02/10/2026
1 piece of writing from the Mind of DT ( #78) - Today's piece Monday 28/09/2026)
I was 43 when I stepped onto Samoan soil for the first time as an adult. People kept reminding me I’d been here at age two, introduced as part of the new generation in the 80s. It’s a strange feeling to be “remembered” by people you don’t remember, and even stranger to return 41 years later.
When planning this trip, I treated it like my first time. I wanted to experience Fa’a Samoa, and found out my sister had the same intention. Samoa never held a personal connection for me because I’d never grown up here. Everything I knew about being Samoan came from our community in Dunedin—our people, our language, our culture lived far from the homeland.
I understood Samoan more than I spoke it. English was essential for life in NZ, but Samoan surrounded me like music. I loved knowing another language, even if fear of failure kept me quiet. I became an observer—listening, reading body language, understanding emotion through tone and movement. English became my strongest subject because reading and writing helped me interpret people and situations.
But on this trip, something shifted. I spoke more Samoan than I ever had. I pushed through the fear and involved myself with the people around me. Even when I felt unsure, I kept trying. I surprised myself the whole time, and I’m proud of that.
This trip wasn’t about me, but it was for me. It was about standing on our land with my family—seeing them, capturing them, feeling connected in a way I’d never had the chance to before.
Peace & Love ❤️
DT of Human Affinity
