Sia Figiel (born 1967

Apia Apia () is the capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of Tuamasaga. ...

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...

) is an American contemporary Samoan

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...

, and

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

Early life

Sia Figiel grew up amidst traditional Samoan singing and poetry, which heavily influenced her writing. Figiel's greatest influence and inspiration in her career is the Samoan novelist and poet,

Albert Wendt Albert Tuaopepe Wendt (born 27 October 1939) is a Samoan poet and writer who lives in New Zealand. He is one of the most influential writers in Oceania. His notable works include ''Sons for the Return Home'', published in 1973 (adapted into a ...

. Her formal schooling was conducted in

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

where she also began a Bachelor of Arts, which was later completed at

Whitworth College Whitworth University is a private, Christian university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and located in Spokane, Washington. Founded in 1890, Whitworth enrolls nearly 3,000 students and offers more than 100 graduate and undergraduate ...

(United States). She travelled in Europe and completed writers' residencies at the

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the go ...

Suva Suva () is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rewa Province, Central Div ...

, and the

University of Technology, Sydney The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public university, public research university located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Although its origins are said to trace back to the 1830s, the university was founded in its current form ...

Career

Sia Figiel's poetry won the Polynesian Literary Competition in 1994 and her novel ''Where We Once Belonged'' won the 1997 Best First Book award in the South East Asia/South Pacific Region of the

Commonwealth Writers' Prize Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...

. Her works have been translated into French, German,

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

, Danish, Spanish,

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

, Turkish and

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

. In 2000 Figiel performed her Oceanic poetry at the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

's twenty-fifth annual Pacific Island Studies conference. The performances of Figiel and Teresia Teaiwa were recorded at this conference and subsequently released in a joint production with Hawai'i Dub Machine records and 'Elepaio Press. The album is titled Terenesia. Sia Figiel has also been a contributor to

The Contemporary Pacific ''The Contemporary Pacific: A Journal of Island Affairs'' is an academic journal covering a wide range of disciplines with the aim of providing comprehensive coverage of contemporary developments in the entire Pacific Islands region, including Mel ...

journal on multiple occasions, including publications in 1998 and 2010. Selected poetry by Figiel was included in ''UPU,'' a compilation of Pacific Island writers’ work which was first presented at the Silo Theatre as part of the Auckland Arts Festival in March 2020. ''UPU'' was remounted as part of the

Kia Mau Festival The Kia Mau Festival, previously called Ahi Kaa Festival, is a biennial performing arts festival in Wellington, New Zealand. In te reo Māori, kia mau is "a call to stay - an invitation to join us". The festival covers Māori, Pasifika and in ...

in Wellington in June 2021.

Personal life

Sia Figiel's life has been affected by

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

in various ways. Members of her family have had

, and related complications caused the death of both Figiel's mother and father. In 2003 Figiel herself was diagnosed with

Type two diabetes Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, ...

. Figiel initially kept her diagnosis secret as she felt it to be a sign of weakness and did not want her condition to shape her as a writer and a public figure. The deaths of family members and friends from complications from diabetes eventually impelled her to speak up about the disease. In 2012, in parallel with a move to the United States, Figiel began to address her diabetes both publicly and personally, making appearances at various conferences and university campuses. Subsequently she served as an advocate in the Pacific region by sharing her personal experiences to help with efforts to address the causes of diabetes. Figiel has acted as a role model for good health by targeting both those with diabetes and those who are working to prevent it. In 2014, her condition had improved sufficiently to enable her to complete the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. Figiel's story was featured on CNN where she discussed her struggle with food and explained how because she is from American Samoa where food is such a major part of the culture, she had difficulty managing her diabetes. After moving to

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its ...

, USA she lost 100 pounds. Her diabetes resulted in major dental complications and many occasions of very low blood sugar. Her young son was able to help her, as he knew how to inject her with insulin. According to Figiel, he "...saved her life continuously during this time."

Novels and poetry

Where We Once Belonged

Sia Figiel's '' Where We Once Belonged'' is a Samoan novel set in the fictitious village of Malaefou. It is focused around the titular character, Alofa (a name that literally means love in the

Samoan language Samoan ( or ; ) is a Polynesian language spoken by Samoans of the Samoan Islands. Administratively, the islands are split between the sovereign country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language, al ...

) and her various encounters with violence and sex. In telling this story, Figiel writes with complex prose that are highly poetic and dream-like. Her writing style is emblematic of ''Su'ife-filoi''; a Samoan form of story telling centred around the "quilt-like weaving of words". '' Where We Once Belonged'' marks the first instance of a novel published in the United States that is written by a Samoan female. The novel was adapted into a play by Dave Armstrong, a 2008 production of the play winning the Chapman Tripp theatre award for best new New Zealand play.

They Who Do Not Grieve

In her second novel, '' They Who Do Not Grieve'', published in 2003 by

Kaya Press Kaya Press is an independent non-profit publisher of writers of the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora. Founded in 1994 by the postmodern Korean writer Soo Kyung Kim, Kaya Press is currently housed in the Department of American Studies and Ethnic ...

, Figiel incorporates her poetic talents through the voices of three generations of women who descend from Samoa and New Zealand. Writing in a highly poetic medium, '' They Who Do Not Grieve'' tells the story of two twin sisters who introduce tattooing to

. Through this themes of

self-determination The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a '' jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It sta ...

femininity Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered f ...

, and

coming of age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can ...

are addressed.

The Girl in the Moon Circle

'' The Girl in the Moon Circle'' is a collection of poetic works published in 1996 by the Institute of Pacific Studies. It depicts life in Samoan society from the point of view of a ten-year-old girl named Samoana. This semi-autobiographical collection illustrates the simplistic aspects of

Samoan culture The traditional culture of Samoa is a communal way of life based on Fa'a Samoa, the unique socio-political culture. In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. The traditional living quarters, or '' fale'' (houses), contain no walls and ...

, along with the commonplace experiences of a young ten-year-old girl, such as school, friends, family, church and boy crushes.

To a Young Artist in Contemplation

Figiel's To a Young Artist in Contemplation is a collection of poetry and prose published in 1998 by the Institute of Pacific Studies.

Freelove - A novel

In her novel ''Freelove'', the 17 year old protagonist, Inosia Alofafua Afatasi from the fictional Western Samoan village of Nu'uolemanusa is sent by her mother on an errand to the city of Apia. A chance encounter there with her spiritual brother Loage Viliamu, the son of the pastor in her village and her school teacher, leads her into an unexpected and forbidden relationship. The tale comments on social and communal changes, and was published in 2017 on Kindle and in print in 2018 by Little Island Press. LO'IHI PRESS

List of works

;Novels * ''Where We Once Belonged'' (New Zealand: Pasifika, 1996) Review
/small> * ''They Who do not Grieve'' (1999) ; Kaya Press, 2003, ;Poetry & Stories * ''The Girl in the Moon Circle'' (1996) * ''To a Young Artist in Contemplation'', Pacific Writing Forum, USP, 1998,
/small> ;Anthologies * *

References

Relevant literature

* Ramsay, Raylene. 2018. "Indigenous Women Writers in the Pacific: Déwé Gorodé, Sia Figiel, Patricia Grace." ''Postcolonial Text'' 7.1:1-18. (2012).