There are some places in Fiji where people think twice to visit.
This is because they are known to have been linked to criminal activities and home to some notorious persons.
But from within the boundaries of these areas emerged some people who had excelled academically, in corporate organisations, and in sports.
Some hard knocks had made these areas proud and some had even made it to the top —— among the elites leading our south sea nation.
Among these areas is Newtown in Nasinu, about 10 minute drive from the Capital City.
Newtown has produced some sports stars. There’s George Koi —— former Rewa football player in the 1970s, and Jioji Robo —— 1974 Bantamweight amateur boxer.
Fast forward to 2016, a Newtown-born is making headlines around the world.
Welcome Seremaia Tuwai. He is a special breed – one of the stars in the Vodafone Fiji 7s team.
He is in London today, Mother’s Day, preparing for next weekend’s Paris 7s in France.
Since birth he has been nicknamed Jerry – a short English translation of his iTaukei Seremaia birthname – Seremaia Tuwai Vunisa.
He is 27, a Seventh-day Adventist and a bachelor. He comes from a family of five plus his parents – dad Poasa Vunisa, a farmer of Buca Bay on Vanua Levu, and mom Seruwaia Vualiku of Nailaga, Ba.
Before leaving the country this week for the last leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series – Paris and London – the 7s utility backline, regarded as Fiji’s next Waisale Serevi promised his mum the Paris title.
A belated Mother’s Day gift, but it is his way of psyching himself up for the two challenges ahead.
The Fijian squad wants to win these two tournaments to dot another history in rugby’s abbreviated code in Fiji. They want to become the first Fijian team to win the series title back to back.
Fiji has only won the title twice – Waisale Serevi-coached team in 2005-06 – first time the series was not won by New Zealand, and Ben Ryan last year.
“I am pa roduct of good parenting and a good rugby coach,” Tuwai said last Monday while the team was farewelled for Paris by the French ambassador to Fiji, Michel Djokovic.
“I am even surprised at the person I have become today. I came from a humble background, a home full of struggles, led and held together through strict disciplines and teaching by our loving parents. And a rugby coach who understands my needs and who knows how to mould a simple player from the village like myself to a better person.
“I come from Newtown, a place a lot of people hate. A place some people will not even think of because of its past records. They regard this place as one of the worst in Fiji, but look at what God did to me. He placed my family here and here I am. Now people say that good things come from my area.”
His mother, during the 2015 Fiji Sports Awards at the Vodafone Arena in Suva last month, was in tears on centre stage while she lined up with nominees for award recipients on her son’s behalf.
She said she never dreamt that one day she would attend such an important event. It was through her son’s achievement.
He was in Singapore then and a special commendation was given by the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, the chief guest on the night. He paid tribute to the Fijian 7s team’s win in Hong Kong. Tuwai was among the instrumental players in the success.
“Of all our children, Seremaia has surprised us the most,” his mother, a caregiver, said.
“He is a loner, always by himself and a quiet character. He never speaks much, even at home.”
Tuwai attended Assemblies of God High School and Nakasi High School.
“After completing Form Seven he went to the village and played for Buca Bay Rugby Club. His interest was in rugby, so we followed and helped him in his dreams.
“When he went on his first overseas trip, my husband came from the village and even slept on the street in Nadi just to see Seremaia go to Australia.
“We thank God for our son. I do not earn enough weekly, but from our humble background, Seremaia today is paying for the school needs of the rest of our children, has bought us things that some parents can only dream of, and fed us daily with his earnings.
“I guess it is good luck, I guess it is being an obedient family to God, I guess it is good parenting in giving and showing your children the correct path. There’s only one teaching inside our house and that comes from their father, Even Seremaia, even though he is a rugby star, he never disobeys or talk back to us. It is the teaching that we had instilled in them.”
The star player has one dream, a dream that he knows can change perception on the place he calls home – Newtown.
“I want to play in the Olympics. I have to work hard like all the players. This is the best Fiji team coached by the best coach.
“When Ben (Ryan) selected me, he told me that my passing is weak. He designed a special program to strengthen my passing. At first I thought it was just another program and missed some days of training, but when I strictly followed it, it improved my game.
“It does not end here, I have to work hard. I want to help win the series this year for Fiji and most importantly the gold medal in the Olympics. Everything else is second now because I want to win the Olympics for Fiji.
“Bringing that gold medal home might make people think differently of my area, Newtown,” the star player who has even held off having a partner or thinking about getting married soon, said.
