A mother’s daily struggle

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 30 September 2016, 12:00AM

Lina Peseta Tuisauta is used to her daily routine.

A lot of it deals with preparing food for her family, especially her two children. 

The day starts before dawn when she is in the cooking house (umukuka) to start the fire to boil water for tea. It’s not easy, especially when it rains.

But she is not complaining.

“I don’t need to complain, this is the life I chose to live,” Mrs.Tuisauta told Village Voice. 

Originally from the village of Patamea, Mrs.Tuisauta lives with her husband and her two children in Pu’apu’a to care for her father-in-law. 

She believes in inheriting blessings from the elders.

“Although life is hard, I enjoy it,” she added. 

Mrs. Tuisauta said no one is formally employed in their family. Her husband is a fisherman.

With everything in life, there are challenges. One such challenge is when the weather is bad.

“That is the disadvantage of my husband’s job as a fisherman.”

But through it all, they manage.

Mrs. Tuisauta said there are times when she feels bogged down by the demands of village life.

“In our village we have so many things to do, the women’s committee and also the church.” 

Sometimes, she said they don’t have enough to spare for any village or church contributions but they try to oblige.

“I can honestly say that life in Savaii is very hard, because of those obligations that you have to meet.” 

Mrs. Tuisauta believes it would’ve been better if employment was easy to find. 

“If you look around my house we live on rocks especially this area you hardly see any soil and the area where Pu’apu’a village members work on is quite far from here.” 

The family does not have a vehicle.

“Although I’m from Patamea, we face the same hardships there as those living here.

“If we get help from overseas we should be happy but should not pressure them for money because they too are working for their living.” 

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 30 September 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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