At 19 years old, I, Marion Marlena, was hired for my very first job as a clerk for the Government of American Samoa. Technology in Samoa was not up to date when…
UTOPIA Blog (page 3)
I would never wish it on my worst enemy: A survivor’s ordeal with battling COVID-19
When Jayda Leiataua arrived for her grandfather’s birthday in California in June of 2021, she felt the chills during a warm summer day but did not think much about it. Later in…
“God did not create us to be perfect, but to be faithful: Stories of love and being loved”
There once was a boy in my neighborhood growing up and one summer day he took me to a large rock near a stream and asked “do you want to honeymoon?”. I…
Queer Pacific Islander Woman: A Memoir
Tagi Qolouvaki is Fijian-Tongan through her mother and German-English American through her father. She was born and raised in Fiji and migrated to the U.S. at 16. She holds an MA in English…
The Virtuous Mother: Coping with grief and the loss of a mother during the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 Message from our resident Fofola le Fala blog author: The COVID-19 Pandemic has had devastating effects on the Pasifika / Pacific Islander community. I will never forget the overwhelming waves of…
Forever Young: Revisiting the Life & Death of Shalimar Seiuli
The first time I saw Shalimar, I was in our living room watching the live broadcast of the 1994 Miss American Samoa pageant. The spotlight gleamed and the cameras zoomed in as…
Remembering Alana Kela…nearly 30 years later her murder remains a mystery
As the spotlight beams on her face, her eyes light up! The glistening of her sun-kissed brown skin glows, as delicate tropical flowers dangle from her hair. As Loyal Garner’s “E Ku’u Morning…
Victor Rodger: Storyteller of our stories on stage and screen
In 2014, Victor Rodger was writing a play based on the life of Shalimar Seiuli. Shalimar is perhaps one of Samoa’s most well-known, albeit tragic, Fa’afafine stories. Her untimely death, shrouded in…
On my own: Memoirs of a Leitī
The first time I met Sedrick Vanisi was in 2010, I was enthralled by his exquisite sense of humor all wrapped up in his graveled voice, warm persona, and an all-around pleasant…
Fa’afafine Pioneer: the story of Dr. Vena Sele
Dr. Talitigā Vena Sele Her name itself has come to represent a symbol of excellence and unparalleled success, breaking boundaries for the Fa’afafine community. Vena was the first open Fa’afafine woman to…