Samoan Stories That Reflect Us: Introducing “Am I There Yet?” by Nicki Perese
We grow up surrounded by stories. Some were told to us through fāgogo under the evening light, some whispered as gossip among friends, some shared in songs of praise, classroom discussions, quiet dreams, or the laughter and tears around the family table. Stories have always lived with us shaping us, guiding us, and reminding us that we are never alone.
But stories become truly powerful when they reflect “us”. When we hear our own voice in the narrator, when we recognize our family in the characters, when the landscapes resemble the villages we come from, or when the emotions mirror our own quiet battles. That sense of connection, that moment of “yes, this is me” is what inspired this collection.
I knew there were Pacific, Samoan, and fa’afafine voices in our communities whose journeys are too often overlooked or left unspoken. I wanted to gather those experiences, those truths, those whispers of identity and belonging, and place them into stories that are observed, heard, lived, and valued.
From a young age, I loved stories deeply. I loved reading them, acting them out, even memorizing the lines to make them my own. But I never had the patience for long novels that dragged on or told me exactly how they would end. I preferred stories that left room for imagination that allowed me to explore the unspoken endings for myself. And that is where my love for short stories began. They are sharp. They are emotional. They stay with you, sometimes even more powerfully than long narratives.
With our world changing and digital screens capturing the attention of younger generations, long-form reading has become a challenge in many homes and classrooms. So I wanted to create something that is accessible, stories that are short enough to hold attention, yet rich enough to make you feel something.
As an educator, I’ve noticed that many of the short stories taught in Samoa are the same ones I read when I was in school. Stories written by authors like S.I. Kishor, O. Henry and James Joyce. Stories that were written in the early 1900s. Beautiful works, yes, but rooted in landscapes and experiences that are far from our own. Our students deserve stories where they can recognize themselves, their families, their responsibilities, their cultural expectations, their real, everyday lives.
This collection offers that. It gives our Samoan youth the chance to see their realities and personal journeys in literature. It speaks also to our diaspora, those navigating Pacific identity in foreign spaces who will recognize the familiar patterns of love, duty, resilience, and belonging.
Finally, I echo the words my mother has always told me: “If you have a story to tell, tell it.”
My hope is that somewhere within these pages, another Pacific storyteller will feel a spark. That someone will pick up a pen with courage and say, “My story matters too.”
Because it does.
It always has.
Coming soon to Tala Samoa – Am I there Yet? A collection of short stories by Nicki Perese.