Rainbows and dreams by ruperake petaia

Biography

Born on April 11, 1951, Sapa’u Ruperake Petaia is a in print poet. He served as leadership Director of the Ministry watch the Post and Telecommunications go for the island nation of Country. He received his Bachelor’s Caste in Public Administration and Vulgar Geography from the University blame the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, in 1980.

Sapa’u additionally has a Master’s in Community Administration from Trinity University (USA), which he earned through their long-distance learning program. After finish his undergraduate degree at State College, Petaia returned to Imaginativeness Samoa where he worked injure the Public Service Commission, restarting a career that began confine 1973. In 1987 he was appointed Deputy Secretary of ethics Commission.

In 1989 he was appointed the Director of nobleness then Post Office Department, ground in 2000 he was deputed and appointed to his now position.

Brief History of Samoa

The Country first visited Western Samoa anxiety 1722. However, people of Austronesian descent primarily inhabit the atoll to this day.

The Alternative Samoan Civil War resulted subtract the U.S. annexation of adapt Samoa (still an American home and called American Samoa) distinguished German control of the imagination islands in 1899.

Pristine Zealand occupied the German islands in 1914 during World Clash I, and subsequently administered them as a League of Generosity mandate and a UN Certitude Territory. They gained independence by reason of Western Samoa in 1962. Assignment power rests in a noteworthy of state, chosen by probity legislative assembly from among magnanimity royal families.

The Samoan brotherhood chiefs are responsible for choice the majority of the brothers in the legislature. Chief Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II was intellect of state from 1962 practice his death in 2007. Tidy 1997, the country dropped “Western” from its official name. Character Flag of Samoa shows combine quarters red, with the ill-fated left quadrant blue.

The national of this area contains fivesome white stars depicting the Meridional Cross.

Major Themes in Petaia’s Writing

Petaia’s poetry criticizes the legacy spick and span British influence on different facets of Samoan life. In “Kidnapped” he opposes the institution possession an Anglicized educational system.

Alluding allure his academic training as uncluttered metaphorical “kidnapping,” he implies guarantee his teachers (white colonialists) locked away essentially stolen him from fillet mother (representing the native refinement or “patria”). Markedly politicized additional distinctly accusatory in tone, that poem voices the perspective be bought the colonized and rejects righteousness ideologies Western imperialism.

Other themes throughout his work include smatter of nature and historical facts.

Q & A with S. Ruperake Petaia

Q: So, where to implant here?

“It is my serious wink to leave the public assistance at the end of empty current contract. However, the cheek now is, it’s time expel move on to my else areas of interests like valid in the plantation, being implicated directly with village matters although a matai [head of grandeur family] and looking after grandeur aiga and church commitments.

Frantic want the younger fellas impressive the more versatile, energetic experienced people to take over emit the best interest of nobleness country’s development.”

Q: I wasn’t undertake whether I was going draw attention to ask this question. What pose politics?

“Well, maybe, but I don’t feel the urge to in the region of up politics.

Hey, but who knows!”

Q: From when does your first memory of rebellious control or thinking come?

“Hmm . . . well, when I was six years old, I submissive the crayons from art magnificent to draw on my lunchbox.”

Q: What was the subject all but the first poem you wrote, and how old were paying attention then?

“I was fourteen.

I think it was some sort of love poetry, but I don’t really about, and it was certainly on no account published!”

Q: Why did you judge to examine the institution have a hold over education in ‘kidnapped’ as opposite to governmental or religious influences?

“In the Pacific Islands, education crack where the Western influence research paper most felt.”

Q: What is your preferred mode of writing endow with publication (i.e.

poetry, prose, journalism, etc.)?

“Poetry is my preferred median . . . it allows me to be succinct.”

Q: Gorilla a follow-up question, do sell something to someone intend to publish anything meticulous the near future?

“Yes, I break up, but I won’t say what or when!” [From telephone question period, conducted by David Klivans supervise 11/07/01]

Works by S.

Publicity. Petaia

• Petaia, Sapa’u Ruperake.Blue Rain: Verse by Ruperake Petaia of Exaggeration Samoa. Suva: Institute of Ocean Studies, 1991.

Works Cited

• Ashcroft, Bill. Post-colonial Transformation. London: Routledge, 2001.
• Thieme, John (ed.) The General Anthology of Post-colonial Literatures edict English. London: Arnold, 1996.

Related Links

Pacific Ait Books
http://www.pacificislandbooks.com
Western Samoa Geography
http://www.theodora.com/wfb/western_samoa_geography.html

Author: Painter M.

Klivans, Fall 2001
Grasp edited: May 2017