The winner of the first annual Live It Nation Inc. Poetry Contest for October this year is Crystal Aumua, who is a Year 13 student at the St Mary’s College.

“She hails from the village of Vaiusu and is the daughter of Filipo and Cinta Aumua," the judges said in a statement announcing her victory.

Ms Aumua's poem was outstanding among the entries that were sent through, says a statement issued by Live it Nation Inc.

“The judges stated her Samoan was beautiful, not too archaic that a young Samoan would struggle to understand, yet at the same time the wording she chose was not too modern that a fluent Samoan reader would deem it too informal," the statement reads.

“Crystal used Samoan words and expressions that were rich in meaning. And she has thoroughly and cleverly weaved her theme into her poem which was 'education'.”

Live It Nation’s founder, Fred Young, set up the poetry contest to reflect his belief that literacy is fundamental to the success of Samoan youth in the country.

“It is my hope that the Live Nation Poetry contest inspires students to read and write more, use their imagination to express themselves in creative and extraordinary ways, and have fun competing with other secondary students around the nation.”

Mr. Young said last month that the response the competition received from the youth of Samoa and the education sector was inspiring. 

“We hope to partner with stakeholders across Samoa in the future," he said.

The competition will run up to December this year but Ms Aumua is the winner for October.

The contest is exclusively for secondary school students who reside in Samoa. The poems must incorporate one of the following themes: sports, culture, education, health or environment. The winner will receive $1,000 and Live it Nation merchandise. 

The October 2020 winning poem by Crystal Aumua in Samoan is reproduced in full below.

Samoa i Aoaoga 

Ua faagaeetia lava ita ma nenee le agaga,

i le sii maualuga ole poto ma le malamalama.

I aoaoga aemaise o faagatama

Samoa ea e lē natia lea tulaga.

Le pine o lau mau ile itu lea o aoaoga,

APTC i Vaivase e ofo ita ma maofa.

Ua le masino le anoano o le mau faailoga,

Ua suipi taua i le Pasefika oka ua ova.

Le univesite i Alafua oute lē faagalo oe,

O lou tulai mai ua o se faatupu faamoemoe.

O lou tomai ile itu tau faatoaga ,

O mea na faanenefu ua manino ma malamalama.

Ulumotootua ole tumutumuga  oe o lagona,

Korota oe o le eleele ole punavai ola.

Le aoga tausi mai lou sao le ua mataina,

Lau Samoa lele ua soifua maloloina.

Aana e , ua ou pale i lau faasoa ,

Aua o ou eleele sa faavae ai le Toloa.

E ui ina tasi ae ua manino ma mautinoa ,

O tautai ia ole va i fafo faapea Samoa.

Ou te le laaloa nei mele faamanuiaga,

E to lou pulou mo oe Papaigalagala.

E ui ina e lafi ma mamao lou tulaga,

Ae talitonu ole puna lava oe ole malamalama.