Samoan Culture and Tradition: A Look into the Values and Customs of American Samoa

Introduction

Here are my five characteristics that I want to share with you, I’m from American Samoa, one of the territories of the United States of America, I’m a proud Samoan, Family, and Culture and Tradition.

American Samoa

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• Beautiful island to take a vacation on
• Many myths and folk tales from the past
• The social, political and family issues are mere windows at forming the many facets and drawings that connect the cultures of the world II.
• One of the territories of the United States of America
• American Samoa is served by one major airline today and two computer, or smaller, airlines
• There is television and newspaper in print
• Telephone (including cellular phone service) and Internet service available and used by almost everyone on the island
• I’m a proud Samoan
• I am a full Samoan and I let you know that being a Samoan or live in Samoa takes you in a different place and we always love visitors from outside or around the world who wants to visit the beautiful island of American Samoa
• Some Samoans leave our island and move in different places but suddenly they will come back where they originated from and where they belong to
• No matter where you go, no matter how far you go, you will always be back where you belong to

Family

Children are taught when they are young to respect their older siblings The father is the patriarch of the family and next to him is the mother. From there it is the children from oldest to youngest. Within the family, giving and receiving tautua (service), fa‘aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) are crucial in Samoan social relations

Culture & Tradition

The concept of fa‘asamoa is essential to Samoan identity, and consists of a number of values and traditions: aiga (family), tautala Samoa (Samoan language), gafa (genealogies), matai (chiefly system), lotu (church), and fa'alavelave (ceremonial and other family obligations). Hospitality to outside visitors is a natural part of the culture, though it is most important to observe and respect local Samoan traditions o. When visiting Samoa, your resort, hotel or lodging will be pleased to advise you of other local customs

I’m from the beautiful island of American Samoa. American Samoa is what some people called the joyful place or the island of the paradise. I welcome you to the story or some important facts of my beloved island to you folks all around the world. You almost can’t find my island on the globe or the map, but it’s a tiny rock where we live at and it’s in the Pacific Ocean and its closer to the equator.

I want to take you to the interesting story of where I’m from and tell you we are human beings too. You will be able to enjoy my writing and explore the new information from my island. I’m from the beautiful island of American Samoa Don’t shrink your dreams, super-size your courage and abilities (“Salmonsohn). Welcome everyone to my island of American Samoa; if you want to explore one of the passion islands in the Pacific Ocean, you should visit American Samoa. In the past, my island was form from small tiny rocks, they break apart and become lands.

Here are my five characteristics that I want to share with you, I’m from American Samoa, one of the territories of the United States of America, I’m a proud Samoan, Family, and Culture and Tradition. First of all, American Samoa is a beautiful place; an island to take a vacation on, if you want to go to someplace warm, you should visit American Samoa it’s closer to the equator. We have many myths and folk tales from our own ancestors in the past, up until now we usually maintain that fact from the past.

It is very important for people all around the world that American Samoa is very helpful, people are very kind and I know many people from different countries are likely to live, stay and make their family here in American Samoa. American Samoa is a wonderful example of a culture and a people that, over the years have developed into a diverse structure; the traditional and the modern. Comparing and contrasting these two can include many elements, but the economy and religion are two that affect almost every area of both groups of these people.

The social, political and family issues are mere windows at forming the many facets and drawings that connect the cultures of the world. Secondly, American Samoa is one of the territories of the United States of America. As an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States and administered by the Office of Insular Affairs and the United States Department of the Interior Independence, the America Samoa military activities take place within the United States. American Samoa is served by one major airline today and two computer, or smaller, airlines.

There is television and newspaper in print. Surprisingly though, telephone (including cellular phone service) and Internet service available and used by almost everyone on the island. A proud Samoan should have knowledge and familiar with the Samoan Culture, the pride to be a Samoan, and understand and loves to communicate and work together with the people of Samoa. I am a full Samoan and I let you know that being a Samoan or live in Samoa takes you in a different place and we always love visitors from outside or around the world who wants to visit the beautiful island of American Samoa.

Some Samoans leave our island and move in different places but suddenly they will come back where they originated from and where they belong to. No matter where you go, no matter how far you go, you will always be back where you belong to. Family is a key to the Samoan people because it ties altogether with the culture and tradition. “Children are taught when they are young to respect their older siblings. At the same time their older siblings are being taught to respect their elders. There is always someone older than you to give respect to. The structure of a Samoan family follows a hierarchy. The father is the patriarch of the family and next to him is the mother. From there it is the children from oldest to youngest. This structure becomes very important as the children learn faaaloalo because the siblings are very much involved with each other’s learning. The central element in Samoan culture is the aiga (family). Within the family, giving and receiving tautua (service), fa‘aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) are crucial in Samoan social relations.

Young people are expected to serve and show respect to elders, and can expect to receive love, protection, honor, a name to be proud of, and defense by the family when it is needed. The Samoan Culture and Tradition is very important. The concept of fa‘asamoa is essential to Samoan identity, and consists of a number of values and traditions: aiga (family), tautala Samoa (Samoan language), gafa (genealogies), matai (chiefly system), lotu (church), and fa'alavelave (ceremonial and other family obligations).

There are also the associated values of alofa (love), tautua (service), fa‘aaloalo (respect), feagaiga (a covenant between sibilings and others) and usita‘i (discipline). Hospitality to outside visitors is a natural part of the culture, though it is most important to observe and respect local Samoan traditions. These include not giving money to children, removing footwear before entering a fale, never standing when a local elder is sitting, asking permission before taking photos in a village, avoiding skimpy attire, wearing a lavalava (sarong or cloth wrap) when visiting churches or villages.

Nude or topless bathing is prohibited. When visiting Samoa, your resort, hotel or lodging will be pleased to advise you of other local customs. As of now, you understand and really enjoy the short story from where I am from, and if you really wanted to visit or you want it a proof come and visit my island and you will definitely wanted to go back where you came from. You will enjoy your staying and wanted to live in American Samoa forever.

Likewise I wanted to inform you again my five characteristics; American Samoa is where I am from, one of the territories of the United States of America, proud Samoan, family, culture and tradition.

References

1. Salmonsohn, K. (n. d. ). Cute & Inspirational Sayings. In notsalmon. com. Retrieved February 8, 2013 (2001). In http://amsamoa. net/. Retrieved February 10, 2013
2. The Family Faaaloalo (2005). In www. saolelei. com. Retrieved February 10, 2013
3. Samoan Culture (1998). In www. teara. govt. Retrieved February 10, 2013
4. Samoa - its culture and traditions (2013). In www. samoaholidays. co. uk. Retrieved February 10, 2013

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