NAN SANDERS POKERWINSKI
  • Home
  • Media
  • About
  • Contact
  • MANGO RASH
  • Blog
  • EVENTS
  • Journalism
  • Photography
  • Buy Books
  • Collages

HeartWood
A blog about cultivating
creativity, connection and contentment
wherever you are

Return to Paradise - Part VIII

7/14/2021

11 Comments

 
This is the eighth installment in a series of posts commemorating a very memorable journey.

Thirty-five years ago, I paid a visit to American Samoa. At that time, it had been twenty years since I left there after spending one of the most unforgettable years of my life on the main island of Tutuila -- a year chronicled in my memoir Mango Rash: Coming of Age in the Land of Frangipani and Fanta (Behler Publications, 2019).


In this series of posts, I'm sharing excerpts from my 1986 travel journal, along with photos from the trip. 
​

In the last installment, I returned to the main island of Tutuila after a visit to the outer islands of the Manu'a group.

Good to know:
​Tima - aka Fatima
SPIA - South Pacific Island Airways

Fipa - aka Fibber
Mata Ala - Samoana High School's yearbook
​Afa Ripley - Former schoolmate 
​Libya - My 1986 visit to American Samoa happened shortly after the US attack on Libya
lavalava - wrap-around sarong
​aiga basket - baskets woven from coconut palm leaves and used for carrying just about everything, particularly food from the market or from special-occasion feasts

April 26, 1986
Tima, Mai, and Jeanette came to the hotel for breakfast this morning. Then I went up with Jeanette to her dad's house, where they were preparing for her cousin's funeral. 
I found out all SPIA flights are cancelled through Monday. Tima had to make me new reservations through Hawaii.
Pili came to get me and brought me out to his and Gretchen's house for dinner. We sat around the house; Fipa showed up -- had just gotten off work, wearing grease-splotched pants and scrub shirt, same kind of boots he used to wear, like motorcycle boots.
Picture
Pili's place
PictureDanika and Melissa
Pili's kids are great -- gregarious, polite. Danika is about 8 -- kept showing me family pictures; going through Pili's Mata Ala; showing me his college yearbook (the only picture of Pili was of him performing with a Polynesian group that included Afa Ripley, with black paint streaks on his face and long hair). ​



Picture
Picture in Pili's college yearbook. L to R: Pili Legalley, Afa Ripley, Tusi Avegalio (Image courtesy of Pili Legalley)
​Melissa is about 10 (?), beautiful, with long, wavy brown hair. Interested in science, very bright, aware of the world. We got out the atlas. She wanted to see everywhere I've lived, showed me Libya. She kept bringing out books and National Geographics, pictures of sharks and other fish, talking about astronomy and oceanography. Danika too -- talking about planets.
Jon is a lanky teehager -- talkng back to the television, teasing his sisters.But he's friendly and doesn't seem self-conscious.
PicturePili and Caleb






​Caleb, the baby, is sweet-natured, attentive,with big brown eyes in a little brown face.

Picture
Recent photo of Caleb and Pili (Photo courtesy of Pili Legalley)
Tonight I went with Pili to the Tikki lounge to hear him play with Tropical Storm, the group he's with now. He's still got it with the drums. I missed the old music -- this group is into Dire Straits, Huey Lewis, Stevie Wonder. But they did play two Samoan songs. It was exciting to hear that and to see people dancing. I was hoping there'd be someone to dance with, but most of the people there were couples or in groups -- a wedding party, the girls' netball team from Apia.
Pili and I danced to the disco music at the break. It was really like old times.
PictureTui in 1966


​Just before the last set, Pili took me outside to meet someone. It was Tui Letuli, the kid I used to tutor in reading when he was in second grade. He's now 28, plays lead guitar. He's traveled all around the States, performed in a lot of places, getting ready to go back to L.A.to hang out.

Picture
Tui, about a year after our reintroduction at the Tikki lounge (Photo courtesy of Tui Letuli)
Picture
Tui and bass player Pete Eneliko, 1986 (Photo courtesy of Tui Letuli)
I spent the night at Pili and Gretchen's. Watched pigs running through their yard. Pili complains about them rooting up his papaya trees. Guys walking down the dirt road wearing lavalavas, carrying aiga baskets.
Picture
Aiga baskets can carry just about anything
​To be continued . . . 
11 Comments
Valerie Roberts
7/14/2021 07:52:24 am

Wow, another great installment. The photos are magical in bringing it all to life. Thank you so much!

