TA’I’S TAKE 16

E tele aso ‘ae le lau aso.

There’re many days but they’re not all the same.

Yesterday was not a ‘same day’; it was Saturday 23rd December, here in Samoa and in New Zealand, but Friday 22nd December in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

For a happy rugby star and a joyful rugby coach, it was a ‘same day’ with all those other like couples before them who committed themselves to live together as wife and husband.

The radiant bride, Theresa Matauaina Fitzpatrick, who bears her father’s mother’s name, 28, is the daughter of Greg and Faalogo Rosemary Fitzpatrick, who bears her Mum’s father’s title from the village of Sagone, Savai’i.

The groom, Ryan Setefano, 33, is the son of Kapeneta Setefano, of Vaimoso, Upolu, Samoa, and Jeanette Rose, of Wellington, New Zealand.

Ryan, a builder, and the rugby coach of Marist St Pat’s Club Womens side in Wellington for several years, and also coaches the team for the Wellington Womens NPC side.

And rugby no doubt will play a central part in the new couple’s married life for some years to come yet.

The bride has represented New Zealand in both Sevens and Fifteens rugby since 2016.

She was in her third year of university study towards a medical degree when she got contracted as a full-time rugby professional, leading to the Rio Olympics in Brazil, where the New Zealand women’s sevens team won silver.

The silver turned gold in the 2020 Tokyo, Japan, Olympics. Another gold came in the Commonwealth Games for the New Zealand women’s sevens rugby team. Theresa got gold again as a member of the New Zealand Women’s Rugby XV team for the delayed 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Has she always been good at sports or has she had help from others? The Bride’s mother was asked.

Well, she did have great support from her uncles Olo and Tana, Faalogo proudly said.

‘Olo, is, of course the great Olo Brown, the former All Blacks prop forward, and Tana, being Faalogo Tana Umaga, the first Samoan to captain the mighty All Blacks.

Older sister Sulu Fitzpatrick, the recently retired New Zealand rep netballer, might have given her some tips on training, tactics and such.

But why Rarotonga and the Cook Islands, when the bride and groom both live in New Zealand?

The choice was either Fiji or the Cooks Islands, and the couple made the choice themselves. Apparently, not only was Rarotonga a beautiful tourist destination, but it was also convenient for guests and relatives coming from Australia, Samoa and other places, as Rarotonga was more central for them.

And so they gathered.

The groom’s parents came from windy Wellington to attend their son’s wedding on the white sands of a Rarotongan beach; as did the groom’s other relatives and friends coming from far and wide to attend the happy occasion.

On the bride’s side, a large contingent of sisters, brothers, cousins and in-laws, aunts and uncles, led by maternal grandmother Toesulu Brown, was already on island when the Samoa Observer rep left Auckland on Thursday morning 21 December, crossed the date line, with his wife, two daughters and a son-in-law, and landed one day earlier, on Wednesday 20 December.

Does one really gain a day in this way after a few hours flight? Yes, if one stays permanently in Rarotonga from now on. But the process is reversed going the other way; the traveler loses a day. Samoans are, of course, familiar with this change as it happens every time one crosses to American Samoa, one gains a day, and loses it back on return to Apia.

And they kept on coming.

Auntie Faalogo Fuarosa, another retired school teacher, arrived with her daughter, Lotutoga (Toga) one day later, from Australia.

Earlier from Samoa came Peseta Dr Konelio Tone, the bride’s mother’s brother-in-law, the husband of her mother’s older sister, Olive Tone, the former principal of Robert Louis Stevenson College at Tafa’igata.

A group of Theresa’s rugby team mates also arrived earlier and have been enjoying the tourist thing, the four (4) esses, sun, sea, sand and . . . smiles.

Weddings in open space under the sun are somewhat rare but here in Rarotonga, who knows, future Samoan weddings may one day be in a Samoan Community Hall, following the very generous gift of an acre of land at Titikaveka by the Ngati Maoate tribe, who, the Cook Islands NEWS reported, ‘have close blood ties to the Mata’afa line of Samoa.

Maoate Mataiapo Kiriau Turepu, the great grandson of the late Lafala Mata’afa, on behalf of the tribe presented the gift to the Samoan prime minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, while in the Cook Islands for the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting last month.

He explained the gift this way, the CI NEWS reported, “the land is gifted to members of their extended Samoan family of Ngati Maoate, as well as to the wider Samoan community, to build a hall or a home that they can call their own.’

Jannette Browne and Gina Williams, who are both descendants of the late Lafala Vaailua Mata’afa, were both proud and humbled to witness the announcement [of the gift].

“It was a beautiful gesture and very heartwarming,’ said Williams.

Likewise, the wedding of Ryan and Theresa was ‘beautiful’ and ‘heartwarming’ for all who were there, especially their parents. Setting their son and daughter on the straight and narrow way, as they say, is a job well done, so far. It is not completed.

Ryan’s parents will go back to their day jobs and wait.

Greg will go back to Vaka Tautua, the social service agency for Pasifika people and wait. Likewise, will Faalogo Rosi carry on in her Teuila Educational Consultancy - and wait.

What for? For the NUI as the Rarotongans say, or the NIU, as the Samoans say, to fruit. NUI or NIU, boy or girl, won’t matter, the SAMOA OBSERVER will be ready with the ball – it will be round not oval – cricket, tennis or soccer – whatever – BE HAPPY.

Manuia le Ulugali’i fou.

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