Written by Laufaleaina Lesa

I remember

Many things
Growing up in Samoa
I remember my Grandpa Toafa
Unloading a stack of wood
That he carried on his back
Inside our umu
I remember him asking my Aunty Kuana
For money to buy beer and Pocket Edition after a long day in the sun
I remember my Grandmother Laufa
Always with a knife in her hand
Either digging up the ground to plant
Or cutting down plants that have taken on minds of their own
I remember my other Grandma Ta’apega
Coming to stay with us at Tulaele at one time
I remember her always moving around
Never resting, always working, always praying and reading her Bible
Just like my other Grandma
I remember my father, Falagi
Bringing treats for my sisters, brothers and I when we were sick
I remember I always asked for sugarcane
Whenever I was sick
I remember how he sasa us whenever we misbehaved
And how we were so scared of him
Most of all I remember my mother, Lote

Carrying me from one taulasea Samoa to another

Seeking treatment for my many illnesses

I remember how much my mother loves me

Especially in those times

I remember how I first met my husband

On that sunny day up in Tafa’igata

I remember seeing him for the first time

I remember saying to myself, “I’m going to marry you one day”

I did

I remember the birth of our first daughter, Solania

How I was so happy

How I made her name out of my and my husband’s names

How we felt like we could never love another child again

Apart from her

Oh but I remember

When our second daughter Tofiga o Nafanua was born

I remember how my heart expanded to love her too

These are the things I remember

These are the things that make me who I am

A Samoan

These are the things that I remember about

MY SAMOAN LIFE

Which is still being lived…