Albert Wendt

Our islands are Tagaloaalagi’s stepping stones across Le Vasa Loloa small and frail but courageous enough to bear his weight and mana high enough to keep us above the drowning and learning how to navigate by the stars    currents and the ferocity of storms Point and sail in any direction as long as you know how to return home You have to navigate the space between the borders of your skin and the intelligence of the tongueless horizon and learn the language of touch    of signs and pain of what isn’t and what may be in the circle of the tides that will stretch until you understand the permanent silence at the end of your voyage and our islands are your anchor and launching site for the universes that repeat and repeat like the long waves of our ocean    like Tagaloaalagi’s compulsive scrutiny of what is to come and fear