- Located 14 degrees south of the equator; near the international dateline
- Divided into two political entities; The US territory and the neighboring independent country of Samoa
- Western Samoa is larger [15 times]
- AS has five volcanic islands [Aunu’u, Ofu, Olosega [somewhat two] and Ta’u]
- Other ethnic groups do live here…Koreans, Tongans, for example
- Beyond African HOT and Mississippi humidity ain’t got nothing on this!
- Rainy season is now [Oct. to May] Winter!...yeah right.
- I live in the district of Tafuna [Pago, Pago]
- The land is divided into districts; each has 4-5 villages
- Each district has a mayor/council; an overseers if you will
- Deeply rooted in Christianity [Church is major!]
- Each family has a fale [an open huge hut where they gather to “shoot the breeze” talk story” “eat" whateverahs as they say
- ya know, this is equivalent to the African American kitchen gathering
- everything goes on in the fale…
- no furniture, simply sit on the sides or bring a pull out chair for the elders
- Supplies about half of the tuna for the United States!
- THEY ARE NOT HAWAIIAN THEY ARE POLYNESIAN
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Basic Facts About American Samoa
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Paula, seems like you should feel right at home. Seems very similar to our culture of gathering and enjoying each other's company. I must make 1 of these trips with you very soon.
ReplyDeleteNCB, here is a funny story one of my students said...wow you are as dark as me..I said, funny you say that I just thought that in my head. She and I both fell out laughing. I said you have some African in you! [Yes I went there]. You know me! haha I said you must be have some Tongan or Fijian in you...She said wow! I do... I said well there it is...sistah!
ReplyDeleteWe are very similar in culture minus the crab barrel effect, minus the not sharing our money to help each other prosper! I mean Black people now/US. We are similar in the way we communicate, acknowledge our dead, weddings and other ceremonies. Oh yeah...ain't no difference!