A koko farmer’s love for land and work

By Aruna Lolani 14 September 2017, 12:00AM

Pesi Luafātasaga Tuana’i loves two things in life; the fact he is strong enough to work hard and his koko plantation.

The 40-year-old was on his way back from his plantation when he was approached by the Village Voice for an interview.

“Everything is going well here on our side,” he says.

“As long as you stick and manage your own piece of land; everything will be just fine.”

Mr. Luafātasaga is a man whose passion lies with the development of his land at Tuana’i because he has a huge koko Samoa plantation.

“I staying in the inner village but everyday I make it a priority to check my koko patch because it’s the world to me,” he said.

“I have a 12 acres of land and at the moment; I’m making use of it and developing my plantation there.”

“It’s important to me because it’s another way to make money and that’s why I always work hard on it. So when it’s ready, some of the village men helped me in preparing the koko so we can take it to the markets and sell it off to people. It’s always good to have extra money in case of fa’alavelaves.”

“I see a lot of people are throwing away their lands just like that but for me; this is something that I can’t let go of. This is where Samoa’s wealth comes from; for the now and for the future.”

Mr. Luafātasaga also has a cattle farm based at Satupaitea Savaii.

“Right now I don’t have a family of my own, all my families are residing overseas but all these things I have for myself; I consider them the love of my life.”

“This life is going a bit too fast for me so it’s better to just stick on what I know best.”

“For me; whether I become rich one day, I would rather continue on living a normal life as right now and struggle for my own good; I mean at least then everybody wouldn’t take advantage of you and what you have.”

By Aruna Lolani 14 September 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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