Talofa, Kia-Ora and South Pacific greetings to all!

"At last" I say to myself when I accidentally stumbled upon this wonderous site -with a blog opening up to opinions on world views etc etc!

Today is Friday, 19 January 2007 and I am thankful it is the end of the Week! Next Monday is a public Holiday (Wellington Anniversary) that I am everso looking forward to in veging out for a day at the moment my brain is fried. We have a newcomer to our Youth Prog, Antonia and shes only 11 years old - absolute natural on air and with the guidance of Paula she is gonna fly thru her programme.

So, as I think back on the fact that I worked right through the holidays I'm actually looking forward to this break that is just six months away with great and NEEDED anticipation.

Plans for the weekend? spent with my father's family at the beachhouse in Titahi Bay organising and planning the family reunion - Kiwi Sector. How the Samoan saying goes "O i le sa to ai lou pute" (translation: Here is where my placenta was buried or here is where I planted my navel) meaning my paternal side is my foundation. Being the eldest of the eldest grandchild(my dad) of the eldest son (my grandfather) of the eldest patriarch (my great-grandfather) it seems and feels natural. My paternal great grandparents hail from the larger Island of Samoa, Savaii from the villages of Falealupo, Asau, Sagone and Samalaeulu - I am a descedent of the Sa Solia (Falealupo) and Sa Matalavea (Sagone) Sa Taulemago (Leauvaa) titles - I don't think they are as presitiges but to know this, that I am from Savaii makes me even more proud.

As history tells, the volcano on the island of Savai'i erupted sending the people of the villages that was in the path of her eruption fleeing to the sea, sailing and landing in the villages of Sa'anapu and Leauva'a and I'm sure around the other coastal villages. Well, my family landed on Leauva'a and have flourised from there. My grandfather, eldest of 16 children, 8 boys, 8 girls - my father, eldest of 10, 3 sets of twins were deceased leaving only four - 1 girl and 3 boys, me, eldest of 2, my sister and I. Homebase is Taufusi, Upolu whilst the land in Leauva'a is being looked after by one of my great uncle's grandson- we all gud! Family religion is strickly Roman Catholic and if you married into a different religion - you are automatically cut-off, I come from a family of catechis, the 8 older children were catechists with the only faletua of a catechist, whilst the younger 8 were free to choose which lead to the ousting of an aunt who married a seventh day adventist, two uncles one married a morman and the other married a divorcee - but from these families, they are the more committed ones that always are there to contribute to family faalavelave and are very fa'amaoni. As for the others, well, with the changing of times, the lure of the city life and it's social scene, many have lasped, not bothered with oratory and family stance, forgeting about the morals, traditions and standards the family had accept for the ones that went abroad. My great-grandparents would be turning in their tombs with what has been happening that has torn the family appart. Thank goodness this nonsence has not spilt over to those that are established abroad.

Hence, discussions of organising a family reunion with the guidance of my aunts and uncles. My father was the chief of our family here in NZ, now that he has gone with my great aunt who was the matriach following behind a year later - the family are looking towards the first NZ generation to take up the reigns and return the family to some type of normality. So I pray to God to give me the strength and faith to combine this together.

N E ways - pray for me