A blessed book launch with Tagaloalagi ...

Had a blessed and intimate book launch last week with my parents flying over from Samoa and blessed by Rev Ropati one of my birth church's ministers from PIC Mangere (Presbyterian.)

It was also a privilege to have friends attend from Pacific Business Trust through Maria and Te Wananga o Aotearoa colleagues Penny and Mele and hosted by Mangere East Library through Amelia the library manager. And a big thanks to Mary (Coconut Wireless) for photo taking.

For me, this launch was very emotional than the first three as I paid tribute to the late Aeau Taulupoo Lafaialii who had passed away only a couple of weeks earlier. He had been a principle storyteller (as discussed in an earlier September 2015 blog) in my research of 1989 of collecting tala o le vavau (ancient stories) in Savaii, Samoa.

It had been my hope to visit with him in November when my family is planning to visit Samoa but God had other plans so am hoping to visit local primary schools and share in book readings and telling stories.

I must say that I feel very humbled and privileged to be in this space and I don't take it lightly in being an author and the opportunities that are starting to unfold in hopes of continuing to share stories and preserve cultural artefacts through our ancient tala that tell moral tales.

I'm now starting on the final two books that am planning to launch before the end of the year with one planned for Samoa and another for Auckland. This launch left my feeling very blessed and am hoping that I can bless others just as much. Thank you God! ...