pe
he ko ho ma faka'osi po e.
He 'oiaue Ana Latu
Ana tauele kiate 'au
si'e ma fononga he 'one'one
he na'a ma topu va'e taha pe.
He 'oiaue Ana Latu
Ana tauele kiate au
si'e ma fononga he 'one'one
he na'a ma topu va'e taha pe.
He 'oiaue Ana Latu
Ana tauele kiate au
si'e ma fononga he 'one'one
he na'a ma topu va'e taha pe.
Oh, my dear Ana Latu
Ana, you are precious to me,
Oh, how we walked in the sand,
How our footprints became as one.
Oh, my dear Ana Latu
Ana, you are precious to me
Oh, how we walked in the sand,
How our footprints became as one.
Oh, fellow men and women
You may leave and go to sleep,
I cannot sleep for
This will be our last night together.
Oh, fellow men and women
You may leave and go to sleep,
I cannot sleep for
This will be our last night together.
Oh, my dear Ana Latu
Ana, you are precious to me,
Oh, how we walked in the sand,
How our footprints became as one.
Oh, my dear Ana Latu
Ana, you are precious to me,
Oh, how we walked in the sand,
How our footprints became as one.
Oh, my dear Ana Latu
Ana, you are precious to me,
Oh, how we walked in the sand,
How our footprints became as one.
Notes
"Ana Latu" dates back to the 1850's or earlier.
Comments
We welcome help fine-tuning the translation. Please email me with suggestions. Thanks! Mama Lisa
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Thanks and Acknowledgements
Translated by Mama Lisa.
Photo: Tonga Lake
