For 50-year-old Aqela Nukumawa seeing her son Iosefo Masikau stand to attention and sing the Fiji national anthem during the final of Tokyo Olympics 2020 brought on an onslaught of emotions and tears.
Days on Nukumawa was still emotional when she speaks of her son.
“I cried when I saw him on the screen with tears streaming down his face. All I could think of was “isa na luvequ” she said.
Nukumawa says the hardship of leaving his island home of Taveuni and learning to make his way in Suva without his parents support motivated their son.
“For 6 years he lived in Suva, completed secondary school education, went into tertiary and he had to depend and live with relatives which were hard because he was a young boy who needed help with things.”
“Yet all those times he never once complained but was always grateful for the help people gave him,” Nukumawa said.
At his village of Waitabu on Taveuni this weekend, the celebrations continue.
“This has been such an emotional few days for us. We are so proud of Masikau. So so proud.”
“And to see him achieve his dream is so satisfying for me,” she added.
Photo Captions: Main Photo: Proud parents of Fiji 7s’ Iosefo Masikau. Pic 2 (left) – Banner at the village entrance. Pic 2 – Children of Waitabu reenact the singing of the National anthem. Courtesy of Lusi Banuve-Leqa
