Mid Year 2020

It's hard to believe how fast this year has gone past with only another 6 months to go until Christmas celebrations and another new year. With winter in tow, I find myself enjoying the rain and cold winds indoors and creating because as a creative there's so much to do and to create. 

As you can see in the pic, I enjoy making boutinerres or otherwise known as buttonholes for wedding lapels or for formal wear for balls etc. I've also decided to try my hand at making wrist corsages because I like making small flower arrangements for fun. 

Interestingly enough, our eldest is in Uni and our middle child has to wait another year before attending the senior ball, so I've got plenty of time to create that stunning corsage for the occasion. Now just to figure out how to make it.

 Until then, I've also picked up embroidering which is another type of floral art except it's with using a needle and specialised thread as well as a hoop and a pattern on cotton material - very good for reflective thinking whilst creating. There's never a dull day in my household with so much to do and consider. 

This is apart from considering my doctoral ethics and the various chapters that I'm working on. So exciting but more on that to come. Suffice to say that whilst I'm studying I'm also creating and I'm enjoying the ride. 

Although it has been a little difficult in having to say "no" to quite a few things with the studies, creative space and family times...

Rangahau Tikanga - Research Guidelines...

It's been very interesting times in my research journey since leaving University back in the 1990s and then returning backwards and forwards for many years during this time of having a family, continuing to work in education at different levels and now with a child in primary, high school and university education, I can truly say that a lot has changed in this time but yet a lot remains the same. 

I do know that I am no longer intimidated by education as I first was as a second language learner (Samoan being my first) but then switching to English as the main medium of communication because education and the wider society deemed it so. 

My empathy goes out to the many Samoan diaspora (living away from the motherland) descendants who haven't had the privilege of learning their ancestral languages as I have had although not at a schooling level but more on an audial and lived experiences level. 

The webinar by Prof. Linda Tuhiwai Smith is one that has really interested me in the journeys that other indigenous peoples have taken in Aotearoa, New Zealand as well in challenging the status quo and overcoming colonialism by way of decolonizing the ways that we think of ourselves, talk about ourselves and see ourselves. 

This is so important for our next generations as descendants of indigenous peoples, as Samoans, in seeing and acknowledging our ancestral ways of knowing and being as knowledge holders in reclaiming our own ways of knowing and giving due credit to our ancestors for making us who we are as Samoans. 

As in my studies, I've realized how very colonized we can become by throwing out many of our ancestral ways of being, thinking, making, and calling it as the "pogisa" times of ancient Samoan or dark times very similar to the medieval or dark ages of European. This is when in actual fact pre-European Samoan material culture show a very symbiotic way of living between Samoans and the environment. 

Therefore, my researching or "tofa sa'ili" i.e. seeking the wisdom tells me that there is so much that we have to unlearn in order to relearn new ways of thinking of our tua'a (ancestors) to fully appreciate the knowledge that was already there and that the Christian gospel could enhance without throwing out both the bathwater and the baby (so to speak). 

But more on that in later postings as I continue my Doctoral journey reconsidering, reclaiming, decolonizing, refreshing, enhancing, re-writing, rethinking, repositioning, reflexively, refining, reimaging, reimagining, revisioning, challenging, reconnecting, reactualising what can become for future diaspora Samoan generations...

Coast watchers of the Pacific - their untold stories...

I was reminded to watch this documentary "Coastwatchers" which was a research project of Willie Cuthers who was in the same class as my beloved and they both completed their Masters degrees in Applied Indigenous Knowledge last year to be conferred this year but due to COVID-19 they were unable to have the ceremonies.

Despite that, Willie Cuther's research is a moving one in which his indigenous topic had to do with his Cook Islands grandfather who had once been a Coastwatcher for the NZ maritime forces but did not get the same privileges or benefits as those of his NZ counterparts.

I would definitely recommend watching this documentary as it tells the story of his search for information about his grandfather which brought about a whole untold story of many other Pasifika coastwatchers who sometimes lived in extreme conditions in order to fulfil their duties as civilians during the time of World War 2.

That is in supporting a war effort that wasn't of their making and putting themselves and their families at risk should the "enemy" discover them. One such incident did happen on one of the islands and 17 were killed and this was the very real threat that they lived under.

I hope that Willied Cuthers and the many other descendants of the Pasifika Coastwatchers get the recognition that they deserve in their efforts to support NZ during a time of crisis and threat. That they too can be honoured in the work that they did to keep the Pacific safe during wartime in the 1940s...

Te Wairua by Maimoa - sung in te reo Maori...

During my zoom session with my class, this week, I shared this song called "Wairua" (spirit/soul). What was so neat about it is that it lifts the spirits and is sung in te reo Maori and if you didn't understand the words, the music is still catchy and a celebration of life.

So if you want to dance - go for it! as it's a song that celebrates for me te reo Maori, a language that was dying in the 1970s - 1980s when I remember only hearing the language being spoken by my teachers at school but not in public. It's now being spoken in classes, in parks, anywhere where Maori and speakers of Maori congregate. A neat renaissance and celebration of what can happen when people pool together resources for their children and youth to learn their indigenous language/s.

