Letter from Malicious Gossip
Atuona, Hiva-Oa, Iunio, 1915.
E tuu ona hoa:
U Koana i au taoe hama ni, koakoa oko an i te ite i ta oe tau te kao. A oe e koe te peau o Mohotu Vehine-hae, i te a te tekao, mimi, pake, namu, Tahiatini, aoe i koe toia, ate, totahi teoko, tohutohui toia hee, mehe ihepe Purutia i tihe mai nei io matou. Titihuti, na mate ite hitoto. Te moi a Kake ua mate ite hitoto, i tepo na mate, titahi, popoui ua mate, tatahi, popoui ua mate, titahi, popoui ua mate, te moupuna o Titihuti. U fanau an i te tama e moi o (Elizabethe Taavaupoo) toia inoa pahoe kanahau tautau oko, aoe e hoa e koe to mana metao ia oe, ua inu matou i te kava kona oko Bronec, kona oko Tahiapii, kona oko au, ia tihe to matou metao ia oe, ua too matou i te pora Kava à la santé te Freterick. Ena ua tuu atu nei i te ata na oe, upeau au ia ia Lemoine a tuu mai te ata na Freterick. Mea nui tau roti i tenei u fafati au e ua, roti ua tuu i una ou, mea Kaoha ia oe, me ta oe vehine. Kaoha atu nei A poro me Puhei ia oe, Kaoha atu nei Moetai kamuta ia oe. Kaoha atu nei Nakohu.
Kaoha atu nei Timoia oe, Kaoha nui Kaoha nui Ua pao tete kao.
Apae, umoi e koe tooe metao ia matou.
Nau na tooe hoa.
Tavahi.
Atuona, Hiva-Oa, June, 1915.
Ah my dear friend:
I have received your letter. I was very happy to have news of you.
Ghost Girl has not forgotten and still says, “Dance, tobacco, rum.”
Many Daughters is not over her sickness; she is worse; when she walks she rolls like the Prussian ship that came here.
Titihuti died of dysentery. The little daughter of Kaké died of dysentery. The one died in the evening, Titihuti; in the morning the little girl of Titihuti died. I have given birth to a little daughter; her name is Elizabeth Taavaupoo, a pretty little girl, healthy and plump.
We have not stopped thinking of you, dear friend. We drank kava. Happy was Le Brunnec, happy was Tahiapii (sister of Tavati, the little woman in blue). I too was happy. Our thoughts went out to you.
We took the bowl of kava and drank to the health of Frederick. Here I send you as a present my picture. I told Le Moine to take my photograph for you.
I have many roses now; I took two of them which I put on my head as a souvenir for you and your lady. In this letter you have the love of Aporo and Puhei, of Moetai, the carpenter, and of Nakohu and of Timoteo.
Great love to you; great love to you.
I have finished speaking; farewell, and may you not forget us in your thoughts.
I, your friend,
Malicious Gossip.