A Tongan singer and guitarist with an impossibly high-pitched voice had spent one of his last days sharing how he really missed his friends and acoustic group band players because of his chronic illness.
Taukatelata Vakalahi died in Australia last week in what appeared to be a heart related disease, according to his close friends.
In a streamed video recently uploaded to Facebook, the former police officer in Tonga said he was overcome with acute nostalgia for his days with his friends at kava sessions.
He said his illness had prevented him from joining them again but he hoped he would soon sing and play together with them again.
He said he was unwell and he was looking forward to receiving medical treatment.
“Fai e ki’i ta’elata. Ngaahi feohi’anga ko ē ne u anga ai ‘ikai ke toe hoko”, he said in Tongan.
He said he was going to dedicate a song to his friends.
The love song was Taumaiā which was composed by the late famous Tongan song writer and singer Mrs Tu’imala Kaho.
Tributes are being paid to the singer with many describing him as gifted with a “distinctive voice”.
“May you continue to sing in heaven with your beautiful voice”, a commenter wrote.
“God bless u with your lovely voices see in Heaven ofa atu moe hufaki”, another commenter wrote.
“I don’t believe it’s his talent your voice is clean and clear like a woman amazing”.
