Lafulafu Ekenasio is the chair of Mafutaga Tagata Matutua PIPC Newtown. She is a natural speaker and presenter and if you were not there, you missed a lot. She was informative, entertaining and a lot of fun.
Mafutaga Tagata Matutua is an exercise group for people of the older persuasion – or seniors as they are generally called ̶ from Samoa and the Cook Islands. The ages of the people who go to exercise range from a low, which we were not told, to a current high of one man who is 91 years old. They meet every Tuesday, and have done so for 25 years. The aim is to enjoy exercise, meet friends and speak in their own languages from Samoa and the Cook Islands.
There is one hour of exercise followed by a healthy lunch of soup and sandwiches. Nurses also attend to give anyone a health check, including hearing, and often hold immunisation clinics. This all fits in the stated mission to promote and enhance the well-being of older people. Or as in the heading to this report – Having fun, enjoying life and being happy. Who would not agree with that?