when there's rugby to be played ..

the only thing I have to say is go the All Blacks!

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

#31WriteNow day 16

Today marks the halfway point in my #31WriteNow blogging challenge and a challenge it has been!

I have had many moments stressing about what to write each day, but even with the stress I feel better mentally for blogging.  Taking time out of my day to write has helped to put things of my every day life into a healthier perspective.

One of my strategies for blogging achievement has been to prepare by picking a daily theme or topic which gives me the focus I need.  This planning has worked so well that I have a theme or topic planned for each day of the rest of the month.  In saying that, there is plenty of room for flexibility.

Since day 1 of this blogging challenge the nerves have decreased and the excitement has increased so here is hoping for that to continue.

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

for the what?

I unwittingly combined my Throwback Thursday theme into my Tuesday Tunes post this week so here's a YouTube clip.  Is it just me, or did anyone else read "for the bolo"?

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

a doubting thomas

I had a meeting with a Samoan girl and a socially eccentric Palagi guy last month to discuss a topic that was going to cause a few waves.  Socially eccentric Palagi guy voiced his disagreement on the topic, ending with an idiomatuc expression implying the topic was ridiculous and was received by Samoan girl with the kind of roll-of-the-eyes sigh that screams OHMYGOSHYOUAREABIGWEIRDO.  Later on, Samoan girl asked me what the idiom meant, so I explained.  Her response  with a screwed-up face was that she still did not understand and I did because I am Palagi.  For a split second I pictured myself grabbing Samoan girl, shaking her and yelling uncontrollably because me having Irish blood was not the reason she does not understand and does not make me smarter than her.  I even failed to convince her with the truth that I only understood the idiom because of everything Socially eccentric Palagi guy had said beforehand.  In reality Samoan girl is one of the loveliest souls you will ever meet so instead of me creating a scene fit to land me in a straight-jacket, I had my say, changed the topic and felt sad because it was as if Samoan girl had decided she was not capable of understanding before I explained anything and made me wonder how much of her life she goes through putting a lack of understanding around such things down to her being Samoan.

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

samoa e

 
Every so often I get this yearning, similar to an aching feeling when I miss Samoa.  Today for you I have a small selection of songs from my I MISS SAMOA playlist that helps me to accept the reality that the only island I am on is a cold one called Te Ika-a-Maui, my work will not suddenly feel the need to send me on an all expenses paid trip to Aga Reef Resort or Sinalei Reef Resort and Spa (I'm not fussy) tasked with drinking cocktails while sunbathing, nor will my bank balance allow me to just jump on a plane and go because the only money I won today was $10 on scratchies that cost $10!

Lota Nu'u
I have loved this song (sung at just about every formal Samoan gathering I have been to) for as long as I can remember.  In retrospect, I think I felt the meaning of this song long before I knew the meaning of the words.  This genre of Samoan music is largely what I grew up listening to and takes me back to my childhood days of listening to Samoan talkback radio and connects me back to my Grandparents because this is their music and gift to me.  There is a fantastic playlist here with more of the same.

O se Vi'i o Lauli'i
This is the other genre of music I largely grew up listening to.  It is the music of my parents generation when Elvis and le igi were king!

Samoa e, Maopo'opo Mai
I have always been a fan of Vania's distinctively smooth voice since my high school days when I started to discover the more modern Samoan music of today.  I enjoy listening to pretty much anything of his without overdoing it.

I'm in Love with You
If I close my eyes and use my imagination, anything Nifoloa sends me straight back to being in Samoa.  Songs by Nifoloa were the soundtrack to one of my trips back and evokes many different memories and feelings.

What are your songs that remind you of Samoa and make you feel like you are home?

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

the mau and the visitor

The Mau and the Visitor started back tonight for a second season which will run through till Friday.  If you did not see it in June then this week is your last chance!  Written and directed by Pulotu McCarthy, this stage production weaves the romance between Sina and a New Zealand police officer with Samoan history of the early 1900's, ending in the death of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III.

In June, I found the play to be a yoyo between funny and serious reflected in the best acting from Sam Iosefo (not in season 2, but do not let that put you off) who played Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III, as well as the writer and director himself who pulled off the excellent portrayal of a stumbling phlegm hoicking drunk Samoan!

The least liked part of the June production for me was that Sina's love interest (also not in season 2, but do not let that put you off either) seemed too old for her, or maybe she was too young for him .. either way, too hard for me to leave my judgmental goggles in the car on the apparent age difference.  And my most liked part was the high amount of Samoan dialogue throughout.  It was quite refreshing to see a Samoan play where there was more than the usual Samoan profanity here and there.

If I have not managed to convince you to get along to the Mangere Arts Centre for this show with my invigorating post then watch the Tagata Pasifika snippet below by Sanele Chadwick because after watching that even I want to go again!

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

steamy sunday ii

I have a confession to make.  I enjoy watching trashy television.

Last year I was introduced to Geordie Shore which led me to the first season of The Valleys.  After following The Valleys through, I decided it was a tad too .. trashy, until I caught a glimpse of this weeks steamy tattooed bodies.

From what I can gather, Anthony and Jason Suminski are twins from Pontypridd who speak funny, have a tendency to make monkey noises and are well inked which is what piqued my curiosity and led me to watch the season 2 marathon of The Valleys a few weeks back.

What really caught my eye after their abdominal muscles and before their faces, were their sleeves which appear to feature Pacific designs and thus raises my question, what are these young twins from Wales doing with Pacific designs tattooed on their steamy bodies?  And what makes me even more curious is they look like they could pass as being sons of the Pacific.

I want to know their story.

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

parallels

During the week I stumbled across a sketch by Monty Python and laughter aside, it reminded me of The Laughing Samoans sketch about when they were at school in Samoa.  Between the two sketches, the cultural context is different yet in essence, the humour is the same to me.  A nice reminder that we are all just human beings living this crazy thing called life.

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.

life in the samoan bus lane

For those who want to get a snapshot of life in the Samoan bus lane, read Buses by current Peace Corps volunteer Brad and This Ain't My First Rodeo by former Peace Corps volunteer Matt.  While Matt was in Samoa, I followed his blog religiously and am now following suit with Brad's blog.  These blogs give comprehensive insight into navigating life in Samoa through the eyes of non-Samoans.  They're brilliant!

In other news, this morning a fine young man offered me his seat on the bus.  He is the 1%!

This is me - Teine 'Afakasi.