Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard

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]

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

Life and career

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
  1. 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. 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. "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. "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.


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