Fa'afetai Ta‘asē was born on 8 July 1965, the son of Vaotupu and Levine Ta'asē.
The family lived in Cannons Creek and was well known in Porirua, contributing to
the community as teachers, church leaders and artists.
Fa‘afetai had cerebral palsy and spent his early years in and out of hospital.
Porirua was his home, and he was educated there and in Wellington. Fa‘afetai
started out as a performance poet in the 1980s. His work explores themes of
identity, family, love, faith and politics with a New Zealand-born Pacific lens. He
writes with a sharp eye and a warm heart.
Illustrator Sam Sakaria drew inspiration from Fa'afetai’s poems to create the
imagery in the book. As well as through his artwork, Sam is woven into this book
as one of Alofa’s former students and a member of their family’s church.