sippingkoko@gmail.com
I’m excited for y’all to meet LettiAnne! Here’s a bit about her. She’s a proud descendant of amazing parents from America and Western Samoa, that values her faith in Jesus, 1 of 7 children, proud aunty to my gorgeous 15 nephews/neices. Resides in Los Angeles, CA (west west) , Music enthusiast , Foodie and an adventurous enneagram 2 lol.
Continue reading “Dating Being Pasifika: LettiAnne Lologo”
Originally posted November 29, 2019
I’m going to be stepping on some toes here writing this blog. This is a topic that has come to my attention through my own experiences, what I’ve seen online and other channels. Which is why I felt the need to write about it. Why do Polynesian men prefer white girls over Polynesian women? Notice I’m not saying Samoan men versus Samoan women or Fijian men versus Fijian women because I know what the arguments are there. “She could be my cousin,” “I can’t deal with the culture any longer,” (which by the way is a LAME excuse if you ask me. The culture part defs not the cousin part. Don’t date your cousin people.), and other excuses. That’s why I’m saying Polynesian men versus Polynesian women because it’s across the board. I did my “informal” research. So, let’s dive in.
Continue reading “Repost: Polynesian Men, White Girls, Dating… OH MY!”
Many of you who have read my blog or follow me on social media know that I’m very passionate and protective of our community. Today, I was talking to a friend about a well-known person and a post they made. However, it kind of rubbed me the wrong way they dismissed their behavior or portrayal of our community in the media. And, many of you know I’m pretty open about how I view the responsibility those in the public eye have to our community.
Even as a small creator, I’ve asked that if I’ve ever said or done anything, that you approach me to let me know. I began this journey to learn about our community, the culture, and the traditions. During this time, I’ve learn about our history, our traditions and views before colonization. I’m no expert, but I think I have a pretty good idea of those who would use our culture for clout and those who are truly vested in uplifting the Pasifika voice. Both have the responsibility to future of our community. We are the future ancestors, and it’s time to wake up and see that.
Continue reading “Cultural Responsibility of the Famous and Social Media Influencers”
December 28, 2020 marked the 91st year of a terrible event that unfolded in Samoa. Many Samoans know about today, but if you do not, here is the short version. This short version is not to brush away so lightly what happened, however, history has embedded this day in our books. Yet, it forgets the events that occur afterwards. So, what happened? Let’s start with some intro. Before Black Saturday, many Samoans, men and women, were working together to gain freedom from Samoa. The Mau Movement had been organizing, sending petitions, etc. Samoa during this time had been through a cycle of colonization from Germany, America, and now it was under the “watchful eye,” of colonized New Zealand. I say colonized New Zealand because I would not dare to assume that any Maori people were a part of the police there.
On December 28, 1929, the men from the Mau movement marched through Apia in a peaceful protest. When they reached the middle of the city, they were gunned down by the New Zealand police. One notable leader, Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III, was one of the men gunned down. Before he died he said, “My blood has been spilt for Samoa. I am proud to give it. Do not dream of avenging it, as it was spilt in peace. If I die, peace must be maintained at any price.” While I respect what the Honorable Tamasese said, I do not agree that it should be brought up every time Samoa is at conflict. While we might not need to resort to violence, I do believe that sometimes we need to make a little noise to be heard.
So, what happened after this? My fellow Samoans who know this story, could you tell me? Could you tell me what happened to the men who were a part of this movement? I know there’s a few of you who could cause my source comes from a woman in our community. So, let’s dive in.
Continue reading “Women of the Mau: Why Their Story Matters and Needs to be Told Each Year”
“O le ala i le pule o le tautua” which in English translates to “The path to leadership is through service.” That’s what Gabriel Faatau’uu-Satiu is doing with his soon-to-be-released show Breaking Bread. He is leading families to the dinner table to start having those hard to talk about subjects. Ones that many of us in the Pasifika community need to have, and if there’s one person to help do that, it is Faatau’uu-Satiu.
