Ms. Anasitasia Vaitele is the winner of the Annual Gagana Samoa writing competition sponsored by the Samoan Studies Institute at the American Samoa Community college.
Her winning piece titled, “E sili lava Samoa” shares her experience of life in the US mainland during a vacation, and compares it with island life.
She observed the vastness of the continent, speed of life, and struggles of raising a growing family with one working parent, which made her sympathize deeply for her loved ones who live away from Samoa.
Being cooped-up in a two- bedroom apartment for a month made her appreciate the freedom she had back home to move around.
In the mainland, the necessity of money for everything made her think of the reciprocal nature of Samoa’s extended family and village life, as well as the easy access to family land to start a new life.
These contrasts, upon her return, played a big part in her response to a parent’s query about living in the States, which was, “Samoa is the best.”
Four additional student authors, Eileen Pilato, Tausala Leota, Oneata Soi and Marissa Vaatausili, received consolation prizes.
The Gagana Samoa writing competition is a means of promoting literacy in the Samoan language and to encourage its use as a medium of creative self-expression.
SSI faculty member Mrs. Tamari Mulitalo-Cheung, who coordinates the Gagana Samoa writing competition, observed that in the four years since its inception, 2018 marks the third time female students have swept all of the prizes.
“In 2017, one male student made the finals,” she recalled, “but thus far the young women have displayed a facility for written storytelling far superior to their male counterparts. I know the guys won’t want to hear that, so I encourage them to do something about it.”
