User:Miles Friday/sandbox

Born in Matautu Tai, a village in Western Samoa, Sia Figiel received her earliest form of education in Sunday School. Of mixed ancestry, Sia Figiel had a Samoan Mother and Polish-American Father.

On Where We Once Belonged:

Sia Figiel's book, "Where We Once Belonged", is a Samoan novel set in the fictitious village of Malaefou. It is focused around the titular character, Alofa (and name that literally means love in the Samoan language) and her various encounters with violence and sex. In telling this story, Figiel writes with complex pros that are highly poetic and dream-like. Her writing style is emblematic of Su'ife-filoi; a Samoan form of story telling centered around the "quilt-like weaving of words". "Where We Once Belonged" marks the first instance of a novel published in the united States that is written by a Samoan female.

On They Who Do Not Grieve:

"They Who Do Not Grieve", published in 2003 by Kaya Press, is Sia Figiel's second novel. Writing in a highly poetic medium, "They Who Do Not Grieve" tells the story of two twin sisters who introduce tattooing to Samoa. Through this themes of self-determination, femininity, and coming of age are addresses.

Other notable career events:

Sia Figiel, in the year 2000, performed her "Oceanic" poetry at the university of Hawaii's twenty-fifth annual Pacific Island Studies conference. In 2000 the performances by Figiel and Teresia Teaiwa were also recorded and released ina joint production with Hawai'i Dub Machine records and 'Elepaio Press. The album is titled Terenesia.

Sia Figiel has also been a contributor to "The Contemporary Pacific" journal on multiple occasions, including publications in 1998 and 2010.

The Personal life of Sia Figiel
Sia Figiel's life has been affected by diabetes in various forms and shapes. Her relatives before her had diabetes and related complications caused the death of both Figiel's mother and father. In 2003 Figiel too was diagnosed with type two diabetes. At the time, due to extraneous social and cultural conditions of life in Samoa, Figiel kept her Diabedies a secret. However, in 2012, paralleled by a move to the United States of America, Figiel began to address her diabetes both publicly and personally. As parts of this Figiel started making public appearances at various conferences and university campuses to advocate good health and well-being. As a testament to her success, in 2014 Figiel competed in the Nautica Malibu Triathlon and currently maintains an active lifestyle.