Apia has lost a landmark. It happened when a fire ripped through the Savalalo Market on Saturday, destroying everything in its wake. What went through your mind when you saw the ashes of a place once considered the meeting place for Samoa? Vatapuia Maiava asked in today’s Street Talk and this is what people said:

Tuifuisau Maka Sapolu 
Vaiala

It was a very sad sight for me to see the market up in flames. My heart goes out to all those stall owners who lost everything in the incident. I know the market played a very big role in the lives of many people and now they don’t have anywhere else to sell their goods. I’m going to really miss the food stalls and just walking around looking at people enjoying themselves.

Evalaito Toelupe 
Samatau

It is a terrible loss especially for all the stall owners. The flea market was a great place for school kids to wait around for the bus and to hang around with friends and have a keke pua’a (pork buns). The meeting hotspot is now gone. I’m going to miss having a place where we can find many good handicrafts.

Suaesi Siaosi
Nofoalii

Every time I walk in the area I feel like I’m going crazy when I don’t see the flea market. It held so much meaning and value for many people especially for those who had their business there. I feel so sorry for the stall owners because they don’t have anywhere else to go to try and earn some money for their families. The fire took away so much more than just a building; it took away a place people held close to their hearts. I’m going to really miss the keke pua’a they sold there.

TJ Tiva Seupule Brown
Siusega

I hate the fact that the flea market is now no more. Samoa is a developing country and yet another big part of our economy is gone. That market generated so much money from tourists who came into the country and wanted to leave with souvenirs. This will put a lot of pressure on the government in trying to renovate and support the families of those whose stalls got burnt. I’m going to miss seeing all the lively people in the Savalalo market.

Rosa Peniamina
Tulaele

My thought goes out to the people who had stalls in the market because there was a lot of money that was lost. The people who used money to purchase goods to re-sell and the stalls who sold Samoan clothes to tourists lost a lot of profit in that fire. I think the people from Samoa Land Corporation (S.L.C) should try to do something to support the stall owners because for many of them this was their only source of income to help their families.

Feiloaiga Peters
Vaitele Tai 

I’m very sad because for a lot of parents this was their only way they could help their families. I just pray that they will receive the grace and blessings of God over their lives. I’m wearing a small bible necklace which was bought from my church friend who owns a stall at the flea market not long ago and now her stall is gone. I feel so sorry for her because she loved her stall and it was a big part of her, but I’m very glad I bought this necklace from there before it burnt down. I’m confident that Jesus will comfort and help all those people who were heavily affected. Jesus is alive and Jesus is good. We should all pray for peace in their (stall owners) hearts.