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American Samoa Government - PR001-11102025
Posted: November 10, 2025
Fa’ai’uina le Fa’amoemoe o le Moso’oi a le Fa’apotopotoga Tuma’oti
o le ABLE e ala i Fa’afiafiaga Fa’aleaganu’u, ma le Mafuta Fa’atasi
o Tupulaga o le Atunu’u
TAFUNA, Amerika Samoa - Ua fa’ai’uina fuafuaga o le Moso’oi o lenei tausaga a le vaega o le ABLE ma le komiti o le Moso’oi i le Aso To’ona’i, Novema 8, i le malae i Lupelele. O lenei fa’amoemoe o le fa’ai’uga o fuafuaga o le masina atoa o le fa’amamaluina o lo tatou tofi, o fa’atufugaga lelei, ma le fa’aosofiaga o tupulaga o lo tatou Teritori.
Sa amatalia le fa’amoemoe o le Moso’oi ma ata fa’asolo o le tapenaga mai o le Moso’oi, o se amataga na fuafua ai le taunu’uga e o’o ai lenei masina i le fa’a’oloaina i ‘oa fa’aleaganu’u. Sa soso’o ai lea ma le Moso’oi Gala, e fa’amamaluina ai ē faia le faiva o fa’atufugaga i latou galuega maoa’e. Sa vala’aulia le aofia e silasila ma fai le tauofoga i ata o fa’atufugaga, a o tupe maua, alu i lē e ana le fa’atufugaga.
O se tasi mea tāua o lenei fa’amoemoe o le sa’iliga o le lālelei o le Moso’oi ma sikolasipi, o le auala e fa’aosofia ma lagolago ai tama’ita’i Samoa laiti i ō latou faiva i a’oa’oga. O le na fa’amoemoe na fa’amanatuina ai le atamamai, mitamitaga i le aganu’u, o le ta’ita’iga, ma le fa’apaleina o le lālelei ia Alisi Siniva Mata’afa.
O le fa’amoemoe taualuga, sa tata’i mai ai Matua, o Aiga, uō ma ē masani, ma A’oga i totonu o le Teritori auā se afiafi o le tutū fa’atasi ma le fiafia. E ono A’oga maualuluga: Faga’itua, Samoana, Matata ese’ese i Nu’uuli, Tafuna, Fa’asaō & Malisi, ma Leone na ‘auai i le agaga o le tauvaga siva ma pese, ma sa fa’amasinoina i vaega e sefulu o fa’afiafiaga. O le Susuga ia Lupe Aumavae - Tauanu’u ma Don Maifala na avea ma fofoga o le fa’amoemoe le na po.
Na amatalia le fa’amoemoe i se fe’au fa’aleagaga mai le Afioga Patele Kelemete Pua’auli, o ana upu fa’ala’ei’au na goto ifo i loto o le aofia na potopoto atu. O le susuga ia Tapusoa Eti Eti, o se tasi o ta’ita’i o fuafuaga o le Moso’oi, sa fa’afeiloa’ia le mamalu na tala a’ao atu ma fa’amamafaina le va’aiga mamao o le fa’amoemoe: Ia fa’aolaola ma fa’alauiloa le gagana Samoa e ala i siva, ma pese e fa’aalia ai tatou fa’asinomaga fa’aleaganu’u.
Sa afio atu le afioga i le Kovana ia Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula ma lona Faletua ia Dr. Lois Pula, ma ua maualuga ai le na po. Sa tanoa fa’alele lana afioga i le tāua o le fa’atumaina pea o le tatou aganu’u. Sa ia fa’afetaia susuga i Faia’oga, o le ‘au faufautua, aemaise Aiga o lo’o fa’afaileleina ia ‘augatupulaga o Samoa mo a taeao, ma o ni tagata fa’afiafia i le lumana’i.
Na tofu nei A’oga e ono ma fa'atinoga mata'ina o fa’afiafiaga i ona vaega e sefulu na fa'amasino ai. I le fa'ai'uga o le afiafi, na tu'uina atu ai i le A'oga Maualuga o Tafuna le tulaga muamua ma le fa’ailoga e $6,000. Na maua e le A'oga Maualuga i Leone le tulaga lua ma le fa’ailoga e $5,000, ‘a 'o le A'oga Maualuga o Fa’asao & Malisi na tulaga tolu ma le fa’ailoga e $4,000. I le fa'aopoopoga i le fa'atulagaga atoa, na tu'uina atu ai fo'i fa'ailoga fa'apitoa e $1,000 i vaega ta'itasi: Na manumalo le A'oga Maualuga o Tafuna i vaega e ono, na maua e le A'oga Maualuga o Fa’asao & Malisi ni vaega se lua, ma na maua e le A'oga Maualuga o Samoana le tasi. I le fa'aaloalogia o le ofo atoa ma le ‘auai o A'oga uma, na tu'uina atu ai i A'oga Maualuluga o Samoana, Faga’itua ma le Matata ese’ese i Nu’uuli fa’ailoga e ta’i $2,000.
