How much is enough?

Today was uneventful, to say the least. I didn't do much of anything, I didn't even clean my house (shame on me). Oh well, I'm over it. Anyway, on days like these I find myself reading random blogs that I found through a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend. So I just read a couple of posts on this one blog that spoke about "dark skinned palagi's" and "Samoan-Americans". The first post was basically about how some Samoans are shame to be Samoan. The second post being about some Samoans who were born and raised out side of Samoa and how hard it can be to be Samoan in America...well something along those lines.

I was born in Hawaii and only been to Samoa twice and both times I lived there for a year. I was teased all the time while I lived in Samoa for being "fia palagi". For those of you who don't know fia palagi means "Wanna be White person". The funny thing is I didn't do or say anything for them to accuse me of wanting to be "fia palagi". If anything, I was saying and doing ANYTHING, to try to fit in. The only reason that I could think of, for them to be teasing me this way, was because I was from "The States". So that automatically classified me as being "fia palagi"...well something I so did not have control over, right? LOL Another HUGE no-no about me was the fact that I didn't speak Samoan...apparently that somehow makes me LESS Samoan than those who speak it. That has got to be the BIGGEST load of CRAP I've ever heard. I remember getting no higher than a D in Samoan Studies because I couldn't speak Samoan. I aced every test, every pop quiz, every exam while taking Samoan Studies....I even performed the Kava ceremony with flying colors (Don't ask me to repeat-lol), yet to no avail. I'm so sick and tired of people telling me that I don't act Samoan enough or that I'm "fia palagi" just because I choose not to go to a Samoan Ward or go to Fiji concerts or Poly Flag Days or because I don't like fasi povi or pisupo or what have you. I'm so sick of people choosing FOR ME how much is enough.

No I don't live "Fa'a Samoa" balls out, but that doesn't make me less Samoan. No I don't like Cricket and that doesn't make me any less Samoan. Yes I DO flat iron my hair, yes I DO like to wear shoes with 3+ inch heels BUT I also like my basketball shorts and flip flops, don't get it twisted.

I think people are too worried about how Samoan or American we are when the point is, are we being true to ourselves? I am true to myself and happiest that way. Let's stop trying to get our children to find the right "balance" between being Samoan and American. Let's start concentrating on helping them live to their fullest potential and let's keep beating it in to their heads that they can be anything they want to be, instead of just beating them up :) Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a firm hand! LOL

peace out,
Rina