In Time

Afio ane loa le auga fa’apae

Se’i sausaunoa la’ei Samoa

Amata ususu o le ‘aiuli alu ma le atoa

 

Sulu i le malo ma malu ai le tuiga,

Salani i le u’u ua ova le ‘i’ila

Maualuga ai o le ta aso ua sili le mataina

 

Fai mamalu le faiva

E sili i le silasila

Tau lau agava’a

I si ou sa’asa’a

 

E le mavae le mamalu nai ou la’ei

E sili atu lava i ona po nei

La’ei Samoa e mamalu ai lava lou sausaunoa

 

Fia ‘olo ane le fua ma le pa’o

Fai fai malie o le pati ma le po

Se’i fa’asolo faiva ua saunia mo lenei aso

 

Soa lautele lava le fa’atafiti

Taualuga le so’ona tafitifiti

E ute o fiafiaga Fa’aSamoa moni lava ua sili

 

Fai mamalu le faiva

E sili i le silasila

Tau lau agava’a

I si ou sa’asa’a

"Afio Ane Loa" - Tree Vaifale

I have been contemplating whether to get back into writing/blogging again. I have so many half-written pieces gathering dust in my drafts from the past few years since I last pressed publish, I left them unfinished because I didn't feel ready. But the past few weeks thoughts, conversations and answers to prayers have led me back here.

I feel the aualuma of women in my family, both in heaven and on earth.

I hear their whispered prayers fofo the fagu'u of reassurance into my skin.

I feel their warming presence la'ei my soul with their hand sewn resilience.

I hear the claps of fa'ataupati and their joyous cheers of fa'aumu usher confidence into my being.

I feel their love gather around me.

They cry for me to hear them. To live, to exist, to be. 

Taofia Pelesasa said "Remember that generations of our people fought for you to exist today. Use the life they fought for"

So I'm putting it out into the universe:

I want the generations of women before me to know that their uttered prayers have been heard, received, felt and lived. I want to have one of the untold stories buried in our hearts published.

They inspire my fingers to write so people know about us - about me, about them.

Happy Days

Sila