Peace and quiet the highlight of holidays

By Vatapuia Maiava 06 January 2017, 12:00AM

It’s not a Festive Season without young people walking along the road blasting their music, getting drunk and starting up trouble. 

At the village of Tapatapaoō, they were spared from all the nonsense.

With fewer people living in the area and the rain acting as a drunkard repellent, Malama Pesa, aged 70, described her village as peaceful and trouble-free during the holiday season.

“There aren’t many people living in this area,” she told the Village Voice.

“If you go driving around, you won’t find many families and I am thankful for that because it keeps the area peaceful.

“Take for example the holiday season which just passed, there was no trouble at all and no one walking along the road drunk which is common in many villages during this time of year.”

Although the village is peaceful with not many residents, Malama says they occasionally run into a few issues with drunkards but it’s bearable.

“Don’t get me wrong, we still have problems with people getting drunk in the area but I am happy that they don’t go overboard,” she said.

“They just drink for a few hours then they go to sleep. I feel that the rain during Christmas and New Years acted as a repellent for the drunks because they don’t want to be out and get wet.”

But all in all, Malama says that  she and her family are living a blessed life with enough to cover needs on a daily basis.

“By the Lord’s blessings, my family has enough,” she said.

“We use our land very wisely by planting some bananas and other crops which play a big part in the lives of my family.

“When we can’t afford anything nice to eat then we just have taro or banana in coconut milk because things from the shops are getting more and more expensive over time.

“We have our fair share of bad and good days but I guess we are used to it. I mean, we can’t expect to have only good days and during times of struggle, it’s also helpful because it keeps your life moving forward.

“If you don’t have any issues then you won’t learn from it and improve your life.”

She urges Samoa to come together in prayer as we continue on into this new year.

“As we continue on this year, I feel that the most important thing for our people is to pray, fast and stand together,” she said.

“This is a new year and with 2017, there must come a bit of change for our people and we must remember that peace and service to others is our way.

“And with this also being the cyclone season, it only means that unity and prayer is needed now more than ever.”

By Vatapuia Maiava 06 January 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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