Story based on "Aiden's Anger" by Abigail Dunn and Megan Sorensen

Once Upon a time… there was a boy named Alofa who lived in Pago Pago. Alofa loved his mother very much, and they did everything together. They would cook sapasui together, play volleyball together, and go for walks around the village.

I se tasi taimi… sa i ai se tama e igoa ia Alofa sa nofo i Pago Pago. E alofa tele Alofa i lona tina, ma sa la faia faatasi mea uma. E kuka faatasi le sapasui, taaalo volipolo faatasi, ma savavali i le nuu. 

(The illustration shows Alofa wearing a patterned shirt and lava lava and his mother wearing a vibrant blue ie playing volleyball at the village court with jungle surrounding, birds in the trees, and a couple of dogs running around)

One day, Alofa’s mother found out she was very sick. Alofa, his family, and their doctor, did everything they could to help her but unfortunately, she passed away. Alofa was devastated. He felt angry and sad all at the same time. He didn’t understand why his mother had to leave. 

I se tasi aso, na iloa ai e le tina o Alofa ua ma’i tigaina. O Alofa, lona aiga, ma le latou foma’i, sa faia mea uma latou te mafaia e fesoasoani ai ia te ia ae paga lea, na maliu o ia. Na matuā mafatia lava Alofa. Sa ia lagona le ita ma le faanoanoa i le taimi e tasi. Sa ia le malamalama pe aisea na alu ese ai lona tina.

(Illustration shows Alofa and his family gathered around his mother laying in bed in their fale, Alofa crying and looking upset) 

Week one without his mom was very difficult. Alofa’s grandmother Laumei held him whenever he needed to cry. 

O le vaiaso muamua e aunoa ma lona tina sa matua faigata lava. O le tina matua o Alofa o Laumei e siosiomia o ia i soo se taimi e tagi ai.

(Illustration shows Laumei wearing a red ie her long hair twisted up in a bun holding Alofa on the steps of their fale, lots of palm trees around in vibrant greens) 

His grandfather Malie took him for walks around the village when home was just too sad, and his aunties would play games with him. Alofa missed his mom, but he was grateful he had family to surround him.

e ave o ia e lona tama matua o Malie e savalivali solo i le nuu pe a faanoanoa tele le aiga, ma e taaalo ma ona aunties ma ia. Na misia e Alofa lona tina, ae sa ia faafetai ona o lona aiga e siomia o ia.

(The illustration shows a vignette of Alofa and his grandfather walking around the village  past the store and village fale, and of Alofa with his aunties wearing colorful puletasis playing games in the backyard surrounded by palm trees)

Week two without his mom, Alofa’s family held a funeral. All of the sudden, Alofa’s grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins seemed to stop feeling sad. 

O le vaiaso lona lua e aunoa ma lona tina, sa faia se toe sauniga a le aiga o Alofa. Na faafuasei lava, o matua matutua o Alofa, auntie, uncles ma tausoga na foliga mai ua le toe lagona le faanoanoa. 

(Illustration includes villagers, family members and Alofa standing in the yard of their fale looking at the casket of his mother, covered in a red and cream colored fine mat with flowers placed upon it. There are palm trees and butterflies in the background. Laumei is dressed in a vibrant blue and green puletasi, with her long white hair twisted up in a bun. Malie is in a maroon lava lava; you can see his torso tattoos. Alofa is in a short sleeve white dress shirt with a navy blue lava lava.)

As people gathered in Alofa’s home, his family comforted them. This made Alofa feel confused and angry. He felt that he was not “supposed” to miss his mom anymore, and was now expected to be a strong support to all those attending the funeral. 

A o potopoto tagata o le nuu i le fale o Alofa, sa faamafanafanaina i latou e lona aiga. O lea na lagona ai e Alofa le le mautonu ma le ita. Sa ia lagona ua le toe “manatu” o ia e misia lona tina, ma ua faamoemoe nei e avea o se lagolago malosi ia i latou uma e auai i le falelauasiga.

(People from the village enter Alofa's fale, which is decorated with flowers, holding fine mats in their hands. The women are dressed in vibrant and multicolored puletasis, while the men are dressed in darker colored lava lavas, some shirtless and some wearing white button-ups.)