Honouring a virtuous granny
LONG before Ulita Moqei passed on, she had only one piece of advice for her descendants — live a life of service and dedicate your life to serving others.
She reminded them about this on her deathbed in Moce, Lau, in 1971 in front of her children and many grandchildren.
Today, this advice is a mantra to her descendants, most of who live in other parts of Fiji and abroad.
They have seen the fruits of her sage advice as their lives continue to blossom in their many career paths.
Ms Moqei was originally of mataqali Kamali, tokatoka Vunikavika from Nasau in Moce, Lau, and married Semiji Cama in the neighbouring village of Korotolu.
They had eight children and more than 30 grandchildren.
While most of her eight children travelled to Suva in search of a better life, Ms Moqei and her husband continued to look after their grandchildren on the island while continuing her tapa (masi) printing — a life she adopted and fell in love with from a very young age.
Despite her unexpected demise in 1971, her descendants learnt quite a lot from the time spent with her on Moce Island.
The 200-plus descendants of Ms Moqei have held two family reunions already to honour the life of a woman who taught the values of life and the importance of respect and love.
Her grandson Tareguci Kaivesu Paki said his late grandmother instilled in each of her children and grandchildren the true values of living a simple life, but most importantly hard work and achieving life at greater heights.
“She taught her grandchildren how to make masi prints because this was something she valued the most,” Mr Paki said.
“Most of us were brought up by her on the island when our parents were working elsewhere and this was where we developed a strong bond.
“She also was a person who believed hard work was the key to conquering life on this Earth.”
A week ago, this newspaper caught up with family members at the Tavua District Secondary School where they had been bonding for more than a week as part of their second family reunion.
Most travelled from Korova settlement beside the University of the South Pacific lower campus which they have called home for many years. Some came from Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the country.
This typical family reunion turned to forging new relationships and bonding for the family.
They also forged new ties when villagers of Nabuna outside Tavua took shelter at the school to escape the wrath of Tropical Cyclone Sarai.
Mr Paki said this was the first for some who came from the island to witness and experience a cyclone on mainland Viti Levu.
“This is our second family reunion, the first being in 2014 and we booked classroom here from Christmas Day,” the retired police officer said.
“But this year’s reunion is a bit different because we were able to forge new relationships and make friends with most of these villagers from Nabuna, Tavua.
“This is the first time for most of us to witness how people leave their homes to come to school and take shelter while awaiting floodwaters to recede in their homes.”
Family members travelled all the way from Korotolu and Nasau in Moce while relatives came from abroad and different parts of Fiji to be part of the reunion which ended on January 2. Solesolevaki — communalism — was one of Ms Moqei’s life values.
Her descendants stayed true to this and while most have lived in many parts of Viti Levu and abroad, they always made sure to keep a tab on each other and meet each other’s needs.
Mr Paki said if it wasn’t for the life their late grandmother instilled in them, many would not have fulfilled their dreams.
In whatever they do and wherever they go in life, it was always important for them to serve God and ensure they lived a life of example to many others.
Feasting at the Tavua-based school continued for two weeks and was shared with Tavua villagers.
After presenting their sevusevu to the Tui Tavua, Ratu Nacanieli Uqeuqe, they were invited to join villagers of Tavualevu for the New Year’s Eve church service.
An emotional scene was witnessed among Moce islanders and those of Tavua as they forged and established good relationship within their two weeks of stay.
Mr Paki said while they had to leave again for their destinations a day after their anticipated New Year’s Day celebrations, they were quite relieved at what they managed to achieve in the two weeks of stay in Tavua.
“Above all, it was a life our grandmother wanted us to live — to share what we have to others and to respect and care for people around us.”