Sia Figiel: They Who Do Not Grieve
Born in Apia in 1967, Sia Figiel is the first contemporary woman novelist from Samoa. Her first book, "Where We Once Belonged", won the 1997 Commonwealth Writer's Best First Book Prize for Southeast Asia-South Pacific region, and has been translated into several languages. She is also the author of "The Girl in the Moon Circle" and a collection of prose poetry,"To a Young Artist in Contemplation". Also known as a performance poet, Sia is a frequent guest at literary festivals, women's prisons, universities, and high schools. She lives and works in Samoa.