Book Donations to Nelson Memorial library in Apia...

 

Today, I visited the Nelson Memorial Library in Apia with my brother George from Sydney and his wife, Cam, my sister-in-law.

The pic shows one of the librarian representatives posing with the books that we donated to the library for processing.

We went to have a look at the library and to donate some books as it's something that I wanted to do since before COVID hit nations globally. It was good to see that some of my books that had been donated previously were still in circulation.

It was neat to reflect on the memories of having studied in the library back in 1989 when I spent time in Samoa with my Grandma and family whilst completing fieldwork there for my first Masters degree through Auckland University.

I hope that readers of the books will be able to enjoy and benefit, in some way, from these books as I know how difficult it is sometimes to find books that relate to yourself as a person with an indigenous identity...

Family meeting in Samoa...

 

I've been so busy in sunny Samoa with so much to do and catch up with. It's been so good to be with family and to work on some things that needed doing in our family house in the village of Fasitoo-uta, in Samoa.

It was also so good to have my elder brother from Sydney fly over with my sister-in-law and a sister from Auckland with her daughter see the finished house project that my parents and my husband and I were able to build in support of my father's dream in having a place for my parents' and future generations of our family to stay at.

There have been some wrangles and posturing over the land (which I must say can be expected in Samoa) but over all, it's been a blessing from God, to say the least, as my family now has a place to stay at (as my late father's, grandmother and great grandmother's village) and most importantly to have guardianship over and to maintain and look after it well as was the wishes of my late father.

This pic above is of the fresh water rock pool in Satui that is a few kilometres down the road outside a neighbouring family friend's house that my brother, daughter and sister bathed in after hot days in Fasitoo-uta.

Tomorrow, I'm hoping to visit a few local schools and gift books and have a general look at the resources that schools in local villages have and the possibility of looking for support from my Auckland NZ matai network of whom I am in contact with.

This is especially a privilege as I remember having guest speakers come to visit my local schools and some were very inspirational and made me think outside the square. Hopefully, if given the opportunity, I will also be able to share some insights of what I know and would like to share with students...

Celebrations and upcoming visit to Samoa...

It has been an eventful weekend with the celebration of our youngest's birthday which we had at 'Denny's' Family Restaurant in Manukau where we're able to have a meal with dessert and a cup of tea for me too.

We also had a successful fundraising event by selling suppers for the purpose of supporting our Samoan bilingual Early childhood education centre but also in supporting our families who bring their young ones to our centre. It's definitely a privilege to be able to support these next generations in the knowledge of their language and important cultural practices.

We're also getting ready to visit Samoa again this weekend for a couple of weeks for family visits and there I hope to squeeze in visits to a couple of schools and donate some books and share some insights with students as appropriate.

In being an 'Indie' author, I like the independence that I have in being able to do different things according to the schedule and juggling various responsibilities that I have.

It's definitely neat to be able to see the next generation, with my children growing in the knowledge of what it means to know some of the ancient Samoan stories that I wasn't able to grow up with but in which they are able to learn about...

 

House warming Pasifika giving...

 

Here's a pic of my sister's Pasifika art pieces (acrylic on canvas) and my attempt at macramé using jute and beads.

It was like a house warming present to our younger niece as she moved with her husband and boys to a new dwelling to help them feel at home.

 It's such a blessing to see my lil' sis share her talent in this way in blessing others with her art and also with the commissions that she's done for me i.e. cover art for my self-published books. It just takes things to another level.

The moral of that story is that if you have a talent and it you don't share it with others then perhaps your depriving others of that wonderful opportunity/ies of gifting something that someone else would really be blessed by.

I know it works because when you give freely and without expectations of getting something back then you also receive things that you never would otherwise have been blessed with and I'm not talking about money but the pure joy of giving something for nothing has it's own rewards...

Fundraising for Samoa ECE...

 

It's that time of the year for fundraising for the Samoan ECE Early Children Education centre that I'm currently chairing (although supposed to be on study leave).

So the board decided on selling $15 Suppers that contains: chop suey, surimi salad, chicken thigh, sausage and rice with the option of a water bottle or Koko Samoa in a cup.

