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Man brutally beating on the way to church in Samoa

Strengthen the power and role of the Alii and Faipule in the villages.That is the message of an elderly man from Vaipuna who was brutally attacked at Vaimoso while heading to the Apia Samoa Temple at Pesega in the early hours of Saturday last week.Seventy-two year old Tagaloa Toni Simi Tagaloa, is nursing a black eye and injuries to his forehead, arms and legs as a result of the beating.“That is my advice aboutwhat could be done to help this problem – strengthen the role and power of Alii and Faipule in villages.”Tagaloa said the problem with the youth today is that they no longer listen to advice and abide by instructions from their elders.“The strongest influence on the youth today is alcohol and marijuana,” he said.“The Alii and Faipule should always be on the alert so that once any person is caught while under the influence of either of these substances, they should be dealt with and penalised by the village.”He believes this is why certain villages in Samoa such as Lepea ,have no issues of this kind that concern its youth.“This is because the Alii and Faipule are always stringent with issues of this kind that could cause huge implications on the village and other people later on.”Tagaloa said his family received a traditional apology ‘ifoga’ from the village of Vaimoso as a result of the attack on him.The ‘ifoga’ means “the villages of Vaipuna, Vaiala and Vaimoso have settled this matter” he said. “I have accepted it and have forgiven all that was done to me.”The father of five has been walking to the temple without shoes from Vaipuna since 2005. It is his form of daily exercise to keep him healthy.