Sina Faamatalaga ia Avai'a / About my mother Avai'a

Na fanau i la Aso 20 o Aukuso tausaga 1919
Nu'u na fanau ai - Utulei i Amerika Samoa
Igoa o lona Tama - Enesi Tamapua
Igoa o lona Tina - Seine Fina'i
Igoa o Tuagane - Pelekina, Viliamu ma Fesilafa'i (Fa'i)
Igoa o Uso - Fa'ailoilo, Fa'ailoa ma Arieta
Nu'u o Enesi - Moata'a
Nu'u o Seine - Fasito'outa

Na avea Enesi ma Seine ma faife'au i Utulei ona fanau ai lea o Avai'a ma a'oga ai. Mulimuli ane ua avea ia ma teine auauna a Misi Taleni ma lona faletua sa faia'oga i Atauloma. Na si'itia i le Kolisi i Malua lea misionare e faia'oga ai, ona si'itia fa'atasi mai ai lea ma Avai'a. Mavae ni nai tausaga o le galuega a le aiga misionare i Malua, ona fo'i ai lea i Peretania, a e fa'atonu e laua le avanoa o Avai'a e a'oga faa teine tausima'i i le 1939 - 1941, i le falema'i i Moto'otua.


Date of Birth - 20. 08. 1919
Place of Birth - Village of Utulei, American Samoa
Father's Name - Enesi Tamapua
Mother's Name - Seine Fina'i
Brothers' Names - Pelekina, Viliamu and Fa'i
Sisters' Names - Fa'ailoilo, Fa'ailoa ma Arieta
Father's Original village - Moata'a
Mother's Original Village - Fasito'outa

Avai'a was born whilst Enesi and Seine were the pastoral parents to the Utulei LMS Congregation, in American Samoa. It was Utulei where she was raised as a child and attended school. Later on, she became a housemaid( a much sought after occupation in those days) for Mr and Mrs Talent who were L.M.S. missionaries working at the Mission School at Atauloma, American Samoa. Mr and Mrs Talent were transferred to Malua Theological College in Western Samoa and Avai'a went with them. After several years of service at Malua, the Missionary couple returned to England but before they did, they organised for Avai'a to undertake training as a nurse at the Moto'otua Hospital in Apia. Ava'ia undertook the training programme from 1939 to 1941. She graduated as a Registered Nurse.

(Source: Vavae Toma's Records kept by Tusipa Vavae Toma)