Written piece
Manatu/Living Remembrance
Sateki Fangupo
Tonga
About this piece
I am Sateki Fangupo, a PhD student in Agriculture at USP Samoa. After losing my beloved mother, Kalesita Vea Fangupo, in January, I wrote “Manatu” (Living Remembrance) in her honour. Though she won't see my graduation, her spirit remains with me.
It was only yesterday,
her voice still echoed
like waves to shore,
like bees buzzing in the air,
reminding me who I am—
that every journey begins and ends.
Gold and silver,
all wealth fades into dust;
nothing made by hands can matter
in your absence—the cornerstone of our family.
Everyone loved your presence.
You lifted hearts, never wounded them,
your stories blooming into laughter.
A loving, charismatic mother.
Even as a widow,
God alone was your refuge and shield.
So talented – spindle in one hand, distaff in the other.
A devoted & nurturing mother.
You never turned away or gave up,
nor missed a moment of ours—
schools, workplaces, milestones.
You gave yourself wholly,
answering every call with love.
Until October 2025,
she was diagnosed with cancer
We knew our time was short,
yet she lived with joy and peace.
She showed no sign of weakness,
no sadness in her pain.
She praised God each day—
“That is the way,” she said.
When family and friends cried,
her fading voice whispered,
“Do not cry.”
Her final day was quietly radiant,
ready for the last journey.
Her hymn and prayer lingered softly
as her last breaths faded into silence.
Manatu remains—not memory alone,
but living presence within me.
Her laughter in silence,
her love in absence.
Returned to her Maker,
she lives in every breath I take.