Continue reading “Breaking Bread: A Dedication to Keeping Our Stories Alive”
Four years, a global pandemic, a lost job, and the many other obstacles that come with creating a show like Parramatta would make anyone want to give up. But, that’s not Taofia Pelesasa’s style. In true form, it made him push even harder to get this project off the ground because who knew who this show was for. It wasn’t for him – it was for the many young Pasifika people who are dreaming bigger than their situation.
That’s why when I say Taofia Pelesasa is someone we all should learn from and aspire to be like, this is why. It was four years ago that he had pitched the idea for the show at a competition. He was one of four people selected to be mentored for a year, and after that year he kind of tucked it away and life happened. Fast forward to 2020 and they were scheduled to start shooting the show in May, but it was derailed because of worldwide pandemic. Luckily, the captain and leader of the ship works well under pressure, and we will soon get to experience the amazing world of Parramatta.
Continue reading “Parramatta: A Love Letter of Hope to Young Brown People”
This weekend I’ve been hanging out with my parents. Some of you know this, and some of you don’t. But, I’m afakasi. My mom is Samoan and my dad is White (he’s from New Zealand). Anyways, today we decided to watch two movies. Or, should I say, my mom chose one and I chose one. The first movie we watched was The Help, and the second movie we watched was White Lies. Let me tell you, this was actually an experience. I have never sat through a movie with my parents with so much tension as when we watched White Lies. Why is that? Well, let’s break it down why the two movies give such different experiences. Especially, when your afakasi watching with a White dad.
Continue reading “Sometimes Courage Skips A Generation”
It has been a good while since I’ve sat down and truly written a blog. I apologize for the randomness and the inconsistency. Later this week, I’ll probably write another blog addressing what all has been happening. I actually had someone mention a part of me going “missing” around May and June. So, I want to explain, and that will come later.
Anyways, what I want to talk about today is the “something else” of the matter. Earlier last week, while many of us, Americans, were losing sleep and worried about who our next leader was going to be, a prominent news outlet decided to show some stats. Not just any stats. No, they wanted to show how groups of people in the States were voting. They listed the usual White, Black, Latino, and Asian. However, they had the audacity or should I say the caucasity to also have “something else” listed. Indigenous groups across the country picked up on this. You had people from the Continent, people from Alaska, and Hawaiians. Many of you even saw the post that I had created on my Tik Tok.
Continue reading “I Am “Something Else””
My name is Micha Faamausili, most people call me Meesh. I was born and raised on Oahu but currently live in Oregon. I’m a part time caregiver for adults with disabilities and full time YouTuber. I’m Samoan Polish and use my platform to bring awareness to breaking the stigma of mental health in our pasifika community. I’m currently navigating life after loss, balancing depression and grief all while sharing bits of my story on YouTube and IG. My hope is that others who are like me, aren’t ashamed to speak up or seek help!
Continue reading “#PasifikaInspiration – Micha Faamausili”
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, history was made in our community. A show that I’ve been extremely psyched to see dropped, and it has made waves across the world. That show is SIS. It was made by mainly by Pasifika women for our community. For those of us who have been searching for media where we can see ourselves, this is a blessing and something to be proud of. While many have been singing its praises, there are those ready to tear it down. Before I go into that, I want to tell you what I saw.
In summary, I saw a show that makes me feel proud of our heritage. It makes me feel like I can be comfortable in who I am. It showcased not just me, but it showcased me and my cousins hanging out. When I watched the show, I wasn’t watching women and men portraying characters. I was watching my family be authentically themselves. I saw my family and ancestors. Sure, some of it was dramatic, but come on it’s comedy and honestly, our families are filled with drama and laughter. It’s the first time I have watched a show and thought, I finally feel seen. That’s the power this show has. That’s the path this show is creating for our people.
Before you read anymore, this is a SPOILER ALERT. There are different aspects of this show that I’m going to dive into, and I hope you watch the show before reading the rest of this blog.
Continue reading “Loud & proud. Hyena laughing. Brown woman.”
Sipping Koko 