Samoan Novelist Sia Figiel says it’s important for one to be proud of their culture and actually embrace it.

Speaking at a workshop organized at USP’s Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies today, she says people need to tap into their own cultural points of reference before writing anything.

Figiel says learning and understanding about one’s background will provide a better insight in the way we write.

“I want our young creative writers and dancers to be exposed to western ways of looking at things but at the same time on a deeper level to look and to honor their own indigeneity.”

Meanwhile, fifteen budding writers took part in the event and learned about the Pacific way of writing to express their views.