Melaia Talala, 72, daily tends to her 102-year-old father with love.
Throughout her life, she has been a steady pillar of care and compassion.
First, she took care of her grandmother and mother, and later her youngest sister, whom she raised like her own child, from the age of three.
She even sacrificed the prospect of marriage to devote herself fully to the sick and ageing members of her family. Such is the depth of her love.
Talala is a rarity in today’s world of chaos. She believes deeply in the power of family, that we are called to care for one another, to love without condition, and to stand together through every season of life.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she says with quiet certainty from her Nadonumai home.
“God appointed me to care for my father and family. That is a duty I can’t dodge.”
The spinster has been looking after her dad since her mum died about five decades ago.
Her day begins with the first light of dawn and ends only when she finally rests her head at night, every moment centered on the care of her father, Ratu Jale Mocevakaca of Nukunuku, Lakeba in Lau.
“He sleeps most of the time now, but he calls me whenever he needs something, like when he needs to visit the toilet,” Talala shared gently.
In his prime, Ratu Jale served with dedication in the Public Works Department. He was a man of principle, grounded in respect and compassion for others.
“He is partially blind and quiet now, nearing the end of his life, but he was always someone who cared deeply for people,” said his eldest child, Enosi Bogirua Kaniaruarua, 78.
“Longevity runs in our family. My dad is 102, and his mother and grandmother also lived past 100.”
The Sunday Times was privileged to hear the story of a man, who lived with intention, from his own children.
He embraced a healthy lifestyle and gave himself wholeheartedly in service to others.
“Being an Adventist, he never smoked or drank alcohol. He simply worked hard. He built the very home he now rests in,” Talala said.
“I make sure he is shaven and neatly dressed before the sun sets on Friday.
In the peaceful moments between his naps, Mr Mocevakaca still delights in playing the mouth organ and joins Talala for devotion twice a day.
He eats two simple, nourishing meals of fresh fruits, root crops, and vegetables, the same wholesome foods that have sustained him throughout his long life.
“He loves his boiled food,” Talala said with a soft smile.
“Once in a while he’ll have fish, but mostly it’s vegetables and fruits.”
Her days revolve around him, each moment an act of selfless devotion.
“I am with him all the time, doing my duties as a daughter and a carer without complaint. One day he will be here no more, when God calls him home… and I know I will miss him deeply.”
Talala works tirelessly, day and night. She never stops — not because she must, but because her heart compels her.
“God gave us different talents. I believe this is my calling: to care for the sick and infirm,” she said.
“I looked after mum when she was sick. I cared for my grandmother. I raised my youngest sibling after mum passed when she was only three. And now, I am caring for my dad.”
She pauses, but there is no regret in her voice. “I never had the chance to marry because I was too busy taking care of others. I don’t have children, but I know God will take care of me.”
A month ago, the family gathered in Nadonumai to honour Ratu Jale Mocevakaca with buruabula — the sacred iTaukei tradition of performing funeral rites and blessings while a person is still alive. Surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, a church pastor anointed the centenarian with oil, offering prayers of strength, peace, and healing.
“One thing I will never forget about dad is his focus on spirituality,” Talala said tenderly.
“Even now, at 102, he reminds me daily to say a prayer and thank God for His providence and mercy.”
She looks at her father with quiet admiration, her brother by her side. On the bed lies the figure of a frail man, a man that was a giant among his children, with wrinkly hands that carried them when they first entered the world.
Within his chest a heart that loved unconditionally continues to beat, now in his twilight years – lightly.
“I know one day I, too, will grow very old like him. But I feel blessed — he has been a great example to me and my siblings. All I can do is continue to follow what he taught me and the life he lived, ” said Talala.
