OLAGA SAMOA — A Journal Born From Grief, Memory & Samoan Life

In 2016, my beautiful mum passed away from Pancreatic Cancer.

A month later, I found myself sitting on her bed, surrounded by her beautiful things — her prayers, handwritten notes, and pieces of her life she had left behind. I missed her voice so much that I began writing down all the things she used to say to me growing up as a Samoan child.

That moment slowly became Olaga Samoa.

What started as grief turned into a deeply personal creative project — a way of preserving memory, language, humour, faith and the everyday spirit of Samoan life.

Olaga Samoa — Samoan Lifestyle was an entirely handwritten project. No fancy fonts or typefaces (except for the little subtitles under the grace prayer and songs). I created the entire journal using sharpies, artliners, ink and brush.

The making of the journal consisted of countless drafts and revisions scattered across loose sheets of A4 paper. In some instances, I wrote words or phrases once and chose not to fix or revise them — purely because I wanted to convey a frank and honest depiction of my perfectly imperfect experiences of everyday Samoan life.

The journal became more than just a notebook.

It became a time capsule.
A love letter to my mum.
A celebration of Samoan identity.
And a reminder that our everyday stories matter.

Inside the journal are snapshots of my experiences and memories growing up as a Samoan child. It includes common sayings, childhood prayers, basic greetings, fun illustrations of food, and more. It captures the beauty, discipline, warmth and humour woven into everyday Samoan life. My understanding of the Samoan lifestyle has always been rooted in serving your parents, your family, your community and your faith.

The finished journal is a black hardcover cloth book with black-and-white illustrations, silver foil detailing on the front and spine, a ribbon marker and elastic enclosure. 252 pages of memories, reflections and space to dream.

Our Olaga Samoa|Samoan Lifestyle Journal was launched in 2017.