Mary Mariki turned in her chalk and eraser to join her husband, Kazaeli, also a retired teacher, on their pastoral farming plot where he enjoys raising bananas, chickens, a few goats, and a cow. Mary began her tenure almost 20 years ago and remembers when fellow teacher, Barikiel Bayo, was one of her students. Along the way she and her husband raised a family of three sons and a daughter. Her daughter is also a teacher.
Mary is one of the true Tloma heroes as her classroom consisted of 124 cute but active second graders. One might think she has had enough of teaching, but Mary hopes she might still be able to use her vast skills helping other young people during her spare time.
