Dea visits birthplace - 50 years later

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 14 July 2017, 12:00AM

Meet Carsten, Dea and their son Andreas Kragh from Denmark.

Dear Tourist caught up with them in town exploring the beautiful capital of Samoa.

However, there is more to their summer holiday than you would think. The family is staying at the Sheraton Aggie Grey hotel and they are here to visit Dea’s birthplace.

She told the Dear Tourist that she was born here and sure enough she has a Samoan Birth Certificate and a Samoan Passport.

“I am Danish, and was born in Samoa some 51 years ago. My father was working for the United Nations on a furniture programme, where he and another Danish architect, Jørgen (John) Gammelgaard Petersen, had the obligation to design and produce school furniture. They were in Samoa from 1964-1966,” she said.

“I was born in the Apia General Hospital on 27th May 1966, I have an old Samoan passport (I am now a Danish citizen) and I still have my original Samoan Birth Certificate.

“I have not been in Samoa since my birth, and I was only there a couple of weeks after my birth, as I became very ill and was taken to Los Angeles for treatment.

“I have of course always wanted to visit my birthplace, and now I have succeeded. I have contacted a person in Apia, with whom my father worked, (Steve Young) and I am of course going to visit him and his family.”

Mrs. Kragh said their 12 day holiday is about experiencing the culture and the lifestyle.

“I have always wanted to come here because my parents were always talking about Samoa, how beautiful it is and the people are lovely and that made me want to come and visit and now it’s a reality with a family of my own,” she said.

“I want to see the culture, the landscape and we will be going to Savaii in a couple of days to see all sorts of things.

“We went to the Cultural Village yesterday and they did a really good performance and it was also interesting to have an explanation of all the traditional things like the tattooing and the siapo and everything else.

“There is so much that is different here; the people are very friendly, they smile and wave at us and everyone that we have spoken to are just stunned that I was born here.

“We hope to get a better knowledge of Samoa and a nice holiday and see things that are completely different from what we are used to back home.

“My husband and son want to see all the white beaches and places where they can go snorkeling and enjoy the Samoan ocean.”

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 14 July 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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