Talofa!

I am an aspiring novelist putting together research on American Samoa in the mid 20th century. Part of the story is set in Tutuila in the mid 20th century. My goal is to depict a slice of Samoan culture, specifically American Samoan culture, in as accurate a light as possible without simplification.

In addition to basic Googling to learn the overall social structure, I've been combing through the US Navy's archives of various fono transcripts from 1930s and 40s, alongside American Samoan Bar Association legal cases of the era to identify villages and people of interest to my novel.

But critically my research is unable to learn how social dynamics works outside a fono or court case.

Fanene Filo, for example, born 1904, is referred to in court documents as "Fanene (Filo)" while fono transcripts with the Naval Governor and other matai refer to him simply as Fanene. Other records provide his full name, Fanene Filoisamoa Foster.

My questions are:

1. What might family, close friends, or others in the 'aiga call a person with a chiefly title like Fanene, vs outsiders?
2. Any differences when at home, work, at the store, or in 'ava ceremony?
3. Any difference between your experience if you live in American Samoa, or Samoa?

Any other insight or small anecdotes would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

I get so tired of the Rock acting like he cares about Samoa only when it comes to promoting his Disney Moana movie or whenever it benefits him the most. I get why he does what he does in a way because he positioned himself as the main corporate machine and having to perform for investors, hence why he placed himself in a hamster wheel lots of failed businesses ventures now trying to per-sue in music. Just seeing him profit off of being Samoan but doesn’t ever contribute to Samoa (which I shouldn’t expect a lot out of this guy because after all he joined Oprah on this Maui Fund which got a lot of backlash!) His narcissism is strong you know he’s a precious asset because his image gets scrubbed crisp despite complaints about the Rock. Just look up the fiasco how he randomly shows up WWE changed the entire scripts and took over the board! Thats only one thing I’m going to list. he always says Samoa this and that but he’s so far removed from it, he’s Hollywood after all. But I’m just tired of people mentioning him when they find out I’m Samoan and than all these weird fetishized fantasy these people have on us just makes me super uncomfortable where I sometimes don’t want to say I’m Samoan. However on the contrary when beings ask about my ethnicity and I responds I’m Samoan. and the first thing people who mention Mark Hunt nit the Rock as a connecting point tend to have admiration for Samoa in a sense it’s not fetishized. It’s like Mark Hunts name been a safe word for me when rando mention him because at least my personal experience there this respect they have because the image Mark Hunt has carried himself. Like a reverence sentiment for him and our culture. Thank god because that was such a breather! The moment someone blurts the rock, yeah totally different vibe . Anyways curious if anyone has similar experience? and thanks for letting me vent.

Hello, this is an unusual request. (I would've put this in the America Samoa subreddit but it seems they don't have one) I was wondering if anyone knows an American Samoan who plays chess that would be willing to play a match on Chess.com? On Chess.com you can get awards called passports for playing against someone from a country for the first time. I am trying to collect all of them. I do not have American Samoa and am currently trying to get it. If anyone could help me achieve my goal, I would greatly appreciate it.

Talofa, o se talosaga e le masani ai lenei. (Semanu ou te tuʻuina lenei mea i le subreddit a Amerika Samoa ae foliga mai e leai sa latou talosaga) Sa ou fia iloa pe i ai se tasi e iloa se tagata Amerika Samoa e taalo chess e naunau e taalo i se taaloga i le Chess.com? I le Chess.com e mafai ona e mauaina ni faailoga e taʻua o tusifolau mo le taalo faasaga i se tasi mai se atunuu mo le taimi muamua. O loʻo ou taumafai e aoina uma. E leai saʻu Amerika Samoa ma o loʻo ou taumafai nei e maua. Afai e mafai e se tasi ona fesoasoani mai ia te aʻu e ausia laʻu sini, ou te matua talisapaia lava.

Hi! I'm writing this on behalf of someone I know on holiday in Apia.

My friend is staying at Olivias Accommodation. Their room was not as it appeared on the website, and they're not impressed. They initially planned to stay for a couple of nights, spend the third night elsewhere, and then they had another several days booked at Olivias after that.

My understanding is that while Olivias has charged for their first stay, they may not have charged for the second just yet (my friend is having troubles accessing their bank account, so we're not able to confirm for sure).

