A highlight of the SOFIAS 31st pageant this year was a powerful rendition of the story of 19 women murdered by their husbands in acts of domestic violence.  Written as a chant by Pacific Islander Roma Potiki and performed by Samoana HIgh School English students as a choral reading, the performance had originally been prepared for the DOE Speech Festival before it was cancelled.

How many women in the crowd during the pageant saw the familiar actions, and re-lived moments of fear due to their husband’s actions? This was a question posed by one woman, well known in the business community who attended the pageant.

“How many of us were biting back the familiar, helpless cry of "Help me”— and then swallowing the cry back down as we realized that because of fear, pride, cultural views, and fear for our reputations, our families, our very lives— we hopelessly can't? How many of us,” she asked and pointed out that domestic violence is happening in the community and it’s time women stand up for themselves and “stop living in fear”.

SHS English Teacher, Nan Heui Kim said she and her students chose this poem as it does convey a powerful message of what’s happening in the community. Another SHS teacher, Ammon Fepulea’i who choreographed the choral reading with the students, assisted Kim.

According to Kim, they were fortunate to perform at the SOFIAS pageant after all the student’s hard work putting the piece together. They had worked on it for several months, only to find out the Speech Festival was cancelled.

“We are thankful to the SOFIAS for allowing my kids (the students) to perform. After all, they had worked tirelessly to make this chant come to life and they were fantastic on that stage— and I am so proud of them,” Kim said. She further thanked her student’s parents for their support.

Another woman in the audience pointed out the outstanding performance by SHS, and noted that it is a reality, it is happening in the territory. “Other women sometimes wait too long to speak out and sadly, they learn the hard way, and we need to assess situations where we need to be strong and stand up and speak out. Report your husband to the police,” she said.

“Yes, we have our children to consider in situations like this, but do we really want our children to see their mom suffer, in tears after being assaulted? We should take necessary actions when we are assaulted, like reporting it to the police or obtaining a restraining order. It’s not as hard as it would appear; if it’s over-exaggeration, yet that exaggeration may save your life,” said another audience member.

The SHS teacher pointed out the author of the poem is Roma Potiki (of the Maori tribes Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri and Ngaai Rangitihi) —  a poet, playwright, performer and commentator on Maori theatre.

Potiki illustrated her first collection of poems, and has work displayed in the permanent collection of the Dowse Gallery in Lower Hutt, a district near Wellington, NZ. Her poems ground personal emotion in observations of the natural world. Attitudes based on race and gender are challenged and politicized by Potiki, and she is known to use ironic, dogmatic or acerbic voices and devices to confront these attitudes, according to the New Zealand Book Council.

The students who performed in the choral reading are Theresa To’o; Eua Matautia; James Lauama; Etenauga Voigt; Pelekina Fuimaono; Tulimalefo’i Mauga Vaofanua; Mati Salanoa; Norman Puipui; Kapeli Iuli; Anasiatasia Vaitele; Babe Fa’alata; Malaesa Taise; Joshua Finau; Salvation Lee; Kerry Foster; Queenie Lito; Jeddie Yandall; Athena Tuaua; Dorothy Mana’o; Naomi Matagi-Galea’i; Mele Tiu; Uila Lefiti; Jamille Pereira and Tuanei Voigt.

Kim said the students are mostly seniors, with several sophomores and only one junior student.  They are all in the English 130 class. The props were done by Sophia Vaeoso; Taisi Kulberg; Makatala Tanielu; Jeriel Tuigamala; Lusi Serrano; Diana Tavui; Monica Motuga; Fitu Vaivai; Tofi Levi; Jasmine Danielson; Tufanua Lang; Ieremia Samu; Simanu “Riri “Lili’o and Lorenzo Lolohea.

Terry Custodio Auva’a contributed to this report.