Why Puisatu prefers Savai’i life

By Ilia L Likou 19 October 2017, 12:00AM

Everyone has their own favourite taste of life.

Or you can be a person living the best of both worlds – rural and urban life. 

However, this is different for 55-year-old father and grandfather, Puisatu Talosaga from Papa Palauli, who favours rural life where the village council is the paramount ruling body.

The Village Voice team spoke to him yesterday when he was on his way to the shop.

“I came to visit my family here in Vaitele-Fou but I permanently live in Savai’i,” he told the Village Voice.

“So I come and go, but whenever I come to visit, I see the huge difference between the life in urban and rural areas.”

Puisatu takes Savai’i as an example of rural life.

“In Savai’i there’s no pollution from factories and the environment is fresh all the time, even though we have heaps of village obligations to deal with everyday but we still have a happy life all the time and we’re surely safe as well,” he said.

“Also in Savai’i there are no pollution or drunkards on the road almost every day and we hardly have any tough people, but living in urban areas like Vaitele-Fou and other nearby villages is like living in New Zealand.”

“In urban areas like here at Vaitele-Fou, there are robberies, killing and all sorts of crimes and that’s why some people find it hard to live here because of those problems, especially the increasing crimes in urban areas.”

“Everything is money, because they don’t have land to plant on and crops for their family to survive on.”

“As I’ve mentioned before, life is more secure in rural areas or villages that are under the leadership of village councils.”

“Also the other thing is that life of those who live in urban areas depend mostly on money because they pay land, utility bills, transportation expenses, expensive food items, but for us in rural areas, we depend mostly on land, I mean we grow our own crops and then the sea to rely on from day to day.”

“We also have a good social life in Savai’i, why I’m saying this is because we give proper time for our children and family and that creates love and affection among our families.”

Puisatu believes fresh food is available only in rural areas.

“That’s the truth and we see it every day because most of the fresh vegetables and fruits come from rural areas in other parts of Upolu and Savai’i.”

“People here don’t have enough land to grow crops for a living because of the overcrowding in urban areas.”

“To me, villages in rural areas are the best option for everyone,” he added.

By Ilia L Likou 19 October 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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