Dark-skinned palagis

If you don’t know what that means, that refers to those Samoans who for reasons that I can’t even begin to imagine, do not want to be known as Samoans. The true fiapalagis, in other words.

Let’s face it, every community probably has their share of these idiots.  Talk about a case of low self esteem!

I was speaking with my husband tonight on skype and he happened to mention that he ran into another Samoan soldier there in Iraq.  Unfortunately, this Samoan soldier doesn’t want to associate, speak to, or be acknowledged by others as a Samoan.  Of course that got my — in a knot and I have to vent – so sorry guys.

What is so wrong with being a Samoan? Why would one be ashamed to be acknowledged as one?  Believe me, I’ve met more than a few of these myself too so they’re not as uncommon as you’d think.  Granted we have our problems, we have lots of problems as a community if truth be told.  We have our dumbheads and our troublemakers, you know the kind of people that give other Samoans a bad reputation.  But hey, so does every other race under the face of the sun.  There are rotten stinky apples in every ethnic group and community.  So why?

I am reminded of the day our oldest son found out he and his brothers weren’t 100% Samoan.  Yes, I know you’re all going to be shocked to hear this, but somewhere in my kids lineage, there is a palagi man.  Their great great grandfather.  (Gasp out loud).  Anyway, back to our son. To say he was disappointed is an understatement.  He looked at us as if we’d somehow let him down.  We reassured him that he was mostly Samoan, and that seemed to do the trick.  Of course, he was very young then.  Today as a young adult, he knows and is proud of the fact that he is not only Samoan, but also part palagi and he is doing a great job honoring all of who he is.

Back to my question.  Why? Why would someone be ashamed to be a Samoan, a Tongan, a Mexican, a Filipino, a whatever? 

I read a couple of new books recently, both fictionalized accounts of what life was like for Jews under Hitler.  One of the things that touched me the most was the courage exhibited by both young and old. These were ordinary people who refused to deny that they were Jews even though they knew full well what it would cost them.  I’ve read about the holocaust since I was a young girl but reading about this horrific time in our history gets me every single time.  Who can ever forget Anne Frank?  By the way, if you haven’t read “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” you have to read it.  It’s geared for teens but it is a must read for everyone, besides you can easily read it in a couple of hours.

In case my palagi friends out there get the wrong idea, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being a palagi.  We should be proud of whoever we are.  Some of us may be both a palagi and a Samoan, or a Chinese and a Samoan, or a Tongan and a Samoan.  If that’s you, celebrate you are.  Be proud of all that you are.  Many of us come wearing more than just the one hat.  We’re not just one or the other.  We’re many pieces that have come together to form the one.  All of that makes us who we are. I haven’t even thrown in the Samoan-Irish-American part yet:-).  The point is, whatever you are, whatever blood you have running through your veins, embrace it, honor it!

So my friends, if you happen to know someone who is having such a bad case of fiapalagi, please tell them to get off it.  Better yet, tell them what the kids in Samoa say when they’re telling someone to take a hike, “ia fa’a pa a’e lou ulu ile sima ga le.”  (Translation) “there’s a concrete wall, why don’t you go smash your fat head against it.”  You’re Samoan, deal with it.