Fofola lē fala

The scent of the blooming moso’oi tree signifies the harvesting of the palolo season. A delicacy in the Samoan islands. In American Samoa, festivities of art and culture are held for an…

On a Thursday night in Apia, Samoa the traffic and bustle of town dwindles down at dusk. It’s seemingly quiet, but a dive into the local eateries and bars, and the ambiance…

It is often that indelible characters and names in fable and of history endure with the passing of time. Often those unforgettable figures are etched in history books, artwork, and media. In…

A man sat gazing upon an urn of ashes embedded in delicate white lace and tropical flowers as it prepared for entombment into a final resting place. Though in vivid description, it…

For well over 30 years, Mavis Mulitalo ‘aka’ Mavis Connery has been turning heads with her six-inch Cinderella glass heels, frizzy hair, and infectious personality. Mavis is an extrusive figure in the…

In 2009, Oshima Laumatia shopped around the idea of starting a loan business to a couple of her close friends but most were hesitant on investing in something that seemed doubtful. A…

At a glance, Tomasina may look Palagi, but a simple “hello” and you will get a greeting in Samoan that one did not expect coming. For her entire life, she has never…

The crowning of Miss S.O.F.I.A.S Pearl To’omalatai in 2010 was an unlikely choice for a beauty queen at the time. Already in her 40s and by her own admission, not the “popular…

For the past seventeen years, in American Samoa, the terms “Hollywood,” “Glamour” and “Couture Fashion” have been synonymous with a single name, Shiki. In the past, while the community has had its…

In 2018, Dedreck Mose was living in Hawaiʻi holding down three jobs barely enjoying a life outside of work. For escapism, he began posting videos on a new social media platform that…