Fine mat artisan

By Peseta Noumea Simi 04 September 2016, 12:00AM

Once it was destiny

To weave your life between

The silky strips of pandanus

So that the toils of a lifetime may be etched

Into the intricacies of tradition.

 

Twice it is destiny

To pare livelihoods

From the creations of your hands

Every criss-crossing overlap

A link to survival

In this world of changing designs

 

You created finery out of rite

And traded barter for a living

In the finesse of a fine mat

 

Sao fa’alelei

By Peseta Noumea Simi 04 September 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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