No. 683 Gaylene Fale, 2008

File — Box: 70, Folder: 10

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Gaylene Fale (b. 1978) was born in Tamavua, Fiji. She was raised in Fiji but her ethnicity is Rotuman. She has a twin sister and two brothers. Gaylene and her sister moved to New Zealand to live with her uncle and attend high school. After high school they moved to Hawaii to attend university at BYU Hawaii. Gaylene and her sister wanted to go to universities in New Zealand but her mother insisted that they try BYU Hawaii. While there, Gaylene got a job as a Tahitian dancer at the Polynesian Culture Center. She was then recruited to dance with the promo team, a dance group that traveled the world dancing. With the promo team, Gaylene traveled to China, Japan, Korea, and other states in the US. Gaylene and her husband moved to Utah so he could attend law school at BYU. Gaylene discusses the differences between Fiji and Rotuma. Rotuma was placed under Fiji so that the British could more easily rule both. The cultures and languages are distinct though. She talks about going to school and growing up in Fiji. Gaylene and her sister weren’t very good at Rotuman dances and her mother made them take lessons. Her father committed suicide when she was four so her mother took care of the family. Gaylene’s mother told her children it was important to do well in school because if you didn’t do well in school, you wouldn’t do well later in life. There was no other option for Gaylene and her siblings but to go to college after high school. She talks about growing up as a twin, and the differences between her and her sister. Gaylene is more quiet and introverted, while her sister is very outgoing. At the end of the interview, Gaylene and her children sing a traditional Rotuman song. Rotumans sing this song at a Fara, which is always during Christmas and New Year’s. The youth and single adults in the community sneak into their neighbors’ yards at night and dance and sing this song, and the neighbors come out and throw powder and perfume on the singers.
Project: Pacific Islanders.
Interviewer: Savani Aupiu.

Dates

2008

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.