Samoan Literature
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Samoan Literature
Samoan literature can be divided into oral (pre-colonial and post-colonial) and written literatures, in the Samoan language and in English or English translation, and is from the Samoa Islands of independent Samoa and American Samoa, and Samoan writers in diaspora. Samoan as a written language emerged after 1830 when Tahitian and English missionaries from the London Missionary Society, working with Samoan chiefly orators, developed a Latin script based Samoan written language. Before this, there were ''logologo'' (tapa signs) and ''tatau'' (tattoo signs) but no phonetic written form. Pre-colonial and post-colonial Samoan oral literature includes ''solo'' (poetic narratives), ''fa'alupega'' (genealogies), ''tala'' (histories and mythologies), ''fa'agogo'' (folk tales), ''pese'' (songs), and ''faleaitu'' theatre. Important solo were collected and published in Samoan and in translations by German scientist Augustin Kraemer working with Tofā Sauni and other Samoan orator chiefs, and E ...
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Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono and Apolima); and several smaller, uninhabited islands, including the Aleipata Islands (Nu'utele, Nu'ulua, Fanuatapu and Namua). Samoa is located west of American Samoa, northeast of Tonga (closest foreign country), northeast of Fiji, east of Wallis and Futuna, southeast of Tuvalu, south of Tokelau, southwest of Hawaii, and northwest of Niue. The capital city is Apia. The Lapita culture, Lapita people discovered and settled the Samoan Islands around 3,500 years ago. They developed a Samoan language and Samoan culture, Samoan cultural identity. Samoa is a Unitary state, unitary Parliamentary system, parliamentary democracy with 11 Administrative divisions of Samoa, administrative divisions. It is a sovereign state and a member of the ...
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Mana Publications
According to Melanesian and Polynesian mythology, ''mana'' is a supernatural force that permeates the universe. Anyone or anything can have ''mana''. They believed it to be a cultivation or possession of energy and power, rather than being a source of power. It is an intentional force. In the 19th century, scholars compared ''mana'' to similar concepts such as the ''orenda'' of the Iroquois Indians and theorized that ''mana'' was a universal phenomenon that explained the origin of religions. ''Mana'' is not universal to all of Melanesia. Etymology The reconstructed Proto-Oceanic word "mana" is thought to have referred to "powerful forces of nature such as thunder and storm winds" rather than supernatural power. That meaning became detached as the Oceanic-speaking peoples spread eastward and the word started to refer to unseen supernatural powers. Polynesian culture ''Mana'' is a foundation of Polynesian theology, a spiritual quality with a supernatural origin and a sacr ...
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Commonwealth Prize
Commonwealth Writers (established in 2011) is the cultural initiative of the Commonwealth Foundation. It aims to inspire, develop and connect writers across the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth. Its flagship is a literary award for short stories, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, and a website. As the Commonwealth Foundation’s cultural programme, Commonwealth Writers works in partnership with international literary organisations, the wider cultural industries and civil society to help writers develop their craft. Partners include the BBC World Service, the British Council, English PEN, ''Granta'', Hay Festival, the Prince Claus Fund, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Brunel University African Poetry Prize, and others.Partners
Commonwealth Writers.


Short Story Prize

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the b ...
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Sia Figiel
Sia Figiel (born 1967 Apia, Samoa) is an American contemporary Samoan novelist, poet, and painter. Early life Sia Figiel grew up amidst traditional Samoan singing and poetry, which heavily influenced her writing. Figiel's greatest influence and inspiration in her career is the Samoan novelist and poet, Albert Wendt. Her formal schooling was conducted in Samoa and New Zealand where she also began a Bachelor of Arts, which was later completed at Whitworth College (United States). She travelled in Europe and completed writers' residencies at the University of the South Pacific, Suva, and the University of Technology, Sydney. Career Sia Figiel's poetry won the Polynesian Literary Competition in 1994 and her novel ''Where We Once Belonged'' won the 1997 Best First Book award in the South East Asia/South Pacific Region of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Her works have been translated into French, German, Catalan, Danish, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Portuguese. In 2000 Fig ...
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Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard
Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard (born 1946) is an American Samoan academic, writer, poet, and environmentalist. She was the first Samoan to become a full professor in the United States. She is the sister of American politician Mike Gabbard and the aunt of American politician Tulsi Gabbard. Sinavaiana-Gabbard was born in Utulei village, Tutuila, American SamoaMadsen, Deborah L. (2015). ''The Routledge Companion to Native American Literature''. Routledge. Page 45. . and educated at Sonoma State University, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Hawai'i. Her PhD thesis was on ''Traditional comic theater in Samoa : a holographic view''. She taught creative writing at the University of Hawai'i for nearly twenty years and is currently an Associate Professor of Pacific literature at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. In 2002 she published her collection of poetry, ''Alchemies of Distance''. In August 2020 she was named by USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all upp ...
