Samoan students are on a learning journey into the history of one of the world’s most renowned authors Robert Louis Stevenson through art and creative writing.

A team is here to explore the legacies of Robert Louis Stevenson's Pacific writing, and the relevance of his work to contemporary readers in Samoa, Scotland and Hawai'i. And while doing that, they are also teaching students creative writing and art.

With funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council in the United Kingdom, Professor Michelle Keown from the University of Edinburgh is the Project Co-coordinator and also leads the creative writing elements of the project.

“There is a documentary film being made as well which has been going on for the last two weeks and it’s involving N.U.S. [National University of Samoa] interns from the Media and Journalism program, where they have interviewed the Prime Minister, former Head of State Tupua Tamasese and various people in Vailima,” she said.

“The project will produce a range of creative outputs (including graphic adaptations of three short stories set or based in Hawaiian and Samoan culture; newly commissioned poetry; a documentary film; and teaching resources) inspired by Stevenson and his work.

“This is a three-year project entitled 'Remediating Stevenson: Decolonising Robert Louis Stevenson's Pacific fiction through graphic adaptation, arts education and community engagement'.”

The team has spent almost three weeks in Samoa and will leave the country this Friday. They have conducted creative writing workshops with adult participants and ran creative writing and art workshops with students from Vaivase Primary, Vaiala Learning Centre, Leififi College and St Mary's College.

This week they ran creative writing and art workshops with Year 11 students from Robert Louis Stevenson College, and are organising continual professional development workshops, with practising and trainee teachers focused on using creative writing and arts practices in teaching.

Part of the program also looked to reach out to any Samoan families who have had a shared history with the famous author.

The 16-year-old Simon Eves, who attends the college, shared a story of his great-great-grandfather who interacted with Robert Louis Stevenson and bought 50 acres of land from the Scottish author.

“My grandpa told me this story and I am happy he still remembers his history and I am proud of this fact,” he said. “This program is really helpful. We discussed journals and keeping your dreams in them. The lesson I learnt from this program is to be creative.”