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Afakasi 

By Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson


In your malaga, I feel seen 

Afakasi speaks 

So I am heard 


I said I would stop calling myself that 

But here we are 

Branded “half” 

But I am whole 


A whole meal of a body 

A whole mouthful of a name 

So “afakasi” doesn’t split me 

How Samoan are you? 


fia Palagi 

Not fluent in our gagana 

As I bend at the knee and serve ipu kī 

As I serve, as I serve, as I serve 


Fluent in feaus 

Fluent in siva 

Fluent in fia poko 


Nana’s ring slips onto my pinky 

Uncle said I inherited her looks 

O lo’u tamā said I sound just like her 

Better keep my head in those books 


Plastic skin 

Big mouth 

The other day this lady laughed when I told her where my fibres come from

But I weave, but I weave, but I weave


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