Kaleta Tanuvasa of Nofoali’i swears by it.

 “There is nothing beautiful than the life here in the village,” he says. “It is the best.”

The 47-year-old father of two believes that life in the village is way better than the town life. 

Speaking to the Village Voice, Kaleta said the ease and non-violence of village life is why he prefers staying there.

“Everything here makes you want to stay and not leave at all,” he said. 

“We don’t want to move our children to stay in town and go school because life back here is safe and great for our families.”

Besides, most things are now available in the villages.

 “We have pretty much the same things that Apia offers. But here, you get to live with the people that you grew up with, you get to spend time with your families and it’s very relaxed.

“Unlike the overcrowded town, back here in the village you stay at your own home. Everything is peaceful and we hardly have any trouble because we have strong village Councils and the matai are always playing their role.” 

Kaleta said the key to happy village life is the Village Council. 

“I can’t imagine Samoa without them,” he said. 

“They control and monitor the behavior of all members in the village, they make decisions and they sort out any differences between families. It’s a beautfil system we have here.

Kaleta had attended a Village Council meeting yesterday.

 “Every last day of the month, we hold a meeting to discuss some of the developments within our village.

 “Sometimes we have problems to solve. It is also a chance to remind some families about rules and laws such as the curfew. We make sure to start fresh every month and avoid getting our village into difficulties.  

He went on to say life in the village is simple.

“Everything is just easy and simple. Even if you only have fa’alifu for dinner, you can still enjoy it with the people that you love. One of the best things about village life is the spirit of sharing.”

Kaleta is a farmer. He is also a fisherman.