O le saunoaga fa’ai’u na saunoa ai Elinor Lutu-McMoore e fai ma sui o le ABLE. Sa fa’aalia lona agaga fa’afetai tele i ē na lagolagoina le fa’amoemoe, o pisinisi fa’alotoifale, ma pa’aga fa’alenu’u, ma ē na lagolagoina ma agalelei i le fa’amanatuina o le Moso’oi. Na fa’ai’uina le mafutaga i fa’amanuiaga mai le Afioga Patele Kelemete Pua’auli, ma fa’amanuiga o upu fa’amalosi’au ma le tatalo fa’amanuia.
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Agency for Better Living Endeavors (ABLE) Concludes Moso’oi Festival with Grand Cultural Showcase and Youth Celebration
TAFUNA, American Samoa - ABLE proudly concluded the 2025 Moso’oi Festival with a resounding finale on Saturday, November 8, at the Veterans Memorial Stadium, Malae o le Lupelele. This culminating event marked the end of a month-long celebration of Samoan heritage, artistic excellence, and youth empowerment across the territory.
The Moso’oi Festival commenced with the Moso’oi Premiere, a ceremonial opening that set the tone for a month of cultural enrichment. It was followed by the Moso’oi GALA, an elegant evening dedicated to honoring local artists and their exceptional works. Attendees were invited to bid on featured art pieces, with proceeds going to the artists.
Following the Moso’oi GALA, the organizers hosted an intimate evening dedicated to the power of spoken word and artistic expression. The event brought together poets, storytellers and performers, both emerging and established, who shared original works that reflected the heart and soul of Samoan identity.
One of the highlights of the festival was the Miss Moso’oi Scholarship Pageant, a platform designed to uplift and support young tama’ita’i Samoa in their educational pursuits. The pageant celebrated intelligence, cultural pride, and leadership, culminating in the crowning of Miss Alisi Siniva Mataafa.
The Finale Event brought together parents, families, friends, and school communities from across the territory for an evening of unity and celebration. Six high schools: Faga’itua, Samoana, Nu’uuli Vocational Technical, Tafuna, Fa’asao Marist, and Leone participated in a spirited siva competition, judged across ten cultural and performance categories. The program was emceed by the distinguished Lupe Aumavae Tauanu’u and the dynamic Don Maifala, whose energy and eloquence guided the evening.
The event opened with an invocation and spiritual message from Reverend Father Kelemete Pua’auli, whose words of encouragement resonated deeply with participants and attendees alike. Eti Eti, one of the Moso’oi Siva Competition leads and event coordinator, delivered opening remarks emphasizing the festival’s mission: to preserve and promote Samoan language, dance, and song as vital expressions of cultural identity.
The presence of Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula and the First Lady Dr. Lois Pula highlighted the significance of the occasion. In his special remarks, Governor Pulaali’i reflected on the importance of cultural preservation and thanked the educators, advisors, and families who nurture the next generation of performers.
The six high schools delivered powerful performances across ten judged categories. At the conclusion of the evening, Tafuna High School was awarded first place and received a $6,000 prize, successfully defending their title. Leone High School earned second place with a $5,000 prize, while Fa’asao Marist High School placed third and received $4,000. In addition to overall rankings, special category awards of $1,000 each were presented: Tafuna High School claimed six categories, Fa’asao Marist High School earned two, while Leone High school and Samoana High School each received one. To honor the dedication and participation of all schools, Samoana, Faga’itua and Nu’uuli Vocational Technical High Schools were each awarded a $2,000 consolation prize.
Closing remarks were delivered by Elinor Lutu-McMoore, ABLE representative, who extended heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors, local businesses, and community partners whose generous support made the Moso’oi Festival possible. The evening concluded with a benediction from Reverend Father Pua’auli, sending forth the community with blessings and spiritual encouragement.
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