Emma Kruse Va'ai

Who is Emma Kruse Va'ai?

Emma Kruse Va'ai is a Samoan chief, writer and educator in Samoa. Her matai chief title is Letuimanu’asina. She has a PhD in English from the University of New South Wales in Australia and is a former director of Samoa Polytechnic. Currently, she is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Samoa following the polytechnic's merger into the university in 2006. Also a lecturer in English at the university, she is a strong advocate for bilingual education in both English and the Samoan language.

As a writer, she has published poetry and stories which have been translated into other Pacific Islands languages. She is also an executive committee member of the Samoa Association of Women Graduates.

Letuimanu’asina was born and raised in Samoa in a family of eight siblings. Her primary and secondary schooling was at the Marist Missionary Sisters. Later, she studied at Victoria University in New Zealand before undertaking her doctorate in Australia. She is married to lawyer Alo Vaimoa Va'ai and they have four children.