We were greeted  by singing and dancing on the pier. 

Women are all wearing matching tops with long skirts called a pulatasi. It is worn for special occasions.  It is a sign of respect. For every day though it’s shorts and tees. The men on the other hand have short skirts and bare chests.

The vehicle we travel in is the most rustic buses I think I have ever ridden in. The benches are wooden. The driver builds the bus made from wood of poumuli.  Teuila flower is national flower….from the ginger family. The buses have them attached to the outside…

First stop is the “Flower Pots”. It is 2 rocks just off the shore. ….It  shows a couple ….fatsu at back and mafutti (a woman closest to road). The story goes that they went swimming but have to be on shore before dark, they were late and so died there.  She almost made it.  There are curfews still that say you must be out of the water and not outside by 6 pm for evening prayers. “At 9pm the bell will ring signifying the village evening curfew for all students. At 10pm, the bell will ring signifying the village curfew for EVERYONE”.

Must always be respectful ….very religious …Christian.  There is a church at least every kilometre. They are not particularly beautiful. John Williams brought Christianity to the islands…. Before that they were canniballs. No swimming on Sunday. You must keep the sabbath. White Sunday…. Children wear white 2nd Sunday every October. I can’t remember the rest of the tradition.

Samoans are bilingual (Samoan and English). There is 1 movie theatre, 1 hospital , 3 clinics, 1 prison.

2nd stop is at Tafuna….stop where TAOA is where you go for assistance with elderly family.

There are no public cemeteries so they bury their loved ones in the front of their property

Chiefs and high chief are inherited position.  Only vote for local government. People are called nationals … cannot vote in American elections.

Last tsunami here was in 2009 that killed about 200 in both Samoas. We stopped here in Leone where there is a memorial for those that lost their lives.

Sunday after church they always have a feast… which is cooked by the boys in the traditional way….outside.  Other foods on other days are cooked by the women in the house 

Public school is free including the food and bus ride.

Coconut good for upset stomach

Third stop….At the village….

Boys cook as long as they’re up to it….lol! First they start with taro leaves then coconut milk, spinach, breadfruit, banana leaves. The more banana leaves the hotter the inside gets. 

In Hawaii women wear a flower on left same as ring finger to signify they are married but the opposite is true here in American Samoa.  Here it is worn on the right.

Each family runs a separate tour so this tour, the interest is to this village. All participants are from same family.  Another family will run a tour to a different place.

Population of American Samoa is 60,000 plus…. There is only one community college that you can go for 2 years then you have to go mainland US. 

This small island is spectacular with its steep mountains covered with lush jungle.  Oh my goodness though, jungle, tropics and ocean means heat with extreme humidity…..phew…sweaty!  The weatherman had promised rain but that didn’t happen.  That might have been a good thing though.