ʃiː spˈɛnt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti ˈeɪt ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti nˈaɪn lˈɪvɪŋ ænd wˈɜːkɪŋ ɪn sæmˈoʊə wˌɛɹ ʃiː lˈɜːnd ðə lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ, ænd wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd tˈɔːpoʊ, ɐdˈɑːptᵻd dˈɔːɾɚɹ əvə sˈæmoʊn vˈɪlɪdʒ tʃˈiːf.
She spent 1928 and 1929 living and working in Samoa where she learned the language, and was appointed taupo, adopted daughter of a Samoan village chief.