The village of Vaimoso yesterday presented a traditional “ifoga” apology for the homes of families and the businesses that were damaged during a stone-fight last Friday night.
Business owner, Leaso Uliano Latulipe, said they were rudely awakened by the sounds of stones hitting the roof of their house that night.
Windows of the houses of these families and a business, Lober Industries, were smashed as stones thrown by the youths hit the properties.
When the fight erupted, she said they were all asleep.
Ms. Latulipe said the window of their furniture business was smashed, and a chest that was on display in the business premises was damaged as a result of the commotion.
“There were about 30 of them running and yelling down the road while throwing stones at our properties,” she said.
She confirmed that gifts were presented by the matai who came to their home early yesterday morning to apologise for the behaviour of the youths who were involved in the stone fight.
“About 20 men, including the matai, arrived at our houses this morning to conduct the traditional apology,” she said.
“We were handed money and fine mats following the traditional apology.”
Ms. Latulipe said her family received $200 to assist with the damage to their property.
She expressed her disappointment with the behaviour of the youths.
She suggested that perhaps the cause of the commotion was a result of a dance competition finale held that same night.
“This is what I heard. That they were jealous because they had lost the competition to the youths from Taufusi,” she said.
“However, those youths live on the other side yet they stoned our homes as if our young boys had danced at the competition.”
However, she could not confirm for sure if this was the reason behind the incident.
She suggested that these youths needed to think before they acted: “especially since their acts of showing off have the village, matai and parents bowing for their actions”.
Police had also visited their homes and the Lober Industries as part of their investigations into the incident, she said
“Police said that they have found one of the youths but would be working on finding the others – there were about 30 of them altogether,” she said.
She was happy, despite what had occurred, that no one was injured as a result of the youth’s dangerous actions.
Assistant Police Commissioner Fauono Talalelei Tapu said he had questioned his officers regarding the matter and was told that no damage had been done to the properties.
However, following a visit to the area on Saturday, Samoa Observer staff took photos of windows at Lober Industries, which suffered damage as a result of the fight.
An attempt to get a comment from the organisers of the dance competition and the village of Vaimoso yesterday before press time was unsuccessful.