Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard

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Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard
Born1946 (1946)
Utulei, American Samoa
Died (aged 78)
Vaivase-uta, Samoa
OccupationAcademic, writer
NationalityAmerican
GenrePoetry

Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard (1946 – 26 May 2024) was an American Samoan academic, writer, poet, and environmentalist. She was the first Samoan to become a full professor in the United States.[1][2] She was the sister of American politician Mike Gabbard and the aunt of American politician Tulsi Gabbard.[2]

Life and career[edit]

Sinavaiana-Gabbard was born in Utulei village, Tutuila, American Samoa in 1946.[1][3] She was educated at Sonoma State University, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Hawai'i.[4] Her PhD thesis was on Traditional Comic Theater in Samoa: A Holographic View.[5] She taught creative writing as a faculty of the Department of English, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa.[4][6], from 1997 until her retirement in 2016. In 2002 she published her collection of poetry, Alchemies of Distance.[7][8]

In August 2020 she was named by USA Today on its list of influential women from U.S. territories.[1]

Sinavaiana-Gabbard moved to Samoa after she retired.[9] She was stabbed and killed at the GaluMoana Theater in Vaivase-uta, on 26 May 2024, at the age of 78.[9][10] Playwright Sia Figiel was charged with her murder.[11][12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Murphy-Marcos, Coral; Schnell, Lindsay (14 August 2020). "Politician Tulsi Gabbard, 'West Side Story' star Rita Moreno among influential women from U.S. territories". USA Today. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b Kerry Howley (June 11, 2019). "Tulsi Gabbard Had a Very Strange Childhood". New York. Vox Media.
  3. ^ Madsen, Deborah L. (2015). The Routledge Companion to Native American Literature. Routledge. Page 45. ISBN 9781317693192.
  4. ^ a b "Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard". Poetry Foundation. 2019-03-04. Retrieved 2019-03-04.
  5. ^ Caroline Sinavaiana (1992). Traditional comic theater in Samoa : a holographic view (PhD). University of Hawai'i.
  6. ^ "Margaret Mead Was Wrong - Page 2". 3ammagazine.com. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  7. ^ "RATTLE e-Review: ALCHEMIES OF DISTANCE by Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard". Rattle.com. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  8. ^ "The warrior and her poetry". International Examiner. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Samoan novelist and playwright charged with murder". Talanei. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  10. ^ Prof. Gabbard was a respected academic
  11. ^ Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (28 May 2024). "Playwright charged for gruesome murder". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Outpouring of grief following death of acclaimed Samoan poet and writer". RNZ. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.