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Linking Samoans
![Falaniko Penesa who took second place in last year’s competition is from Samoa. [photo: PCC]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Fireknife%20Falaniko%20PenesaJPG.JPG?itok=V97WpDdr "Falaniko Penesa who took second place in last year’s competition is from Samoa. [photo: PCC]")
Laie, HAWAII — Twenty-five years ago, Pulefano Galeai of the Polynesian Cultural Center had a vision to create an annual competition honoring one of Samoa’s most revered and dangerously beautiful traditions, fireknife dancing.
In 1993, the inaugural World Fireknife Championship was held, drawing an...
![[photo: courtesy]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Tavai%20family.jpg?itok=Mgtb4lUH "[photo: courtesy]")
Lauivaa Chanel Tavai graduated cum laude from the University of Central Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics with a minor in statistics last Friday, May 5th.
He is the son of Lelogoa and the late Cpt. Moleli Tavai of Aua and Laulii.
The 2013 graduate of Fagaitua High School left the...
![Sophie Morgan with Tavita Taki Tuuamaalii at his plantation. [Photograph: Channel 4 via The Guardian]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/2049.jpeg?itok=Lg5CB8eO "Sophie Morgan with Tavita Taki Tuuamaalii at his plantation. [Photograph: Channel 4 via The Guardian]")
I can’t say I wasn’t warned. “The film does contain some medical procedures,” said Krishnan Guru-Murthy, introducing Unreported World: Obesity in Paradise (Channel 4).
Even so, I found it shocking. At the diabetic foot clinic in Samoa, 41-year-old Annie is having flesh scraped away with a scalpel...
![Felolins Mawong, left, and Tauva Filivaa, front, work with Sopa Saina, back left, and Falesoa Iaulalo on a mat for a family who lost a loved one. [Calixtro Romias / The Record]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/mat%20weavers%20stocktonweb.jpg?itok=Ln8jgcxw "Felolins Mawong, left, and Tauva Filivaa, front, work with Sopa Saina, back left, and Falesoa Iaulalo on a mat for a family who lost a loved one. [Calixtro Romias / The Record]")
STOCKTON — Growing up, Falesoa Iaulualo and Sopo Saina watched as the women in their families would gather to create intricate mats made from the leaves of the pandanus tree.
Weaving the mats is a skill and tradition Samoan women for decades passed on from one generation to another. And giving and...
![Lusia Cole from Chesapeake Science Point, in red coat, is congratulated by her schoolmates after being named the new student member of the Board of Education in the auditorium at Arundel High School. [photo: Capital Gazette]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/lusia%20cole.jpg?itok=LRsQs3fd "Lusia Cole from Chesapeake Science Point, in red coat, is congratulated by her schoolmates after being named the new student member of the Board of Education in the auditorium at Arundel High School. [photo: Capital Gazette]")
Lusia Cole became the first charter school student elected to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education on Thursday, beating out an Annapolis High School student and a South River High School student.
She is the daughter of James Cole and Clara Uila Cole from Leone. Mrs. Cole is a direct...
![[SN file photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Head%20of%20state%20_0772web.jpg?itok=karMmnvm "[SN file photo]")
We thank God for this beautiful day whereupon we have come to celebrate a historic moment inremembrance and prayer.
I want to thank Rev Malaki Timu for his homily and prayers.
I want to thank Governor Lolo Moliga and Lieutenant Governor Mauga for the high honour ofspeaking on this auspicious...
![andace Le’i Garcia promoted to Administrative Judge of the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. [courtesy photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/candace%20for%20Samoa%20News.jpg?itok=o1xiDpWo "andace Le’i Garcia promoted to Administrative Judge of the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. [courtesy photo]")
Candace Le’i Garcia, a 1991 graduate of Matafao Elementary School and 1995 valedictorian of Fa’asao High School, was recently promoted to Administrative Judge of the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Candace was born and...
![[photo: Raiders Wire]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Luani_9775884.jpg?itok=s-2yw_z7 "[photo: Raiders Wire]")
As the 2017 NFL draft inches closer, the Oakland Raiders have diverted their focus away from status quo to host former American Samoa soccer star Shalom Luani.
The Raiders will bring Luani into Oakland for a visit on Tuesday, per NFL’s Ian Rapoport.
Luani dominated the pitch before shifting his...
![Leotiti Maselino Ioane (left) built 4 of the fautasi boats — Paepaeulupoo of Aua, Fuao of Vatia, Sinapioa of Fagaitua High School, God is Great of Pago Pago — that raced in last week’s Flag Day fautasi regatta — the Heats, the Exhibition Race and the final 2017 Flag Day Championship Race; and they all placed. He is pictured here with Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie. [courtesy photo]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Maselino%20n%20Gaoteoteweb.jpg?itok=48LWvxp6 "Leotiti Maselino Ioane (left) built 4 of the fautasi boats — Paepaeulupoo of Aua, Fuao of Vatia, Sinapioa of Fagaitua High School, God is Great of Pago Pago — that raced in last week’s Flag Day fautasi regatta — the Heats, the Exhibition Race and the final 2017 Flag Day Championship Race; and they all placed. He is pictured here with Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie. [courtesy photo]")
The fautasi regatta that took place over a period of three days last week had four boats built by one local man — Leotiti Maselino Ioane. The regatta comprised the two Heats, the Exhibition Race and the final 2017 Flag Day Championship Race, and his boats all placed.
Leotiti of Aua built...
![National University of Samoa’s first instructor with a disability Faoolo Utumapu on the far right playing the piano with the NOLA band — all of whom are blind, last month at one of the events held in Samoa. [Courtesy Photo: NOLA]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Blind%20Leturer.jpg?itok=4p4YNjUF "National University of Samoa’s first instructor with a disability Faoolo Utumapu on the far right playing the piano with the NOLA band — all of whom are blind, last month at one of the events held in Samoa. [Courtesy Photo: NOLA]")
Apia, SAMOA — Being blind hasn’t stopped Faoolo Utumapu from climbing the ladder in life. A journalist by profession, a strong advocate for the disabled, she has been appointed as one of the lecturers for the National University of Samoa (NUS) for the journalism courses. Born blind Faoolo will be...