Reply
Nan
7/14/2021 03:33:45 pm

The only thing that would've made it better is if you'd been with me on the trip. You were pretty occupied with other things at the time, as I recall.

Reply
Pili
7/14/2021 08:10:26 am

The family sure enjoyed your snapshot from your visit home in ‘86. Melissa commented that she and Dani looked like little Pentecostals!
When you told me you were on DFP assignment to Australia to report on the comet (Kahoutek?), I remember thinking you were one day going to write a book. Guess you could say it was written in the stars.😄

Reply
Nan
7/14/2021 03:32:56 pm

It was Comet Halley, Pili. Its next time around will be 40 years from now, so I doubt I'll be jetting to Australia to see that appearance. But you never know. As exciting as it was to comet-watch in the Australian outback, that didn't hold a candle to meeting up with my old friends in Pago, That was a trip of a lifetime.

I'm blown away to hear that you knew I'd write a book long before the thought even crossed my mind! Definitely written in the stars.

Funny observation from Melissa. Did the missionaries dress the girls?

Reply
Pili
7/14/2021 07:39:10 pm

Ha! Good one on the girls’ garb! Could be the missionary’s wife’s influence. My Dad could never understand why anyone would dress a baby, (Caleb) in this case, in a body suit in the tropics, but there he was, top to toe in cotton - Gretchen would know better than I why.
So it was the old comet Sam Clemen’ s rode out on that you went Outbacking to write about. That was worth just commemorating his earlier departure!
Reminds me of how beautiful stargazing our night sky in Samoa used to be. Milky Way so thick you could breathe on it. One of the first disappointments I felt returning home this last time was the difficulty seeing the stars like we used to - too much electricity in street lights and homes and buildings now. But that candle you brought in ‘86 lit up the skies for all of us for a few wonderful days😉

Nan
7/15/2021 12:47:12 pm

LOL about Caleb's body suit, Pili. It does look stifling. And what a lovely thing to say about my '86 visit.

So sad about the light pollution in Samoa. The sky was always stunning, even when cloudy.

Every time I read something you write, Pili, I think you should be the one writing books.

Reply
Nan
7/15/2021 12:48:31 pm

Barry and Bev Read should be writing books, too. Their letters are so entertaining.

Reply
Sue Schneider
7/17/2021 04:39:18 pm

So incredible to connect again with old friends. What a treasure!

Reply
Nan
7/19/2021 10:05:16 am

Even more of a treasure with every passing year.

Reply
mini cube speakers link
1/17/2025 01:53:48 am

What a beautifully nostalgic installment! The vivid descriptions and heartfelt connections to old friends and cherished memories truly bring your journey to life. The photos add an authentic touch, making readers feel part of the experience. Your storytelling is both engaging and reflective, capturing the essence of Samoa’s charm. It’s a joy to read about such meaningful reconnections. By the way, I imagine playing music through mini cube speakers would amplify the nostalgic vibes perfectly!

Reply
marine refrigeration link
2/25/2025 05:36:02 am

High-quality marine AC pumps designed for durability and efficiency, keeping your onboard cooling system functioning optimally.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Written from the heart,
    from the heart of the woods
    Read the introduction to HeartWood here.

    Subscribe to HeartWood

    Available now!

    Picture
    Check with your favorite bookseller or order from the BUY BOOKS page on this website.
    Get updates on Mango Rash
    BUY MANGO RASH

    Author

    Nan Sanders Pokerwinski, a former journalist, writes memoir and personal essays, makes collages and likes to play outside. She lives in West Michigan with her husband, Ray.

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    April 2022
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Better Living
    Books
    Community
    Creativity
    Events
    Explorations
    Food
    Gardens
    Guest Posts
    Health
    Inspiration
    Last Wednesday Wisdom
    Local Artists
    Mecosta County
    Montcalm County
    Music
    Muskegon County
    Nature
    Newaygo County
    Oceana County
    People
    Photography
    Pure Michigan
    Reflection
    Return To Paradise
    Samoa
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Media
  • About
  • Contact
  • MANGO RASH
  • Blog
  • EVENTS
  • Journalism
  • Photography
  • Buy Books
  • Collages