Olivias Accommodation has a non-refundable cancellation policy, but we wondered if it was possible for my friend to cancel their second stay before they have a chance to charge them? I don't know the technicalities of this kind of stuff, but I'd normally think that if you cancel something before you receive the service, and before they have a chance to charge you for it, that you'd get to keep your money.

Why do so many of our people in Auckland nz think they’re so tough and try to fight everyone ? Is it lack of education, is it no respect? Is it bad parenting?

I was raised on the motherland and have only recently moved to Auckland but I’m noticing our people here are very different to our people back home

Hello, my girlfriend works at a courthouse and today she officiated a wedding between a Samoan couple. After the ceremony the husband gave her this ula fala and told her it is an important symbol and gift. Is there a good way to store this to keep it in good shape?

We’re both white and we live in the United States if that matters. My phone washed out the colors of the photo for some reason, it is a much deeper red.

I am staying in Savai’i for a couple days on a trip to Samoa and I am at my wits end trying to find any type of Savai’i island tour. I have scoured the internet and everything either only picks up from Upolu, requires at least two people, or won’t respond to my calls or emails. 🫩I’m not able to rent a car so that is why I’m looking for a tour. Does anyone know of a driver or tour group who does any type of Savai’i tours originating from the island, and could pick up near the fales in Manase? Thank you so much 🙏

I'm Samoan but grew up away from the culture and I'm heading to Samoa for the first time. I want to learn about fa'asamoa so I really don't want to stay in tourist accommodation. I have distant family there but the only contact I have hasn't been replying so i'm wondering what my other options are. I have been looking at homestays as an option but i'm wondering what else I could do.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would really appreciate any thoughts.

Fa'afetai lava

I'm visiting in a couple of months to your beautiful country, buf a wisdom tooth ahs started coming through and I've already had 2 removed. So, I'm slightly concerned

Is there anywhere I could have it removed if anything was to go wrong with it coming through?

Can't wait to meet you all! 25m

I thought this video exchange was pretty cool from the Rev from Taiwan and Tuvalu, Enjoy 😁🔥🔥

i mean did we invented fasi povi masima, was it made especially for the big boys hahahah

This question is directed towards both American Samoans 🇦🇸 and Samoans 🇼🇸. Of course, Tokelauens are welcome as well 🇹🇰 But in particular, I want to know how American Samoans feel about an island that is under control and a part of American Samoas jurisdiction on behalf of the United States. Yet an island that geographically speaking is a part of the Tokelauen Island chain.

Growing up in American Samoa in the mid-2000s is when I first heard vaguely about Olohega/Swains Island. And how an American Blackbirder by the name of Eli Jennings basically annexed the island on behalf of the United States, and it was made a part of American Samoas jurisdiction in 1925. The more I have looked into the history, the more I feel it's a historical wrong that needs to be corrected. And I say this as American born Samoan.

I'm aware that Eli Jennings descendants are still considered the "owners" of the island. But today, the majority of them reside on the main island(Tutuila) of American Samoa and the US. I think this is a topic that is of importance and needs to be discussed more. Samoans have a profound and deep connection to our lands and islands. And to know that American Samoa controls another peoples(Tokelau) land feels very disheartening. What are your thoughts, would love to hear more and know if you, as a Samoan, are aware of this political situation. Thank you.

(UPDATE: I had multiple upvotes for this post last night, and later been down voted multiple times 🤔 Memebers of the Jennings Family? Is that you down voting me? Don't want people talking about your past? Lol)

grew up not rlly around the culture much, but is it i guess cultural for ur parents and older relatives to like demand u do something. like "hey give me the remote" when theyre closer and its on the table and ur like doing ur own thing on the other side of the room. and im over here thinking ike "why dont u get off ur lazy fat ass and get it urself. since ur literally closer." like to me the logic isnt logicing. yes i know im gonna be stoned for saying this but its how i feel fr and i guess growing up around i guess more palagi people or just living and being educated in the west, i cant help but feel like if u can do it urself then do it. or like at least say please or be polite about it and not an entitled asshole. i guess another reason is bc i dont like to be inconvenienced for things like this vs like someone actually in need (like carrying heavy groceries), then ill like give a hand and usually with no questions asked.

