A heart-warming story about discovering new places, foods and faces . . .about finding your family’s roots and planting your own.
“That first night in Samoa, Ana slept next to her grandmother on an old bed with sheets that smelled of mothballs. Now it was morning and as she opened her eyes, Ana saw that the other side of the bed was empty. She sat up and looked across the room.
Mum and Dad were still fast asleep on their mattress on the floor. She pulled the mosquito net which covered the bed aside, tiptoed past her parents and went outside.”
Also available in the Samoan language translation O le Meaālofa mo Ana.
Jane Va’afusuaga was born and raised in Eastbourne, Wellington and is of Scottish heritage. Having trained as a teacher, Jane taught for 10 years in Auckland and four years in Apia, Samoa. Jane lives in Samoa in the village of Falease’ela, with her husband, Olsen and daughter, Coco.
Their house sits beside the Liua le Vai o Sina River, where they host visitors from around the world through their ecocultural adventure tourism business. Life in the village means Jane has been immersed in the culture, language, natural environment, church and customs of the Samoan people. She works in the family business, writes when she can and volunteers at the local primary school where she has set up a library.
Jane is a 2017 New Zealand Society of Authors mentorship recipient.
