Tuesday, January 24, 2012

telesa

So how does one actually go about blogging? What is the topic for your first blog?

Things happen everyday, and I say, "I'm gonna blog about this." Well, duh. Can I actually create a blogging account first?

Actually, I started this blog because I had visited Sleepless in Samoa, a blog belonging to Lani Wendt Young, author of Telesa: The Covenant Keeper. I just finished reading it and my honest reaction: "Holy crap, I friggin' love it!" (in everyday conversation, I say "holy crap" a lot...) Anyway, I only just got my copy of the book in the mail yesterday, sent from a good friend of mine. She is awesome. I think I've already thanked her a hundred times for my copy.

Yes, I took a picture of my mail and posted it on Facebook.

 I started reading last night, finished it this morning. I was completely taken away in the reading. There were so many things in the book that made me think of Samoa. I miss Samoa. There is a point in the book where siva and the tuiga are explained. The tuiga, made with light-colored human hair. On of my aunties was visiting from Samoa last year, and she had asked if she could cut my hair to take back with her to Samoa to make a tuiga. According to a friend of mine, my hair has this "natural ombre" thing going on. I have dark roots, and then the brown just fades to a light brown/dirty blonde at the tips. It's also kinda...um, big. Obviously, I said no. Sorry, but my hair is like my baby.

The author touches on the malu, the traditional tattoo for Samoan women. I got my malu done in November of 2008. While I read, I thought of my own personal experience. Really, all I can do is think about it. I have no pictures of those long 5 hours it took to cover my legs in ink, or the ceremony after, because some jerkface punks broke into our house, and stole nothing but my camera. They stole my camera that had the only record of one of the most defining moments I have had in my life.
The love story between Leila and Daniel...makes you wish you had that kind of story. Daniel is THEE perfect Samoan boy that every girl wants. Too bad he doesn't exist, aye?!

Anyway, reading Telesa has gotten me revved up and ready to head back to the motherland this summer, back to Apia. Now, who wants to pay for my trip?!

6 comments:

  1. theres so many things i love about this ...i shall itemize them!
    1. I love your hair and how you 'get' what I mean about tuiga and the use of a certain kind of human hair to make them. On a different tangent, a lot of readers think that Daniel has RED hair from the description in the book...BUT anyone who's seen a Samoan with a certain kind of reddish hue to their hair will know that Daniel's hair is not 'ginger' like a palagi's.
    2. I admire ( and envy) women brave enough to get a malu. I was worried that people would get annoyed with my depiction of the process in the book becuase its obviously NOT like the real ceremony. My little sister has a malu and she was annoyed with me and my description of how Leila's mother made the inks for her malu. Im relieved you didnt mind that very 'creative' interpretation of it.
    3. I totally get you on the camera theft thing. Just before we left Samoa a year ago to move here, someone broke into my house and stole our video camera. I didnt care about the camera, but they took the bag it was in and it had all the discs we had recorded of our children on their birthdays etc for the last 7 years. I was devastated, esp because I just know they chucked the tapes somewhere.
    Thank you for checking out my book TELESA.

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  2. Wow! I must say, I didn't expect a response from the author herself! Thanks! I'll say it again, I LOVE YOUR BOOK. Actually, the first thing that caught my attention was the title. My mother is from Lepea, so I know exactly who Telesa is. :) Even though we were born in Honolulu, my sister and I were fortunate enough to grow up hearing the stories of Samoa, the myths, the legends, the traditions, all of it. I do freelance clothing design and I am playing with the idea of a collection based on my interpretation of the Telesa women. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the Telesa Trilogy. Thank you for such an amazing read! :) :) :)

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  3. If you do design any clothing based on the Telesa concept, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see some of it! And profile it in some way in future book events....email me if you do take Fierce Telesa women designs any further. So intrigued with the idea!

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  4. I will definitely email you when the line is complete! I'm actually very excited to get things going. :) :) :)

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  5. Send your haorder to your aunty..it is a great privilege to be part of your family history....in the old daYs, they just took the hair!!!!!

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  6. Ooops.....send your hair!!
    Always pays to read before submitting!

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