This should be interesting as it's the first Supper that I've been involved in that offers Koko Samoa but I can't take the credit for it as it was an idea from another Supper that our Team leader attended.

Koko Samoa is the unadulterated Cacao bean that gives you chocolate but for us is dried, shelled and roasted then pounded and molded into rounded shape.

When the koko has hardened, you then break some off and add it to hot water with sugar (if you wish) and you have a neat koko liquid that you have consume with or without the need for a sieve. I personally like to drink it without the extra bits but others prefer to enjoy it.

But now off to the Polyfest but more on that in my next blog. Over and out!...

1st Uber ride...

 

Last week, I took my first Uber ride. I'd heard about it before on ads plus my children use it whenever they need to be somewhere and the drivers of the family are busy.

They do have Learner licenses (stage 1) but you do need to have a Restricted license (stage 2) before being able to venture out. I'd prefer they get their Full license (stage 3) which would give me more peace of mind.

I suppose I've never had to use Uber before as usually I drive everywhere but since I had taken in my car to check for a grinding noise in the front left tyre, I was given the option of leaving the car over the weekend for them to fix and then to pick it up on Monday.

Because they didn't have any spare courtesy cars (you have to book them well in advance of at least 2.5 weeks) I had to opt for another alternative to take me home on my usual 15 minute ride. I decided that I couldn't take a bus as I didn't have a 'Hop card' and it was too far for me to walk to the nearest bus station.

I decided that it was too expensive to ride in a taxi, so I spoke to my eldest and was told that my probable best option (if not a bus) was to take an Uber which should be next best option. As I had never taken a ride before, I decided to give it a go. I downloaded the App, answered the questions, booked the ride and then waited.

It wasn't long before the driver came to pick me up and I took my first ever Uber ride. I couldn't help thinking 'welcome to the 21st century' as everything on the App and been quick and efficient, definitely welled managed and sorted that I didn't really have to stress on thinking about how to get home.

Even the cost was reasonable and I got to met and talk to the driver about his experience with driving for Uber. I definitely will be using Uber again to get to places when I am not able to drive myself. From me it comes highly recommended if you haven't needed to use it before definitely give it a go...

My happy place in Savaii, Falealupo, Tufutafoe...

 

One of my favourite ancestral places on the big Island of Savaii, also known as Salafai in Samoa in  the district of Falealupo and the village of Tufutafoe: (Top pics to bottom)

1. (Top left) Signs at Tufutatoe of the various sacred/historical sites there.

2. (Top middle) The sacred waters where the chiefs would bathe before going to Pulotu (spiritual underworld).

3. (Top right) The rock called 'Pa Sopo'ia' where the couple Matuna & Matuna turned into rock (different versions though when I visited in 2023).

4. (Middle left) The place where the sunsets at the most western point of Samoa.

5. (Middle) The place where the paths of the chiefs' spirits walk towards Pulotu. Also the only place where this particular 'pua' (name of native flower) only grows.

6. (Middle right) A new story of the bush that Va'atausili was catching butterflies with his net.

7. (Bottom left) Looking towards the vavau (sacred sites) from on top of the ridge where the paths of the sacred spirits walk towards Pulotu.

8. (Bottom middle) The hole of the cave that Va'atausili emerged from when he had wanted his body to increase to avenge the death of his brother Vaea.

9. (Bottom right) The two bowls made from rock that it was believed that chiefs from Savaii (one bowl) and chiefs from Upolu (the other bowl) would use when talking there.

It was such a blessing to have been able to go to visit Falealupo and especially the sacred sites at Tufutafoe. It was a little hard to get to and it was only that I had been there before that I knew where to go as roads had changed somewhat with new winding roads that no longer go directly to the sacred sites. 

Looking forward to our next trip which is later on in the month but won't be able to go back to Savaii due to the short span of time there. Wow! such a blessing and one of the places that I'm considering to have scenes of a novel that I'm working on (in my mind) because I have to finish this thesis first and then can get onto the more creative and fun things to do...