Stories on our Skin Dominic Paga “Aisea Mataele was one of my close friends before I left the US. After he passed I would always write his initials, his number, and a lighting bolt on my tape before games. I got this little lighting bolt as a way of honoring his memory.” “Traditional Tatau is an important part of Samoan culture and is a right of passage. Th e traditional application method is extremely painful. It is something I wear with a lot of pride because of the pain I had to endure and [its] connection to my culture and family.” “‘Per Angusta Ad Augusta’ was the school motto of my boarding school in New Zealand. It translates loosely to ‘through diffi culties to greatness.’ It serves as a reminder that although things may be hard good times and success are coming.” 29
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