Talofa and Greetings to
you all. As most of you may have known me by now. My name is Leva-O-Atua-Ma-A'ana Rositta Levi
Leota. I am named after my great-great-great-great grandmother who is from the
village of Lufilufi.
Leva sitting on the tomb of her great great great great grandmother in Mulinu'u in the heart of the village of Lufilufi. The tomb sits behind the recently built and vacated Maota of Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese after he was evicted by the village of Lufiilufi in 2010.
Leva and her aunt Rita Hughes Scott both beside the tomb of Leva - O - Atua - Ma - A'ana in Mulinu'u in the village of Lufilufi.
Leva and her aunt Rita Hughes Scott inside the vacant Maota built by Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese.
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For those who do not know
me, my grandmother is Rositta Iona Levi who is the 11th sibling out of 14 of
Seumanutafa Loligi and Simeanamulu of Apia.
My grandfather is Rev Iona Levi who is the 5th sibling out of 7 of Rev
Levi and Perelini from the villages of Lago and Papa Sataua, Savai'i. I am therefore a 3rd generation of Seu
Loligi. I was asked by Aunty Vinepa
Aiono if I can write a report on our family blog. I thought about it for
sometime whether I should do it or not but then decided to go ahead with it
because of my overwhelming love (alofa) for my family.
First and foremost, I
would like to give this opportunity to thank my Uncle's Fepulea'i Tautia Levi,
Uluomato'otua Saulaulu Aiono, Fepulea'i Koki Avei, Pastor Pita Uo, Opelu Pili
Foutanu, Robinson Avei, Amituana'i Siaki Avei and Punipuniolo Aiono for
reorganising this family unity. I would
also like to acknowledge my Great Uncle Lei'ataua Fa'atoafe Seumanutafa for his
support. His input of opinions and ideas is a massive contribution to the
family project. I know that anything is
possible if we put our faith to the Lord.
Uluomato'otua Aiono seated with Tusa Muagututi'a a family member from Lufilufi at the tomb of our ancestor Leva - O - Atua - Ma - A'ana. Tusa and his family are guardians of the area and his family have continued to secure the care and management of the tomb as well as family histories.
Uluomato'otua Aiono and Tusa Muagututi'a pictured on the steps of the vacated Maota built by Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese who was banished by the village.
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When the family gathering
officially recommenced in 2007, I was present at the time and from then on I
made myself included in all the family gatherings, meetings, and reunions and
also when the boys do the umu, I was there. I am so grateful for the
opportunity to write this report because I know that I have been there at all
times. My Fa'aSamoa may not be fluent
when speaking but listening was enough to understand what the uncles and
aunties were talking about. I began to
slowly build up this love and passion for my family of wanting to do something
so bad for the family house to be rebuilt. I believe there are still obstacles,
challenges and struggles but if we have one mind, one heart and most of all one
spirit uniting together, we can overcome anything. My dream is for the
Seumanutafa family to move forward and have the potential to overcome any
obstacles that would intervene with our family plan.
I am therefore organising
our first 3rd Generation Gig with the help of cousin Ted (Tautia) Pogai very
soon. I will follow up via email
regarding the Gig which is in March. I
am positive that our generation will
offer to bring their best and nothing but the best to help arrange some activities together regarding our family
house in Samoa.
To all the cousins here
in New Zealand, Samoa and other parts of the world. I just want to say fa'amalolosi and do not
look back. Let's come together and do
something not only for us but for our future generations. Be determined, be positive and be
consistent.
Fa'afetai lava ma Ia
Manuia
Leva – O – Atua
- Ma – Aana
(Leva) Rositta Leota
