'Ia o gatasi le futia ma le 'umele. This ancient Samoan proverb translates literally as "Bring together the sennit ring and the stand". This is referring to the stand on which the fishing rod sits and the ring which fixes the rod onto the stand. The way my people interpret it or use this proverb is when we refer to unity, team work and helping one another. It can be simplified as "Let there be unity, for in unity there is strength" and signify the strength of relationships.
Another proverb similar to it is "'Ua fuifui fa'atasi 'ae vao 'ese'ese". This one means "We are from different parts of the forest but connected in one cause". Which I think is one of the more straightforward ones.
Today, 1st of June, was the day of Independance for Samoa and the day we took to the streets of Auckland to protest and make our voices heard on the #blacklivesmatter movement.
This day, my roots, culture and the blood in my veins sing for justice, screams for it. My ancestors who fought for their own lives against colonization, who brought forward the Mau movement in which almost all of my people joined. Where they used civil disobedience to oppose the foreign administration. Where they boycotted imported products, refused to pay taxes and prevented the payment of customs to authorities. When some were arrested, they all surrendered so that the cells were insufficient to hd them and when offered a pardon they demanded to be taken to court just so they could refuse to enter pleas to reject the judicial system.
In 1929, the police fired upon a peaceful demonstration, and killed Tamasese III and 10 other Mau movement leaders. The massacre had the male Mau members fleeing into the mountains, leaving the women to continue the movement. Fast forward to 1962, when they are finally allowed to be free, finally given independance.
Our ancestors fought so that we could be able to speak our tongue, practice our traditions and own our land without fear of repercussion. However, the fight is not over. It is not just in our history or the blood in our veins, it is here in our present and the blood on the streets. The many murders of our black brothers and sisters in America, by the police, calls on us to take a stand with them. To speak up with them. To fight with them. Their tears, blood and voices will not be unseen or unheard. They will not be silenced for I will echo them and I encourage you to spread the word. The word is #JUSTICE.
Theres something to be said about hundreds of voices chanting and singing and coming together in unity. I know this protest wont do much. But to be honest, the donating, the protesting, the post upon post about everything going on just doesnt feel like enough. I want to do more, more than just correct or shutdown casual racism, more than just donating money and trying to be the change I want to see. I just want to see something change already, I think. Like how many times do we have to fucking do this. This isnt the first time a cop has murdered a black person in plain sight and was not charged for it. We protested and rioted then, and yet nothing has changed. This year has been one clusterfuck after another but if nothing else, I hope this year has shaped you into something stronger and steelier. Something bigger and harder to knock down, because were only into June.
