S P E C I A L F E A T U R E L y n d s e y E . S i a r a – T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l C i r c u i t C o u r t
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salesman . Gabbard credits her mother and extended maternal relatives with embracing her dad and his Samoan culture and integrating it into their family life . Her maternal grandparents came from humble beginnings ; her grandfather began picking tobacco at a young age and remains an inspiration for his value of hard work . The extended family bonded over Samoan foods and traditions , which have always been central features in Gabbard ’ s life . Gabbard ’ s mother now lives with her in Tampa . When the family gathers , they usually enjoy manapua — a steamed bun with pork filling — and panikeke — sweet banana fritters — two traditional Samoan dishes that don ’ t require hard-to-find Samoan ingredients .
Gabbard often traveled to American Samoa to visit her father ’ s homeland and extended family as a child . Gabbard ’ s understanding of her family history is based on oral recitations passed down from generations . Before the westernization of Samoa , the island utilized a tribal system , with tribes mostly consisting of family units led by a chief . Gabbard ’ s paternal great-grandfather was such a chief , and notably , her great-grandmother inherited the role upon his death . She was the family ’ s last chief and a strong female role model for Gabbard . Gabbard ’ s paternal grandparents returned to the island after retirement , where her grandmother , Agnes , started the only island bakery offering soft-serve ice cream and American-style wedding and birthday cakes .
As many Samoans have English names , greatgrandmother , Barbara , demonstrated her affection for family members by bestowing on them Samoan names . Gabbard ’ s Samoan name — Lagituaiva — means “ ninth level of heaven ,” which is particularly meaningful based on Samoan mythology , providing that there are ten levels of heaven with only God residing on the highest level . A special name , indeed ; “ until you learn that several other family members also received the same Samoan name ,” Gabbard laughed . Family lore says that Barbara , serving as chief up until her late 90s , gave the same Samoan name to numerous relatives in her senility . When you learn that the Samoan alphabet has only fourteen letters , with three additional letters borrowed from English or related languages , there ’ s an appreciation for the redundancy .
In Samoa , it was not uncommon to have large families . Gabbard ’ s father is the oldest of eight children . Gabbard has twenty-two cousins , so the family line is secure . Arguably the most well-known Gabbard is cousin Tulsi Gabbard , former U . S . Representative for Hawaii , the first Samoan-American voting member of Congress , and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate .
In addition to their annual summer trip to Samoa , Gabbard ’ s parents loved to travel internationally , a love she now shares with friends , and since her father ’ s passing , her mother too . With a rich heritage of their own , the Gabbards love to explore other cultures .
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