Day 15/30 #LiveHard #Phase1

I haven’t had the bandwidth to jot down nothing more than a paragraph, as its been a rough 72 hours. Yet within the turmoil and heartache, there is a peace knowing that my beautiful G’Aunty Salafai is no longer in pain🤍🕊

We were so blessed to have 2 Nana’s from my Mums lineage, Grandma Vaelua in Falevao Samoa and G’Aunty Salafai in Avondale, Tamāki Makaurau (Auckland). I remember the trips that G’Aunty Salafai and Uncle Numera would make to Kirikiriroa (Hamilton) when we were kids, we always knew they would have sweet treats for us. The pelē (card) nights with Aunty Vesi, Uncle Nonoa, Aunty Sauaga, Aunty Sao, Uncle Ape and Aunty Aoto’a, all have since transitioned to Paradise, with Aunty Salafai the recent graduate🤍🕊

I remember some of our school holidays in Avondale (the few where we didn’t have to pick fruit), we’d always crash in the garage, marae styles with Aunty and Uncle. Alaisa and eleni for dinner (still love it to this day), and always cringed when Uncle Numera would eat onions like they were apples ha! They used to own a player piano, which Uncle used to always pedal, and we’d stand there in awe that the keys were moving on their own as the perforated paper rolled, and songs would play instantaneously.

The many families that visited G’Aunty Salafai, as she hailed from a line of fofō, babies, children, and adults flocked to her for her healing hands. Singer sewing machines will always remind me of Aunty, you could hear the humming of the singer from the house when she was toiling away, then decades later Aunty would become a self taught miliner, designing & creating church hats for the Mafutaga Tina (Womens Fellowship) at Avondale PIC, a few made their way to Kirikiriroa too.

Pani popo (coconut buns), a family recipe she passed onto my Mum, and I know I’m biased, but they are my all time favourite pani popo hands down, no other pani popo can compare🙌🏾

PANI POPO LESSON WITH MY MUM

G’Aunty Salafai epitomised the Proverbs 31 woman, oh to be half the woman she was!

I am heartbroken that I will never see her in the flesh again, I know in my core she is in a better place, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Grief is a natural response to a loss, I’ve definitely cried my quota of tears these last 3 days, all I can say is hug your loved ones tight!

Going down memory lane has helped a bit tonight, misia lava oe le Tinā peleina❤