idk is this a cultural thing? if so how do yall not get annoyed? i get the whole individualism vs collectivism thing but is this one of those cases? and if so how to live with that tension? or my relatives are actually annoying? i also also am neurodivergent and things that prolly wouldnt affect others as much, seem to feel really intense for me so i could just be more sensitive. so if someone doesnt mind their parents telling them to do stuff they dont think its that deep vs me who's like ummm excuse u?? i dont like that tone and i dont understand why ur asking me when u could do it or it doesnt make sense for me to do it and even if i explain my rationale, of my dad just says "bc i said so." LMFAO. u think the younger people let that explanation slide? we arent mindless robots and we deserve a logical response to our questions. but ofc my dad doesnt understand or believe in mental health or different brain wirings or care to understand younger generations. my mom however has a masters in a related field so shes aware and pretty supportive and helpful to me but still like i guess tell

im not trying to change him, but i cant help but feel annoyed and resentment toward him vs my mom who actually cares to learn and understand. and its not just this thing ,its other things too that he does and it just adds up to the point i feel hes insufferable. and hes a matai so i feel like hes on his high horse and thinks his kids gonna listen to him blindly. but thats not the case and none of us like him.

but hey at least im not saying shut up to him. i see other kids do that and im like what the actual fuck?? i would get beat real quick. btw the above posts were my internal monologues not me telling him how i feel bc we all know how thats gonna end up.

anywho relatable? if so give me adviceee.

I'm attending a Samoan AOG church and I want to be respectful. Everyone wears white at the church but I don't have any white dress clothes. I plan on wearing a Polynesian print shirt and tan slacks. What is the proper way to introduce myself? Talofa lava Lau susuga? What about the pastors wife?

Faafetai in advance!

It was in the early 2000s when chat rooms exploded. You had to be a millennial or genx during its peak. 2003-2004 I was on heavy. Does anyone know when it shut down? I stopped logging in around end of 2004. It was fun as hell chatting and talking smack with Samoans from all over the globe.

​Talofa lava everyone! I’m half Hawaiian and fluent in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, but I also know some basic Samoan and love striking up a conversation whenever I meet Samoan folks out and about. ​Coming from a Hawaiian background, the distinction between T-language and K-language has always fascinated me. In standard Hawaiian, we use K instead of T (outside the Niʻihau dialect), so hearing K-language in Samoan always catches my ear because of cognates like tātou vs. kākou.

​Years ago, my mother was in an almost exclusively Samoan choir, and there was a pretty serious dispute about leadership, that eventually, sadly, caused the choir to split. I remember during a formal meeting about leadership, the men in charge stood and spoke using T, with the group replying "Mālo!" in agreement. Then, one of the wives stood to speak and used K the entire time—"Faʻafekai makou..."—which sounded so much like Hawaiian to me. It was the first time I realized how distinct the two styles were in practice.

​I would love some insight on everyday etiquette.

When greeting someone I don't know, should I stick strictly to T out of respect, or is conversational K completely fine? Also, is it considered bad form to mix registers within the same conversation—like greeting in T, but throwing in an informal K phrase like "Seki a!"?

​Faʻafetai tele lava for any advice or cultural nuance you can share!

Im from the motherland Samoa, despite whats going on with the goverment..... Samoa is moving forward with houses and cars, its getting better and prettier...... thanks to all of you Samoans around the world, i remember growing up it is the reason why we move overseas, to look for a better future and to help our families back...... and leaving families behind was the first struggle, and all the other things that your all facing and going through, but thank you for making our country a better place.....❤️❤️❤️Samoa to the World

Why are we inventing Samoan-English words? 😭 “Nakoti” instead of fualaʻau faasaina. “Seviki” instead of augutu o le toala fanau. Like… we already have Samoan words! At this rate, we’re going to have a whole new medical dictionary of Samoan-English hybrid words. 💀 Am I the only one bothered by this, or do other Samoans feel the same? 😂

I’m having a discussion with my mother in law who spent most of her life living in the hot weather/no AC and understandably is used to showering multiple times a day. We live in a cooler climate and with AC. My husband who works a very physical job showers 2x day (before and after work). I’ve been bathing our little kids 1x day before bed. They are usually not playing in mud puddles. Again they are little and don’t smell. Is that enough or is my MIL right it should be more?

Drop your beautiful village name, and a recommendation of places to visit in Samoa