Eti Saaga, also spelled Eti Sa'aga, (February 2, 1950 – December 13, 2017) was a Samoan-born

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

n 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 Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

, New Zealand, and his native

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...

. Saaga, who emigrating from Samoa to

in 1978, also served as a

speech writer A speechwriter is a person who is hired to prepare and write Public speaking, speeches to be delivered by another person. Speechwriters are employed by many senior-level elected officials and executives in the government and private sectors. The ...

, press officer and translator for the late U.S. Congressman

Eni Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. ( ; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's third lieutenant governor, from 1985 to 1989 and non-voting delegate to the United State ...

for more than 20 years. Saaga was born on February 2, 1950, in

Apia Apia () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Samoa. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of Tuamasaga. The Apia Urban A ...

. 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 and universities throughout Australia and the

Pacific Islands The Pacific islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of several ...

. Saaga next worked as a journalist for the ''Samoa Times'', based in Apia, during the 1970s. In 1978, he emigrated to nearby

with his wife, Otilia Hunkin Saaga. He soon became a press officer for the American Samoan Department of Education. Saaga then worked for the late U.S. Congressman

(D-AS) for more than twenty years as a senior aide, press officer, speechwriter, and translator. He also worked as a broadcaster and announcer for KSBS-FM Flag Day programming during this same era. Saaga died at the Kuakini Medical Centre in

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

, Hawaii, on December 13, 2017, at the age of 67. He had been in declining health for the previous six years. He was predeceased by his wife, Otilia Hunkin Saaga, and survived by their four children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saaga, Eti 1950 births 2017 deaths Samoan male poets American Samoan poets Samoan journalists American speechwriters American Samoan civil servants Samoan emigrants to American Samoa 20th-century Samoan poets 21st-century Samoan poets Samoan poets Oceanian poets