Inspiration for writing

When I was a child, growing up in New Zealand in the 70's and 80's was not the easiest time, especially if you were a migrant or the child of migrant parents.

It was difficult because it was a place that my parents had chosen to settle away from their cultural roots for the chance of a better life. At the time, the country was still defining it's identity as it still does today with so many different cultures here, but it was an especially sensitive time historically for people who didn't originate from New Zealand because this country was not immediately prepared for how much it would need to adapt to these other cultures.

Anyway, as a child I remember being told stories about my mothers' life growing up. I also remembered stories about my father growing up but not as much as mum. It wasn't until I became an adult that I understood why I was told these stories so often and it was because my parents needed to find a way to hold on to their identity and a life and custom that they knew in a land that they did not know.

As a young child, mum was sent to live with her grandparents and raised as one of their own. The union of her grandparents was so important to the history of Samoa bringing together some of the most significant chiefly titles ever joined under the one marriage at one time, both from the male and the female side, but interestingly, the female deemed the more higher ranking by way of pedigree and titles that she brought into the marriage.

To be continued.....