Thank you for gifting us you, Fes

Dearest Fes,

Uhhh, I believed we agreed we’d cling round and do what we would have liked to do? 

Rattling it hurts. Keep in mind our PIPC (Pacific Islanders’ Presbyterian Church) youth chief days? Sportscamp? Our CCF (Christian Group Fellowship) instances? Campus Campaign for Christ, and Pacific College students for Christ Affiliation actions? Keep in mind our schooling lectures? Our phonetics courses?

Keep in mind we at all times talked about how we might make strikes to make sure our college was an inviting place for our college students? Properly, you probably did simply that, and naturally you have been at all times ‘additional’ and took that dream, all our desires, to Parliament. Your dream discovered you brother! You have been in all of the related areas. Sadly, these areas and so many extra, received’t be the identical with out you. 

In an ENG201 lecture you requested me how I used to be feeling, I stated I used to be drained, so that you pulled out your Bible and identified a Scripture, Isaiah 40:31 “However those that hope within the Lord will renew their power. They’ll soar on wings like eagles; they’ll run and never develop weary, they’ll stroll and never be faint.”

Your love for God ran deep and was unwavering. Nevertheless, you have been fortunate to catch me on a comparatively good day, as a result of some days, I needed to be offended, as a result of, effectively, I simply needed to be, and on these days, you’ll joke round with me and, yeah, okay, you finally made me smile but it surely was nonetheless annoying all the identical. On the time of my PhD commencement ceremony, you have been the president of AUSA. You have been on stage, they referred to as out my identify and also you walked to the entrance of the stage to fa’aula me (adorn me with a lei). I vividly keep in mind; we hugged and giggled a bit and we checked out one another as if to say, ‘we did it’, and we have been each brimming with satisfaction. But on the identical time, we scoffed, as if to say – yeah however how?! Hahaha!

I nonetheless mirror on that dialog we had the place you talked about you’ll be operating for mayor, and migrating to the Inexperienced Celebration. You probed my ideas that day to achieve a greater understanding of the Pasifika rainbow group. We talked at size about my journey and my experiences in navigating a number of worlds as a Tama’ita’i Sāmoa (a Sāmoan lady) from a powerful Christian background, a NZ-born Pacific individual, an educational and a brown lady chief. I shared with you my coronary heart that day, extra so, than every other, and we wept. I’ll always remember your response. You stated you hoped and prayed that your daughters would at some point develop as much as be like me.

THAT shook me! You stated you needed to boost queens and also you reassured me that I used to be their excellent function mannequin. That shocked me much more! As a result of it didn’t matter to you anymore, who they might look as much as. You actually made an effort to remodel your mindset, beliefs and attitudes in direction of same-sex marriage. I had an entire new stage of respect for you.

These have been warming sentiments on the time. Now, I think about it to be one of the vital lovely compliments I’ve obtained. It hits completely different now, Fes. We talked about gender identities, ladies’s empowerment, management in Western-dominated areas and our households, our mums particularly. You raved about your daughters Kaperiela and Asalemo, and or course, Fia, your lovely spouse. Come to consider it, I can’t ever recall a time the place you didn’t communicate fondly of them. You’d at all times gentle up on the mere point out of their names. I’ll examine in on them, okay. My, my, how we’ve grown.

Your sense of humour was a vibe and the best way you engaged with all walks of life has at all times been admired. You crossed the veil doing what you have been born to do, and do finest, and that’s to serve the folks. You might be sorely missed Fes. The world is fairly grim with out you in it. I promise we’ll stick with it the work you began. Fes, don’t fear, we’ve obtained you. Thanks for gifting us you! This humble boy from Otara who grew as much as be a mighty man of the folks.

Malo le tautua. Malo le tauata’i. Alofa tele atu mo oe ma ia tafi mala lau malaga. Till we meet once more my good friend. 

Jemaima Tiatia-Siau will probably be delivering a tribute to Fa’anānā Efeso Collins at a memorial service for College employees, college students and alumni, at Fale Pasifika, Wynyard Road, 27 February, 5pm.