WILD DOGS UNDER MY SKIRT (TUSIATA AVIA VUP, 2004)
Wild dogs under my skirt was an interesting poem to read and review.
I found the first stanza capturing "I want to tattoo my legs. Not blue or green but black.
Straight away I got a clear imagery of where the poem was heading. As far as identity, Tusiata, born to a Samoan father and New Zealand European mother has a divide in culture, tradition, identity.
The poem 'Wild dogs under my skirt' I felt, was about Tusiata identifying herself as a Samoan and Kiwi living in New Zealand. What gave me this impression was, in the second stanza "I want to sit opposite the tufuga and know he means me pain" I believe Tusiata, who lives in New Zealand is perhaps longing for more of a part in her Samoan heritage and by talking about his highness Tufuga "striking her thighs" is her way of describing how feels she should be punished for not embracing her Samoan side.
The constant receptiveness of the word 'black' "black octopus" "the black ones" confirmed this idea for me that Tusiata does/ wants to identify herself as Samoan, and is proud of her culture. She 'wants' to tattoo her legs, black.
This poem for me is about Tusiata identifying herself as a Samoan. Although her mother is of New Zealand European decent, what I took from this poem is that she does identify herself as more Samoan than Kiwi.
Hi Jordan,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good entry here, though you could push yourself / explain things further.
You make some good points, and do explain them, though i think there is more to this poem.
Does she have to make a choice BETWEEN being 'Samoan' or 'Kiwi'?
WHERE in the poem do you get the feeling of a 'division'?
Why does 'black' in this poem equate with 'Samoan' identity, to you? Any reason here besides references to a brown skin tone?
A really interesting poem!
Esther :)
I did not get the impression that she had to choose between being Samoan or Kiwi. As I said in my initial post, I feel that she is worried about losing a part of her culture?
ReplyDeleteI think that the feeling of a division in the poem is when she is talking about sitting opposite the tufuga. "I want to sit opposite the tufuga and know he means me pain." I think that talking about the tufuga, she is creating that division between Kiwi and Samoa culture.
To be honest the brown skin tone was the first thing that came to mind with the repetition of 'black' I also think that she is saying that she does want to identify herself as a Samoan.
I'm from 2020
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