Allan - A tribute to Tuilagi Seiuli Allan Alo
by Charmina Saili
Allan
I thank God for the gift of you
The larger than the Pacific ocean brighter than planet Venus
Fiercer than Nafanua warrior princess spirit
That was uniquely
you
Thank you for going where no one else dared go
For proudly pioneering a love of Samoan and Pacific culture and arts
The thrilling, heart swelling, tear welling
Goose pumping, heart throbbing
Proud to be a Samoan and Pacific Islander Pasifika manifique moments
Of your many spectacular productions
Transforming and changing so many lives
Of those you touch, like me
Allan
I thank you for our many ‘moments’
The very first, ‘In the Arms of Tagaloa moments’
When we scraped together our meager less than 1US dollar a day salaries
To make sure Pili and the Aitu o le A’oa tell our
Sons and daughters of the return home ‘e ai ga Bachelors of Arts degrees?” stories
The “Sou funa Sina” and her Tuna moments
With the beautiful Verona
To help win for Samoa our first golden Miss South Pacific moments
Thank you, for the joy and love bursting from your face when you first catch sight of me moments
Especially when I surprise you with a visit from Fiki
Thank you for the jarring bear hugs
The ‘my God I missed you darling’ moments
The honey and cinnamon feeling I get when you wrap your arms around me
Thank you for the ‘oh my God Charmina’ moments
When you keep reminding me
You should have been the girl and I the boy
When I turn up to a night out looking like I just got out of bed
And you in your full empress of the Pacific glory
Rolling your eyes and promptly get to work to ‘fix me’ moments
Over a bottle of wine – or three
The amusement you have at my ‘desperate and colourful Go Manu! Go Parker face book posts’
And the ‘I love you honey but am not going to watch rugby with you ever again Charmina! moments’…….
Thank you for the ‘stop yourself right now’ moments
When I get overly dramatic
And admonish me with a – ‘honey, only one queen allowed here’ with a cheeky grin the size of Savaii
Thank you for the ‘Days of our Lives moments’
When we both challenge Merryl Streep for the best actress award
For being drama queens
Thank you for the fits of laughter, the tears, the fights, the headaches, the hangovers
The – dance and drink till we drop moments
The – come out of O’reilleys at 6am moments
The – dragging me to Dragon at 4am in the morning moments
The – Mac Donalds spicy chicken after Trapps moments
The – Sunrise after X-club moments
The – kaligalu at 1am in the morning moments
The – once in a year heart attack inducing crawl up Mt Vaea Palisi moments
The – laugh till we are on the floor crying moments
The – crash on my couch and wake up to scream ‘Good morning world’ to wake up my neighbours moments
The – jump in my pool and splash around like a giddy little kid moments
Thank you for the ‘non judging’ undiluted love and acceptance
Even when you see me in my wonderous imperfections
The quiet reflections
From our ‘million dollar view’ balcony
Where you crammed and practiced your Chief Telematua projections
Thank you for, the – God is good and Joyce Meyer is so cool moments,
The – good morning and goodnight on messenger moments
The – I love you, the I’m proud of you moments
Thank you darling for all our moments
I thank God for the gift of
You