I think that was because it generally wasn't accepted by the majority society then, just as the Samoan language wasn't because we were expected to assimilate and the pervading ideas during those times were quite racist and intolerant with the idea that westernized society was more superior.

Now we see bilingual signs all over NZ government buildings, education centres etc. we also see newsreaders greeting the audience using te reo, Rugby commentators getting the vowel sounds right (after much coaching) to be able to pronounce the names of professional rugby players properly!

Haven't times changed and we now have a whole generation/s of youth not knowing that time in history but speaking and singing freely in te reo and being proud of there culture as young Maori. I see the same with other indigenous cultures in now feeling proud to be who they were born to be.

We have come a long way but there is still a long way to go what with the 'Black Lives Matter' protests that are still waging in USA, this is a movement that has been long overdue in the often marginalized not having a say but they now do.

Still a thought to those indigenous nations who are often "invisible" in social and political movements in many countries around the world due to their wish not to engage with western societies although some may to a lesser degree i.e. Australian Aborigines, Native Americans, First nations peoples in Canada etc. Their cultures are worth celebrating too...

Super Rugby is back on!...

Super Rugby is back on! not that I'm a great big fan or anything but I do have men in my family who are diehard fans with my father backing the Auckland Blues and my beloved the Chiefs.

So when they are busy watching their games, the rest of our family is busy watching Disney +, or Netflix or doing some other form of taking it easy be it listening to music or chilling with homework/schoolwork etc.

What was neat, of the part that I did watch at the beginning of the first game (a re-start of the season since closing during the COVID-19, Alert level 4 lockdown,) before the kick-off the commentator, audience and players paid tribute to all the Essential workers who put themselves on the frontline when the nation went on Lockdown.

I thought that was neat as every was reminded that in each person doing their part to isolate and lockdown in Alert level 4, we as a nation are now able to enjoy going into Alert level 1 with a lot more freedom i.e. with no new cases of COVID-19 for at least 21 days and those that were open are now closed.

But still mindful that there are still nations internationally who are still fighting the battle against the virus with many lives still at risk. So our prayers go out to the many families around the world who are mourning or are fighting the virus in hospitals, working as essential workers or seeking hope in these difficult times our thoughts and prayers are with you...

Congratulations to Afamasaga Togitogiuluau Agnes Rasmussen (QSM)...

A big (belated) congratulations to one of our Mana Mangere Writers Collective writers, Afamasaga Togitogiuluau Agnes Rasmussen who received a Queen's Service Medal (QSM letter after her name) during the Queen's Birthday weekend for her services to Education and Pasifika.

We are so proud of her as Afamasaga has been a stalwart in Pasfika education from the 1970s till today. In fact, she is also a talented writer in her own right and has contributed to three Mangere community anthologies i.e. Mana Mangere Voices (2017), Sense of Belonging (2018) and Navigating Journeys (2019).

In her writings, she's written poetry and rapped! (so versatile), non-fiction in her memoirs of Mangere and her sense of belonging in the communities that she's lived in Auckland and Samoa. The importance of her faith is shared as well as the importance of her very wise grandmother and her love for her family, village(s), culture and people.

I have been very privileged to have grown up with "Mrs Rassmussen" in having attended Nga Tapuwae College and seeing Samoan teachers whom I never had growing up. She was very strict and respected by us as students because she reminded us of our strict mothers, aunties and grandmothers growing up that you never wanted to mess with or you would get into big trouble.

I remember that she facilitated the Samoan parents' group at high school that my father and other Samoan parents would support and attend and she made it possible for our parents to feel that they were able to contribute to our schooling in a space that felt foreign to them. I think role models like her helped us to see that we could also participate and do well in education.

The interesting for me was then upon leaving school and going to Uni for a few years then thinking to take a couple of years off before returning to Uni, I ended up teaching at the school that Afamasaga "Mrs Ras" (students' nickname for her) was the deputy principal of. She was every bit as strict as I remembered her in high school and some teachers were even intimidated by her.

I thank her for supporting my fledging writing efforts way back then when I wrote my first full length high school productions, and she was always giving credit when other teachers couldn't be bothered. She even had some time acting in at least one big theatre production that I was aware and she could have had a career in acting but I know that teaching was her calling.

Well done to our dear role model and hope that many will be able to follow her footsteps in taking on the teaching profession for our next generations yet still keeping our values and principles of who we are as Pasifika people whether Samoan, Tonga, Niuean, Tokelauan, Fijian etc. as she has shown - the sky is the limit...

Dr Oz's 7 min morning workout...

I'm currently busy working on my PhD studies and one of the things that I'm very conscious about is the time that I'm sitting reading, writing, studying, considering, thinking, musing, debating, arguing (in my head) and although it's very productive for me in a conscious way, it doesn't do anything for my fitness.

