Virginia's Migration from Samoa

Virginia came to New Zealand in the 1940s from Apia, Samoa. She was a young woman travelling alone to a new job with the Island Territories government department in Auckland. Upon arriving in Auckland on the Matua, Virginia's first impression was: “it was strange, so big! People, people everywhere. It was the first time I had seen a tram, a trolley bus and elevators. There was traffic and oh, the pedestrian crossings! I used to just follow the crowds… I found it very cold the second winter and I thought that open fireplaces were very strange.”
After a couple of months, Virginia had begun to adapt to city life and enjoyed the social and leisure activities, particularly the shopping! She lived at the YWCA and met other young women from the Pacific Islands, New Zealand and Europe. Auckland had a Samoan Club which Virginia joined and she travelled monthly on the ferry to the North Shore for Club dances. Some of the friendships that Virginia made while in Auckland were lifelong, and it was here that she was courted by her husband-to-be, Angus Marshall.

Virginia moved with Angus to Tauranga in 1948 for his employment at Tauranga Airport. One of her good Samoan friends from the Samoan Club was already in Tauranga and helped her settle in. Virginia says she “preferred Tauranga to Auckland because of the quieter lifestyle”. She met new friends through social events at the local Returned Services Association (RSA) and through a new hobby, playing golf.

In the 1970s, Virginia became one of the founding members of the Pacifica organisation in Tauranga. This group organised cultural evenings for the local community which included Pacific dancing and foods.

Virginia has remained in Tauranga since 1948 and though she has frequently travelled back to Samoa, she now considers New Zealand her home: “Samoa is too hot for me and my family is all here now – but I will always cheer for Manu Samoa, even when they are playing the All Blacks!”
Virginia passed away in November 2012.