Magdalene Vuadreu is the epitome of elegance and grace.
She has seen many seasons come and go in her life, but her joy and happiness lies in her extended family, no matter what life offers.
The 96-year-old says spending her prime years in the highlands of Nadarivatu with her husband and young children was the best part of her cherished memories.
Eyes twinkling, and with a smile on her face, she recently shared some of the ups and downs of life.
“I was around six years old when my sister and I were put in Saint Joan of Arc convent in Sigatoka. We lived there until we were 14 years old,” Ms Vuadreu said.
“I don’t know who my father is. My mother left us in our grandfather’s care and he dropped us off at the convent which I have very fond memories of.”
Ms Vuadreu, lives with memory impairment. However, she is a joy to talk to.
She has Irish and Maori blood and was excited to talk about her grandfather, Loqorio Kunalevu, whom she said was imprisoned a few times for his romantic affair with a Maori woman.
“My grandmother, who was from New Zealand, got pregnant in Fiji and when she gave birth in New Zealand, she was sent back to Fiji with her newborn (my mother) as she had Fijian blood,” she said.
“My grandfather, who was getting legally married to a local girl, left the ceremony to pick up my grandmother and mother from the airport and hid them in a village.”
Reminiscing about her early years, Ms Vuadreu said she loved staying at the convent although they worked hard to grow their own food. On Sundays, she enjoyed diving for freshwater mussels in the river.
After marriage her husband was posted to Nadarivatu where Ms Vuadrew started a new life.
There she learnt how to shear a sheep, clean, spin and make wool which she used to knit warm clothes.
“I leant many life skills – knitting, sewing, baking, cooking, gardening, looking after sheep and poultry, and I also gave birth to four of my children here.
“I shared my knowledge and wisdom with many women during my years of social work and this gave me a lot of pleasure .
“Later on, we bought a farm and did a lot of farming with my husband until he started getting sick because of the cold. We then moved to Kalabu to be with our children.”
Though she missed her life on the farm, she had little choice. Her husband passed away in 1997 and this created a huge gap in her life.
“I miss him greatly because we were together for a long time, but my grandchildren helped me heal and ease the pain.
“It wasn’t easy, but you must take it and deal with what life gives you. I don’t like lying in bed, but I have no choice. I wish that with this long life God has also gifted me with, I will also have good health and the ability to be independent.”
Ms Vuadreu is cared for by her daughters and she is always surrounded by her grandchildren who love her dearly.
