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