Music runs in the blood
WHEN words fail, music speaks. This has been Samisoni Waqavakatoga’s life motto. It helped him overcome fear and anxiety while on a two-and-ahalf-year tour of duty in Baghdad, Iraq, in the late 2000s.
Not only is he a former soldier, the 43-year-old is also a professional vocalist who has been singing with six brothers since an early age.
But before we delve into the nitty-gritty details of how Mr Waqavakatoga acquired his singing skills, the motivation to live after being through the traumatic experience of Baghdad has always been inspired by a foundation of love laid out by his parents.
“My mum is from Namuka-iLau and our dad is from Namara on Kadavu,” Waqavakatoga said.
“There are seven of us, all boys, and I am the second eldest.
“My parents moulded us into becoming strong and steadfast. Our faith has been kept intact because of them and we’ve instilled these same values into our nephews and nieces.”
Waqavakatoga comes from a family of singers who go back to their grandparents, tua and pu. His maternal grandparents were songwriters for the popular Lauan song genre called polotu.
“Tua and pu wrote polotu back in the day and they taught the people of Namuka-i-Lau,” he said.
“We still do not know for sure what exact hymns they wrote but our elders would remind us that they were once famous for singing polotu in church.
“My paternal grandparents, however, were into sigidrigi. They have seven children as well, with one girl, and my father being the second eldest.
“From my father’s side, all my uncles sing. It wasn’t until the 90s when they switched to singing church hymns and that’s when my parents decided for us to only sing gospel songs.”
Waqavakatoga’s father passed away in 2012, leaving behind his wife, seven sons, and grandchildren.
The story of how his parents met is shared with his nephews and nieces every now and then to remind them of what authentic love should be like, with God at the forefront.
“My mum was involved in beauty pageants when she was younger. I think it was 1974 or 1975 when she met my dad as a Hibiscus contestant. He was her escort.
“Her talent in singing and her outgoing personality were what made her excel in the field of public speaking. She was always confident.
“Even before meeting dad, she was named after a chiefly lady from Kadavu, na Marama Tui Ono, who passed away last year.
“She learned how to sing from her parents, who then taught us, and now we are teaching our children.”
Waqavakatoga’s mother is Bulou Elenoa Kolinisau.
“So, I don’t think it was a coincidence meeting my dad. They were meant to be,” Waqavakatoga says with a smile.
Family devotions and church gatherings were a chance to practise for the Waqavakatoga family. This is when they honed their vocal skills, and they’ve been doing so since they were younger, with devotions every morning, midday, and evening, and then church on Sundays.
They don’t normally sing secular songs, but their singing isn’t only limited to church. Two of the siblings were featured on live television as contestants in a once-popular singing competition, and Waqavakatoga was one of them.
“I was in Join The Band back in 2004. I wanted to try it out and see how I would do on a stage. I didn’t expect to get through.”
From the hundreds who auditioned that year, Waqavakatoga was one of the finalists who made it through to the top eight.
“Lepani, the youngest in our family, also participated in a singing competition.
“He was the youngest MIC show contestant when it debuted in 2008. He was only nine at the time and he managed to get through to the top 10.”
Waqavakatoga then shares what it’s like to live in a house full of singers.
“In this house, when you wake up, you’ll hear the different voices coming from every room. Sometimes I have to stop my nieces from singing because they get carried away and they don’t do their chores.
“Speaking of my nieces, they all wear bui ni ga (Afro). This is the teaching of my mother. She believes that it is lady-like and the girls in our family should always remember our roots, which is Kadavu.
“My family is a happy family. But whenever we’re feeling down, we sing.
“We learned this from our mother. It started when our dad was always on duty as an army officer.
“Whenever she was feeling alone or needed cheering up, she would ask us to sing to her. Funny enough, she had prayed for seven boys who could sing, and with God’s grace, she got exactly that.”
Waqavakatoga believes there is power in family unions and that young people should be encouraged to pursue other interests if they’re not academically smart.
“Say for example, if you’re not doing well in school, but you are blessed with the talent of singing, use that talent to the utmost of your ability and believe in yourself.
“Listen to your family as well, and you will be blessed in the future.”