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Sina Vaai
Sina may refer to: Relating to China * Chin (China), or Sina (), old Chinese form of the Sanskrit name Cina () ** Shina (word), or Sina ( ja, 支那, links=no), archaic Japanese word for China ** Sinae, Latin name for China Places * Sina, Albania, or Sinë, village in Dibër County, Albania * Sina, Iran ( fa, سينا, links=no), a village in Isfahan Province, Iran * Sena, Iran (), also romanized as Sina, a village in Bushehr Province, Iran * Sina Rural District, in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Sina District, in San Antonio de Putina Province, Peru People * Ali Sina (activist), pseudonym of the founder of several anti-Islam and anti-Muslim websites * Sina Ashouri (born 1988), an Iranian soccer-player * Ibn Sīnā (c. 980 – 1037), Avicenna, a Persian physician, philosopher, and scientist * Elvis Sina (born 1978), an Albanian soccer-player * Jaren Sina (born 1994), Portugal-born American basketball player of Kosovar origin * Melek Sina Baydur (born 1948), Turkish ret ...
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National University Of Samoa
The National University of Samoa (''Lē Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa'') is the only national university in Samoa. Established in 1984 by an act of parliament, it is coeducational and provides certificate, diploma, and undergraduate degree programs, as well as technical and vocational training. About 2,000 students were enrolled in 2010 with an estimated 300 staff. It offers a wide range of programmes including Arts, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Science, Nursing, Engineering and Maritime Training. The Centre for Samoan Studies, established in the university for the teaching of the Samoan language and culture, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as the world's first degree in Master of Samoan Studies. The National University of Samoa has the distinction of being one of two universities in Samoa. The second is the University of the South Pacific - Alafua Campus which specializes in Agriculture. The campus was built in part with funding from the Government of Ja ...
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Emma Kruse Va'ai
Emma Kruse Va'ai is a Samoan chief ('high matai'), writer and educator in Samoa. Her Fa'amatai, ''matai'' chief title is Letuimanu’asina. She has a Doctor of Philosophy, PhD in English from the University of New South Wales in Australia and is a former director of Samoa Polytechnic. Currently, she is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Samoa following the polytechnic's merger into the university in 2006. Also a lecturer in English at the university, she is a strong advocate for bilingual education in both English and the Samoan language. As a writer, she has published poetry and stories which have been translated into other Pacific Islands languages. She is also an executive committee member of the Samoa Association of Women Graduates (SAWG). Letuimanu’asina was born and raised in Samoa in a family of eight siblings. Her primary and secondary schooling was at the Marist Missionary Sisters. Later, she studied at Victoria University of Wellington, Victoria Un ...
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Eti Sa'aga
Eti Saaga, also spelled Eti Sa'aga, (February 2, 1950 – December 13, 2017) was a Samoan-born American Samoan poet, writer, journalist, press officer, television and radio host, and producer. His most well-known poem, "Me the Labourer", is studied as part of the curriculum at universities throughout Oceania, including Fiji, New Zealand, and his native Samoa. Saaga, who emigrating from Samoa to American Samoa in 1978, also served as a speech writer, press officer and translator for the late U.S. Congressman Eni Faleomavaega for more than 20 years. Saaga was born on February 2, 1950, in Apia, Samoa. In 1970, Saaga graduated from Samoa College, where he studied under Albert Wendt, an English teacher and novelist who was one of his greatest influences. He did not accept a scholarship offer to study in New Zealand, choosing, instead to work as a road builder and labourer in Samoa. During this time, Saaga wrote his most famous poem, "Me the Labourer", which is now taught at colleges ...
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Sapa'u Ruperake Petaia
Sapa'u Ruperake Petaia (born 11 April 1951) is a poet and writer from Samoa. His poem ''Blue Rain'' became the title of a collection of his poems first published in 1980 with later editions in the 1990s. The collection included the satirical poem ''Kidnapped'' (1974) which explores themes about the loss of traditional Samoan knowledge. Like other Samoan writers such as Albert Wendt, Petaia's work explores themes about the effects of colonialism and Western influences on Samoan culture and society. Petaia was born in Samoa. He attended Samoa College and worked as a clerk in the Public Service Commission in 1973. In 1978 he won a government scholarship to study at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. In 1980, he graduated with a B.A. in Public Administration and Economic Geography. He returned to Samoa where he has since continued to work in the public service in management roles. In 1992, his poetry ''Patches of the Rainbow'' was published in the Samoa Observer.Retrieved 1 ...
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Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche
Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche is a Samoan poet, artist, sculptor, photographer. Biography She was born in Samoa and was educated in Samoa and New Zealand. Her published books of poetry are ''Solaua, a Secret Embryo'' (1974), ''Pao Alimago on Wet Days'' (1979), ''Alaoa, above the Gully of Your Childhood'' (1986) and ''Tai, the Heart of a Tree'' (1989). Von Reiche writes in English. She belongs to the "later phase" of South Pacific poetry, whereby her perception of reality is through an individual rather than communal viewpoint. Her poems have been described as "lyrical". A prominent theme in her poetry is the sexist abuse of power. Literary critic Tiffin has noted the use of "words deliberate, carefully chosen, hard hitting" in such poems of hers. Personal relationships are another recurrent theme in her works, and a quest for love and belonging features. Critics have noted some "autobiographical" elements in her poetry, with several of her poems being described as "vignettes which cap ...
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