A couple of years ago, I came across this workout. I like Dr Oz because he seems real genuine to me than some of the medical practitioners on the net out there and even during the start of the Coronavirus outbreak, I'd check out his feeds for scientific information regarding it for my family.

This workout has yoga postures in its foundation (that I used to play around with in my youth) but what's so neat about it is that you only need to put aside 7 mins (or 10 in my case) and just take your time to go through the poses - no shortcuts and afterwards you end up feeling great having taken a bit of time to work out your core muscles and have a stretch that makes you alert in the morning.

I'd say to give it a go for 7 days and see how it feels for you so that you can get used to it and then add 7 minutes music playlist of your favourite tune and then see where it takes you. For those of us who have left our 40s and 30s behind, it's really important to build up those God-given muscles for our every day living - you know as they say "use it or lose it".

So now this is my morning routine, with a bit of my own take that I hope can be of some inspiration to you, especially if you find it hard to get out of your bed in the morning. It's actually a wake up call that you can use to salute and say a prayer in the morning whilst listening to the thumping music that'll take you through to a great day for the rest of it...

Waiata (song) cover by Korea couple...

There is so much happening in our world with the death toll of the Coronavirus COVID-19 climbing daily with over 382,000+ deaths globally to date. This has been a matter of global concern for the past few months but numbers show that it still hasn't abated in many countries with USA's death toll over 106,000+, UK at almost 40,000 with countries like Brazil and Mexico climbing as well.

Then there is also the sad state of affairs in USA with the public killing of George Floyd in Minnesota that lead to strengthening 'Black lives matter' protests all over the US but then riots are happening in various states with global solidarity spreading all around the world as many major cities host 'Black lives matter' protests.

Our two eldests attended with my beloved on Monday in the city where mainly Uni students, youth etc. assembled and showed their support of their 'Black' brothers and sisters in the States. Pacific and Maori youth discussed about experiencing similarities of racism, prejudice, poverty etc.

In my younger days of protesting and gathering together to show solidarity for causes that I believed in, it definitely strengthened my resolve in making known what I believed in a very public way that others may not have agreed with and I see the same for my children's generation.

But I'm also aware of those silent ones who pray and still others who show their solidarity in various other ways on digital media with digital posters, articles, blogs, news articles etc. those are also ways of peacefully protesting i.e. the saying of the pen is mightier than the sword.

This week, I came across a Korean couple who sing/play Maori waiata (songs) in recognising (I think) the beauty of the lyrics and sounds. I discovered them last year and have listened to some of their arrangements of which I've enjoyed listening to.

I must say that in being a lot more musical in my younger days, I so appreciate Maori waiata in having a different sound to Western music and even Samoan pese (songs). This is an arrangement of 'The Lord's prayer' sung in te reo Maori. Something to calm us in the eye of our global storm. Listen and enjoy...

Congratulations to my beloved on his Masters degree...

Congratulations to my beloved for completing and conferring (of sorts) his Masters degree in Applied Indigenous Knowledge with Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus situation our mid-year graduation had to be cancelled and the plans that we had for a big graduation party, etc. got canned but not to worry as we still celebrated in our own way with our families.

I tell the story of when we first met that I believed that he had the capacity to complete a Master's degree back then (20 years ago) but then children and family life took over and it wasn't realized until he became my first student when I went back to teaching Indigenous Research in 2016.

In fact, seven students applied from my class for the Master's degree course (they had expertise in various indigenous practices) and six would have graduated (one is still finalising their rangahau/research equivalent) this year and I would have loved to have watched them cross the floor and get capped but unfortunately, that was not to be.

All is not lost though as I know that all of those incredible people have made transformations in their lives and will go on to positively impact other's lives around them of family, friends, colleagues etc. with the positive message of completing a goal and making a difference in validating their indigenous knowledge in a formal capacity.

I'm so proud of him and many others who take this path, as former students, and I currently have another four past students studying towards their Master's degree of Applied Indigenous Knowledge for the next two years. Definitely not a goal for the faint-hearted but well worth it in the end as you never know what doors will open for them and I am to thankful to God for this blessing in being a part of their journey...

Happy 81st Birthday to my mum...

My and my best friend and mum

It's been a very busy weekend this week with birthdays to celebrate and graduations celebrations for ceremonies that didn't happen. This includes the 81st birthday celebration of mum today together with the Queen's birthday weekend.

We were laughing today with my children in that we were celebrating the queen's birthday with the queen of our family who happens to be our mum.

I thank God for this special lady as every year, every month, week, day and moment is blessed in having a mum like her in our lives.

Today we celebrated and affirmed her as being (for me) the most influential lady in my/our lives in what she has taught, shared and in the ways that she has loved me and my children in practical ways like ensuring that when they would return home from school, that there was a meal waiting for them especially when I was at work too.

She has been like a mum to my children too and the bond that they feel with my mother is a blessing in that they know her well and see where I get my positive traits (the faults are mine alone :). I pray that God continues to bless her life with many more happy times ahead and praise God that He chose a special mum like her to be mine...