Letuimanu’asina in 2020

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), ISBN 0478227116
  • 2011 Producing the text of culture: the appropriation of English in contemporary Samoa; National University of Samoa (Lepapaigalagala, Samoa), ISBN 978-982-9003-33-1

References

  1. ↑ Keown, Michelle (2007). Pacific Islands writing: the postcolonial literatures of Aotearoa/New. Oxford University Press US. p. 201. ISBN 9780199276455.
  2. ↑ Lepou, Misa Vicky (2 September 2009). "Samoa's national business faculty wins global award". Pacific Scoop. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  3. 1 2 Nandan, Kavita Ivy (2007). Jen Web (ed.). Writing the Pacific: an anthology. University of the South Pacific. p. 74. ISBN 978-982-366-016-5.
  4. ↑ "Leadership". Samoa Association of Women Graduates. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "Mango Mission poem by Emma Kruse Va'ai". New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre. Retrieved 12 January 2010.


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