Emma Kruse Va'ai

Emma Kruse Va'ai is a Samoan chief ('high matai'), writer[1] and educator in Samoa. Her matai chief title is Letuimanu’asina.[2] She has a PhD in English from the University of New South Wales in Australia and is a former director of Samoa Polytechnic. Currently, she is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Samoa following the polytechnic's merger into the university in 2006. Also a lecturer in English at the university, she is a strong advocate for bilingual education in both English and the Samoan language.

Letuimanu’asina in 2020

As a writer, she has published poetry and stories which have been translated into other Pacific Islands languages.[3] She is also an executive committee member of the Samoa Association of Women Graduates (SAWG).[4]

Letuimanu’asina was born and raised in Samoa in a family of eight siblings. Her primary and secondary schooling was at the Marist Missionary Sisters. Later, she studied at Victoria University in New Zealand before undertaking her doctorate in Australia.[3] She was married to judge Alo Vaimoa Va'ai and they have four children.[5]

Publications
  • 1998 Palolo Time, a poem from Samoa; Learning Media, Ministry of Education (NZ), ISBN 0478227086
  • 1998 Ready for School, a story from Samoa; Learning Media, Ministry of Education (NZ), ISBN 0478227116
  • 2011 Producing the text of culture: the appropriation of English in contemporary Samoa; National University of Samoa (Lepapaigalagala, Samoa), ISBN 978-982-9003-33-1

References
  1. Keown, Michelle (2007). Pacific Islands writing: the postcolonial literatures of Aotearoa/New. Oxford University Press US. p. 201. ISBN 9780199276455.
  2. Lepou, Misa Vicky (2 September 2009). "Samoa's national business faculty wins global award". Pacific Scoop. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  3. Nandan, Kavita Ivy (2007). Jen Web (ed.). Writing the Pacific: an anthology. University of the South Pacific. p. 74. ISBN 978-982-366-016-5.
  4. "Leadership". Samoa Association of Women Graduates. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
  5. "Mango Mission poem by Emma Kruse Va'ai". New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre. Retrieved 12 January 2010.


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