Happy 60th Diamond Wedding Anniversary to Mr & Mrs Metuaone Tou of Mitiaro

During an interview with papa Metuaone Tou of Mitiaro he stated that he started dating this beautiful Atiuan Tutai Pavai in 1947. Tutai arrived in Mitiaro with a tere party from Atiu and after a lengthy stay of the group that it was time for them to return to Atiu. What he did was according to papa Metua he hid Tutai in a water cave on the day the boat left for Atiu; is how he secured his then wife.
Papa Metuaone Tou and his partner Tutai Pava tied the knot in Mitiaro on the 13th May, 1951. The two were married by the islands Catechist Mr Akapa Tereva and was blessed by the islands Catholic priest Fr Charles Van Niel of the Picpus Fathers from Holland. The two got married in the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church with the whole island invited to their wedding including the reception. He can recall according to papa Metua that the island enjoyed their wedding to an island social dance.
Papa Metuaone and mama Tutai have thirteen children and to-date two have passed away. They have thirty grand children and thirty six great grand children. Most of their children and off-spring lives on the island, on Rarotonga, Auckland, Wellington, the Gold Coast and Melbourne.
When asked if they could recall a marital problem that they went through after sixty years was one time papa Metuaone came back home from a drinking party that there was no food in the house and he got frustrated and starting smashing the house down and throwing things around in the house. He thanked his wife mama Tutai for her perseverance in their relationship and encouraged him to stop drinking as it’s ruining their life yeah, coming home drunk and there is no food in the house and his wife have run away because of fear being beaten up but, papa Metauone have admitted that he never have laid a hand on his wife regardless. This have always been admitted by his children today
And, what do they think makes a successful marriage that lasted sixty years; that papa Metuaone admitted doing was refrained from the homebrew meeting and that they decided to fully commit themselves with their Catholic faith. Eventually, that papa and mama Tou became the islands first Catechist on the island with the encouragement of Fr. Charles Van Niel. They often said that what is mostly important in any relationship to last is that bondage of love, understanding each other, listening and valuing with each other’s opinion and view, caring for one another and family. These are very important aspects in life.
And their advice to any relationship to last is to trust in the Lord through praying together; caring for each other and supporting each other and accepting each other in life with patience.
When asked their views on why marital problems happen today, their views were that often people is treating getting married like a joke and taking that early punt of marrying so young and also staring families so early. It is immature. Early marriage comes first and earning an income is always second place. Problems with under-age drinking are also a factor with any long lasting relationship not to prosper.
…....the comfort and companionship a happy marriage brings...a lot of hopes and dreams fulfilled and memories you two hold - but most of all, the kind of love that deepens every year. Happy Diamond Wedding Anniversary
Interview: Ms Mariana Maclaine (nee Tou)

Herald Issue 554 09 March
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- Norman George resigns from Cook Islands Party
- Letter of Resignation from CIP
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