Note: This post discusses death and mental health
This blogpost is several months in the making. I had originally intended to write a blog about Sia Figiel following the viewing of the documentary feature Before the Moon Falls back in July of 2025. That blog is non-existent. I came away from that viewing shocked by its lasting influence and found it tragically sad.
Since then, Before the Moon Falls has been named the Winner - Best Made in Hawai‘i Feature Award at the 2025 Hawai‘i International Film Festival and received a Special Mention - Best International Feature Award at the 2025 Doc Edge Festival.
However, the passing of acclaimed Samoan novelist, playwright and poet Papali‘i Sia Figiel in January 2026 has been met with deep sorrow and complexity across our Pasifika communities, so I’m glad “we’re all in this together “.
Figel died while in custody in Samoa, awaiting the outcome of court proceedings related to the death of fellow writer and academic Dr Caroline Sinavaiana‑Gabbard. At the time of writing, authorities have stated that inquiries into her death are ongoing.
Sia Figiel’s name is inseparable from her trailblazing contributions to existing Pacific works. Her debut novel Where We Once Belonged (1996) was the first novel by a Samoan woman to gain major international recognition, having won the 1997 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book in the South‑East Asia/South Pacific region. Her works emphasised importance on the voices of Samoan girls and women, weaving oral storytelling traditions with unflinching explorations of identity, power, and ones sense of belonging.
More recently, Figiel was the subject of the documentary Before the Moon Falls, an intimate film which I understood as being originally conceived as a portrait of an artist, but then evolved into a wider conversation about creativity, mental health, and care within Pasifika communities. Filmed over several years and released in 2025, the documentary has been widely recognised for its sensitive handling of complex and deeply personal material.
Figiel’s final years, and the events surrounding them, have caused pain, grief, and division — particularly within literary and Pasifika communities. Holding space for these realities does not diminish the harm experienced, nor does it erase the significance of her work. Both truths must be acknowledged.
I have tried to approach Sia Figiel’s legacy with care, it is difficult enough saying thoughts out loud honestly, let alone writing them down for the world to understand.
Her works remain part of the fabric of Pasifika literature and continues to be read, taught, and debated. We here at the libraries are privileged to be in our positions to support informed, compassionate engagement with difficult histories, offer space for reflection rather than resolution.
Read more
Find out about the Before the Moon Falls documentary.
Find support
If these issues touch close to home for you or someone in your āiga (family/ extended whānau), support is available. Please see the resources below for confidential help and guidance
Pasifika-sensitive support organizations
Christchurch
- Mapu Maia | Supporting Pasifika Wellbeing & Mental Health in Aotearoa 0800 212 122
- Le Va 09 261 3490
- Vaka Tautua 0800 825 282
Nationwide
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111.
Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to talk with a trained counsellor for any reason.
You can also contact for free 24/7:
- Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide or those who are concerned about family or friends.
- Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or text 4202
- Lifeline 0800 543 354 or text 4357
- Samaritans 0800 726 666
- Youthline 0800 376 633 or text 234
Other helplines and information
- Alcohol Drug Helpline 0800 787 797 or text 8681
- Are You Ok (family violence info line) 0800 456 450
- Manaaki Tāngata / Victim Support (those affected by crime, suicide or traumatic events) 0800 842 846
- OUTLine 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
- Rainbow Youth 09 376 4155
- Safe to Talk (sexual harm helpline) 0800 044 334 or text 4334
- What’s Up (free counselling for 5 to 19 years old) 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 942 8787 (11am-11pm)
Lorna
Librarian Pasifika
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