Emma Kruse Va'ai Explained
Emma Kruse Va'ai is a Samoan chief ('high matai'), writer[1] and educator in Samoa. Her matai chief title is Letuimanu’asina.[2] She has a PhD in English from the University of New South Wales in Australia and is a former director of Samoa Polytechnic. Currently, she is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Samoa following the polytechnic's merger into the university in 2006. Also a lecturer in English at the university, she is a strong advocate for bilingual education in both English and the Samoan language.
As a writer, she has published poetry and stories which have been translated into other Pacific Islands languages.[3] She is also an executive committee member of the Samoa Association of Women Graduates (SAWG).[4]
Letuimanu’asina was born and raised in Samoa in a family of eight siblings. Her primary and secondary schooling was at the Marist Missionary Sisters. Later, she studied at Victoria University in New Zealand before undertaking her doctorate in Australia.[3] She was married to judge Alo Vaimoa Va'ai and they have four children.[5]
Publications
- 1998 Palolo Time, a poem from Samoa; Learning Media, Ministry of Education (NZ), ISBN 0478227086
- 1998 Ready for School, a story from Samoa; Learning Media, Ministry of Education (NZ),
- 2011 Producing the text of culture: the appropriation of English in contemporary Samoa; National University of Samoa (Lepapaigalagala, Samoa),
References
- Book: Keown
, Michelle
. Pacific Islands writing: the postcolonial literatures of Aotearoa/New. 201. 2007. Oxford University Press US. 9780199276455.
- Web site: Samoa's national business faculty wins global award. Pacific Scoop. Misa Vicky. Lepou. 2 September 2009. 12 January 2010. 12 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160312124858/http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2009/09/samoa%e2%80%99s-national-university-business-faculty-wins-global-award/. dead.
- Book: Nandan
, Kavita Ivy
. Writing the Pacific: an anthology. Jen Web. 74. 2007. University of the South Pacific. 978-982-366-016-5.
- Web site: Leadership . Samoa Association of Women Graduates . 12 January 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101001122232/http://www.sawg.ws/leader.htm . 1 October 2010.
- Web site: Mango Mission poem by Emma Kruse Va'ai. New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre. 12 January 2010.
