Tuālima
Tusiata Avia writes from the child’s perspective as the narrator’s mother receives a tuālima (a tattoo on the back of the hand).
About this resource
Series: School Journal Level 3 August 2020
Reading year level: 5
Topics: ceremony, culture, family, grief, identity, loss, memory, Pacific, poem, resilience, Sāmoa, Samoan tattoo, tatau, tradition, tuālima, tugfuga tātatau
Tuālima
Words by Tusiata Avia
Image by Serah Schwalger-Smith
Arranged chronologically, the author details particulars of the ceremony, sometimes using gagana Sāmoa terms, and sharing the attention equally between what’s happening and the emotions felt.
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More from this Series
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School Journal Level 3 August 2020
Inside this School Journal are three stories (Waiting; The Polterheist; Star-gazing), three articles (Born to Run; Roar; The Art of Aute), and one poem (Tuālima).
1 of 7Waiting
This is a gentle story with a twist, which is revealed in the final illustration.
2 of 7The Polterheist
The Polterheist is a comic story, deftly handled and with a tight focus, spinning great entertainment from a context many students will recognise – a school gala day.
3 of 7Star-gazing
“Star-gazing” is a fantasy while also being based, in part, on a traditional story from Mangaia, the second largest island in the Cook Islands.
4 of 7Born to Run
Arthur Lydiard was a New Zealand runner and athletics coach whose approach to training has left a lasting impact on the sporting world.
5 of 7Roar
Hunting is hugely popular in New Zealand’s rural communities, and it’s often done within families. This article will be welcome reading for students who already hunt, giving them the opportunity to share their knowledge with classmates.
6 of 7The Art of Aute
Little is known about the history of cloth-making in Aotearoa.
7 of 7
