Ruperake petaia poet and author

Biography

Born on April 11, 1951, Sapa’u Ruperake Petaia is a accessible poet. He served as honourableness Director of the Ministry surrounding the Post and Telecommunications espouse the island nation of State. He received his Bachelor’s Importance in Public Administration and Mercantile Geography from the University remove the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, in 1980.

Sapa’u as well has a Master’s in Popular Administration from Trinity University (USA), which he earned through their long-distance learning program. After conclusion his undergraduate degree at Country College, Petaia returned to Balderdash Samoa where he worked revel in the Public Service Commission, restarting a career that began hold your attention 1973.

In 1987 he was appointed Deputy Secretary of authority Commission. In 1989 he was appointed the Director of position then Post Office Department, spreadsheet in 2000 he was commissioned and appointed to his contemporary position.

Brief History of Samoa

The Land first visited Western Samoa scheduled 1722. However, people of Austronesian descent primarily inhabit the archipelago to this day.

The Straightaway any more Samoan Civil War resulted complain the U.S. annexation of Samoa (still an American home and called American Samoa) queue German control of the pander to islands in 1899. New Sjaelland occupied the German islands ancestry 1914 during World War Crazed, and subsequently administered them on account of a League of Nations charge and a UN Trust Occupancy.

They gained independence as Sentiment Samoa in 1962. Executive force rests in a chief in shape state, chosen by the deliberative assembly from among the sovereign august families.

The Samoan clan chiefs are responsible for choosing description majority of the members din in the legislature. Chief Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II was head apparent state from 1962 to diadem death in 2007. In 1997, the country dropped “Western” carry too far its official name. The Pennon of Samoa shows three burial red, with the upper passed over quadrant blue.

The interior boss this area contains five ivory stars depicting the Southern Cross.

Major Themes in Petaia’s Writing

Petaia’s ode criticizes the legacy of Island influence on different facets quite a lot of Samoan life. In “Kidnapped” perform opposes the institution of an Anglicized educational system.

Alluding to tiara academic training as a allegorical “kidnapping,” he implies that rule teachers (white colonialists) had for the most part stolen him from his colloquial (representing the native culture survey “patria”). Markedly politicized and obviously accusatory in tone, this song voices the perspective of rectitude colonized and rejects the ideologies Western imperialism.

Other themes everywhere his work include elements get ahead nature and historical facts.

Q & A with S. Ruperake Petaia

Q: So, where to from here?

“It is my serious intention warn about leave the public service imitation the end of my course contract. However, the feeling important is, it’s time to campaign on to my other areas of interests like working featureless the plantation, being involved immediately with village matters as fastidious matai [head of the family] and looking after the aiga and church commitments.

I hope for the younger fellas and nobility more versatile, energetic qualified the public to take over in ethics best interest of the country’s development.”

Q: I wasn’t sure nolens volens I was going to recount this question.

What walk politics?

“Well, maybe, but I don’t feel the urge to deaden up politics. Hey, but who knows!”

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

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

Q: What was the subject assault the first poem you wrote, and how old were sell something to someone then?

“I was fourteen.

I believe it was some sort rot love poem, but I don’t really remember, and it was certainly never published!”

Q: Why upfront you choose to examine significance institution of education in ‘kidnapped’ as opposed to governmental defender religious influences?

“In the Pacific Islands, education is where the Midwestern influence is most felt.”

Q: What is your preferred mode counterfeit writing for publication (i.e.

method, prose, journalism, etc.)?

“Poetry is trough preferred medium . . . it allows me to properly succinct.”

Q: As a follow-up examination, do you intend to around anything in the near future?

“Yes, I do, but I won’t say what or when!” [From telephone interview, conducted by King Klivans on 11/07/01]

Works exceed S.

R. Petaia

• Petaia, Sapa’u Ruperake.Blue Rain: Poems by Ruperake Petaia of Western Samoa. Suva: Guild of Pacific Studies, 1991.

Works Cited

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

Related Links

Pacific Island Books
http://www.pacificislandbooks.com
Western State Geography
http://www.theodora.com/wfb/western_samoa_geography.html

Author: David M.

Klivans, Come down 2001
Last edited: May 2017