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Kelly Peniata

Kelly Peniata

Vietnam Veteran & Immigrant from Samoa

Born: Samoa
Heritage: Samoan

My number one message to my kids was always to respect others and I hope this message was instilled in their brains and hearts. I also always tried to instill in them a love for their family. My children were constantly encouraged to develop relationships with each other and this has paid off because my family is very tight-knit and close. I also wish to pass along the Samoan culture of love, respect and support that has carried me throughout my life. As a result, I believe my children have learned to be giving of their time and things to their fellow man.

Kelly Peniata

Vietnam Veteran & Immigrant from Samoa

My name is Kelly Peniata. I was born in Western Samoa around 1950. I was the second youngest of 16 children. When I was two years old my aunt lost a child. It is a Samoan custom that if sisters have children that are around the same age and one of the children passes away, the other sister will give her child to her sister to help ease her pain. Around the same time my father passed away—killed while gathering
coconuts for the family. Because of the custom and the stressful circumstances in both families, I was sent to live with my aunt’s family.

My family decided to immigrate to America. Knowing no English, I had to quickly
learn the language and American culture. As a teenager, the 60s was an exciting era for American youth. The music scene was exploding, and we lived in California, which was at the heart of the explosion. My older brother, Oscar, was in a band and was very involved in the music scene. So I grew up listening to the Beach Boys, the Beatles and Motown soul music. There was an infectious excitement during the 60s that had a lot to do with the youth.

My life back in Samoa was a lot different from the life that kids in America have. We had to do a lot of chores that took a long time. We would have to collect bananas, haul firewood from the forests and help make fires to cook food. We didn’t have ovens or microwaves, so instead, we would cook our food on kettles over open pit fires. When I did have free time, I liked playing games with my friends, especially tag. A special treat for us was when it would rain, we would take large coconut leaves and slide down the mountainside; it was like a gigantic slip-and-slide.

As a teenager, I faked my date of birth and left Los Angeles to volunteer for the war in Vietnam. I spent many years there and worked as a clerk in the army. It was kind of scary and confusing. Even though we were soldiers, in reality we were just young kids. We didn’t really know why we were there. We just did what they told us to do. It was hard seeing so many young men my own age die, not knowing for what or why. I have been affected by the war ever since.

Notation: Download PDF
HONOR SONG LYRICS

Sliding Down On Coconut Leaves

Honoring Kelly Peniata

Sliding Down On Coconut Leaves

[CHORUS]
Sliding down, sliding down
Sliding down on coconut leaves
Sliding down

I was born in Samoa, yes I was
From a family of sixteen,
where I come from
After my father died, had to say goodbye
To live with my mother’s sister who
Lost a child the same age
to help her through
(Chorus)
Into a burning fire, I fell,
As a very young child,
in order to get well
Thrown into the ocean,
salt water covered me
My healing came from the sea
and from my loving family
(Chorus)
From Samoa, met a bad fate
While traveling to, the United States
Got lost in Hawaii,
a Samoan rescued me
Gave me a warm place to stay
We are friends to this day
(Chorus)
Then I moved, to California,
As a teenager, far from Samoa
It was tough, could not speak
a word of English
Listening to the sounds
of the Beach Boys
With my friends on the beach
making noise!
(Chorus)
Lied about my age, and volunteered
To fight in Vietnam, for many years
Saw many young men die,
recently classified
A disabled veteran for sure
Exposed to Agent Orange, that burns
(Chorus)
After the war, I fell in love
With a woman, from Minnesota
Moved to a farming town,
where I worked the ground,
Together raised a family,
who I love and they love me
(Chorus)
When life, it gets tough
When I feel like, I’ve had enough
I find that I go-a
back home to Samoa
To swim and fish in the salty sea
With so many memories
(Chorus)

Music by LARRY LONG
Words by LARRY LONG with Mrs. Bessant’s 4th grade class at FAIR School
(Crystal, Minnesota)

© Larry Long 2007 / BMI