BOYS WILL BE BOYS
I live in Manukau City, South of Auckland; New Zealand. We have the densest pacific island population of any country in the world. The given is that meeting other like minded queers like yourself is easy, since geographically we’re all in the same city. You would think it were that simple. The Polynesian Princes of south Auckland are as closeted as the gays in the NRL. They have refined their visibility to a passing fragrance of I WANNA FUCK YOU BUT I”M WITH HER. The problem with this metaphor is that it reeks of homos in south Auckland but these men have succeeded in making themselves invisible.
So therein lays the problem of trying to engage and understand a type of man that exists only in theory. I imagine this type of man as wanting to express his sexual fluidity and attraction to the same sex however being stunted by his contradicting physicality, one of which is typically hetronormative and in gender specific terms what is appropriate for him to conform to i.e. “I am built in the manner of a man that is only biologically compatible with a significant other of the opposite sex”. This belief system is made a mantra that affirms a masculine stereotype and a gender ideal that is perpetuated, driven and motivated both sociologically and politically by a western heterosexual statuesque and moral majority.
The art works posted on this blog are inspired by this idea. This is JERRY THE FA’AFAFINE he is pleased to have finally found you and met you...
GAY SAMOAN MEN | SOUTH AUCKLAND | FAFSWAG
Hi would love to meet up with some Gay Samoans
ReplyDeleteTalofa, I hope it's ok if I ask a question even though I'm not Samoan. Is "Fa'afafine" a term like the Hawaiian "Mahu"? I've read much about Fafa, and I know that they both mean "the third sex" as in can be anywhere from woman, to something in between but generally a mix. I don't personally identify with the feminine mix as I don't feel it has anything to do with me personally being Aikane- "keeping male companionship" . I don't think ther is anything wrong with being feminine or androgynous, but I'm curious about the terminology and perspective held in Samoan cultures and languages. In Hawaiian social culture it has become an accepted term to call a gay man "Mahu" but it was born of intended insult, basically on the idea that if you are with men, then you are not a "real man" and that you are weak and "as a woman , or taking women's roles". So I wonder, Is it the same in Samoan culture? I guess the american equivalent would be "faggot", UK would be "Poof" . I'm wondering is there a specific name for a gay man in Samoan language - a non transsexsual or middle sexed man who keeps the company of men sexually and in relationship.
ReplyDeleteI wrote the above question above - I wanted to add that these attitudes that have created shame among our people especially of the islands is not what I accept. In fact, hundreds not even thousands of years ago our people had no issue with gender OR same sex affections AND relationships. These taboo were created by palagi to control us with their fake religions. Our ancestors of our sex held high position and were admired. Btw, I am especially baffled by the closet phenomenon among Polynesian men in today's society. I would love to meet a strong island warrior teine to be partnered with but I question whether it is possible since most prefer to live hidden and married to women.
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