He died when I was in Year 7.
I loved him more than I loved anyone else in the world.
And so did every other child in our world.
Lealali was a Sunday school teacher, a faafafine, a tiakono, a fai pese, a story teller, a florist, an uncle and every child's friend.
Even now, my inner child goes back to the early mornings, watching Lealali sitting faagape vae with his akoako of red, samasama and sometimes pink aute.
His old weathered hands moving slowly to stick three, sometimes four autes into long tuanius until he was surrounded with an array of glorious colours.
He'd placed these into jars of sand.
On some days, we were called over to discover an aute with six petals.
Or two autes that have opened up together.
But the call we all looked forward to, is one where he saved the ripest mangoes for the earliest riser.
What a reward that was, eating a sweet juicy mango.
It was even more rewarding with a envious audience of CJ,Lan,Mex,Di,Fa'i,Nave,Neil and Lagi.
Who'd all be cursing and hoping that you will choke and die at the first bite.
We were a feaiga'i lot. This much is true. Much to our mother's dismay.
But Lealali had a way with us.
He was quiet. He had a smile on his face.
He understood us in a way no other grown up did.
He had no children of his own, but most of the children in the family became his to raise. And love.
I miss him now.
Now that I have children of my own.
Who will be their childhood heroes?
Who will be the Lealali for them.
He taught me how to make a pale, using the fibres of the auke branch as string.
But he did more, he made me break many a branches so I could see which was the best.
He had a rule about flowers. We had to use every single one we picked.
He taught me about being resourceful with the trees and flowers around us, ...oh the possibilities.
But the evening,
The evening was Lealali's realm,
After the alisi have cried, after the pigs and children were fed and after the hymns were sung.
When all was quiet and calm in the village,
Under our Grandma's roof, we'd be setting up our mattresses in a perfect row,
We would be fighting (again) to be nearest to Lealali and Faleasiu,
But not too close that she would whack you with her ili.
We lived for their shared fagogo,
Like one that started with Leutogitupaitea in Falealupo. When she is banished into Pulotu, the underworld. But when she re-emerges into this world, she finds herself amidst a large expanse of lava, in all directions (Aue).
Just lava all around and a clear blue sky.
Leutogitupaitea stands for a moment... and in the distance, she hears a beat, a drum...
Wait...it is getting closer!
Auoi! There in the distance is a moving object,
Large, square, alien, obscene and strange.
Leutogitupaitea turns to run but she cannot.
She is frozen time, frozen and unable to dodge,
the advance of the Ai Ai Ava.
Bus.
Stop and listen to your elders, they may have a hilarious fagogo to tell.
