Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Leone High School made history last Saturday night at the Suigaula o le Atuvasa Beach Park in Utulei, as it made a clean sweep of the Inaugural Moso’oi Cultural Day Siva Competition, topping all seven categories (each with a monetary prize of $500) and the overall prize of $5,000!

It was a family night of fun, food, dance and culture for the more than a thousand family and friends of the local high school students who competed.

Su’iga’ula Park was packed with the crowd and business was brisk for the local entrepreneurs who took advantage of the event with food stalls offering different kinds of snacks and fast foods, while officers of the Department of Public Safety had their hands full directing the busy traffic — with all parking space taken and some newly created.

The five public high schools namely, Leone High School, Tafuna High School, Nu’uuli VocTech High School, Samoana High School and Faga’itua High School were joined by Fa’asao Marist High School and Kanana Fou High School in the battle for the first ever Moso’oi cultural dance competition.

All the dance groups displayed confidence, talent and dexterity in their performances with beautiful colorful uniforms making the judges’ unenviable jobs even harder.

The competition was divided into seven categories; Siva Ma’ulu’ulu — group dance of boys and girls in choreographed formations transitioning between seated, kneeling and standing positions while performing the same movements, Siva Fa’ataupati — boys only slap dance, Siva Sasa — large group dance of boys and girls sitting, with some standing movements all choreographed to mimic movements of everyday life, Contemporary Dance, Uniform, and the Taupou Taualuga category which was judged according to how well the taupou performed the siva and the best Taupou Attire. A prize was also presented to the choreographer(s).

The event’s two emcees former Miss American Samoa/Miss Pacific Lupe Aumavae-Tauanu’u and KVZK-TV’s Gregory Nansen entertained the crowd with their humorous and informative dialogue.

Members of the audience joined in the fun by competing in cultural games like coconut husking, coconut scraping and straining coconut scrapings for coconut cream and quizzes, done in between the various schools’ siva performances, where all winners were awarded with monetary prizes.

The contestants of this year’s Miss Moso’oi Scholarship Pageant were also officially introduced.

Led by the reigning Miss Moso’oi, the lovely Nellie Mercy Tuigamala who hails from Sapapali’i Savaii, this year’s five contestants were introduced before they too took to the stage performing a Samoan siva.

All the contestants as per pageant rules, attend the American Samoa Community College and the main objective of the pageant is to “showcase the art of our culture with a scholarship to further their education.”

The reigning Miss Moso’oi, a 20 year-old student at ASCC told the media when she won the title last year that having being born in Samoa, she does have to pay for her college education out of her own pocket unlike students born in the Territory or those who are US Citizens who benefit from Financial Aid from the federal government.

However, the scholarship she has attained from being Miss Moso’oi will assist with her schooling.

In a press release from the Governor’s Office, Acting Governor Talauega E.V. Ale stated that “the vision of the Governor and I is to create opportunities like the Moso’oi Festivities so generations of our people may celebrate, educate, revive and preserve the Samoan culture. Everything we witness during these events is a legacy for the next generation.”

He commended the schools and participants for their spectacular performances and extended his gratitude for their dedication.

Special recognition was given to the Agency for Better Living Endeavors (ABLE) for all their efforts and the Acting Governor also encouraged the private sector and organizations to take part in hosting and sponsoring next year’s Moso’oi festivities.

The night culminated with the presentation of trophies, a check of $5,000 to Leone High School for topping all seven categories of the competition for first place, second place went to Nu’uuli VocTech High School who were awarded a monetary prize of $3,000 and third place to Samoana High School who received a check for $2,000.

In an interview with Leone High School faculty member Josie Muasau, she expressed her gratitude to all the students who participated — for their commitment and dedication and for the support of their families.

She pointed out that more than $1,000 was collected during the Taupou Taualuga siva performed by Miss Iliganoa Amanda Tauanu’u on Saturday night.

She revealed that they had had only about two weeks to prepare and put together all the dances in their repertoire, so they had intensive practice sessions from 6pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday.

She also acknowledged the group of of dedicated individuals who put together the choreography of the dances.

“I know they had family obligations but they committed their time and energy to put the dances together,” Muasau said.

They include Sina Tui, Mikaela Saelua, Lena Tasi, Ary Fonoti, Simone Lou, Ally Aumua, Late Samuelu, Oloalilo Teresa and Faaletaua Saili.

The Moso’oi festivities will conclude this Saturday night October 28, 2023 with the Miss Moso’oi Scholarship Pageant.