Village life might be a struggle but Tusitala To’alua of Faleasi’u wouldn’t have any other way.

For the father of three, village life is much better than living in urban centres.

Tusitala moved to his wife’s family in Vaitele-Fou a few years ago, but he was born and raised in Faleasi’u where the village Council maintained good control over the village affairs.

The Village Voice team approached him while clearing rubbish on the side of the road yesterday morning.

“You see here in Vaitele-Fou and other nearby areas, people can do whatever they want because they call it a free world,” Tusitala said.

“Honestly, coming from a village where everything is under the guidance of matai, I think that’s why I think living here is not safe.”

“The only solutions to problems are the police, but when you look at village life, chiefs and people of the village make the decision on how to solve the problem before handing it over to the police.”

“I think that’s why I prefer life in villages than here.”

Village life is a very peaceful life, Tusitala said. 

“Honestly, the village offers peace and quietness and you hardly see anyone on the road during faigalotu.”

“And when it comes to work in the village, people are helpful, co-operative, friendly and kind-hearted, they help each other,” she said. 

“Others work for others, but that’s not what’s happening now to these areas, I mean, they work for their own good.”

“There’s no love at all, people lost so much respect for others.”

Back in the village, Tusitala said there’s plenty of land to cultivate.

He understands that “in town we find good arrangements for education, colleges, jobs and even universities.”

“But it has nothing compared to the life in villages.”

“People are healthy because they get fresh and pure drinking water, seasonal fruits and fresh environment, they can go out fishing and everyone lives a very simple life every day.”

Aside from this, he said life was all about hard work.

“Hard work alone can make us successful and happy; it’s not just sitting with folded hands and expecting some golden chance to come our way.” 

“It’s not about sitting around while others are working hard.” 

Tusitala works at one of the companies in town to support his family.

He said hard work was the only way to excel in life, “I mean you can’t go through life assuming that people will do your work for you or that you’re not equipped to do something.”