Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The upcoming 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawaii slated for June 6- 16, will showcase the various disciplines of traditional art including the work of local carver To'oto'o Tile Tuala-Tamaalelagi and other local wood carvers. To’oto’o is leading the American Samoa wood carving contingent at the fest.

He stated that most of their carvings have already been shipped to Hawaii, except for a few which they are working on and they will finish during the festival.

The 43 year-old carver who hails from the village of Laulii is the Lead Carver for the American Samoa contingent to the festival, and is excited for the opportunity to showcase his labor of love and that of the other local carvers.

Also, he looks forward to the chance to share and exchange ideas and perspectives on traditional works of arts with carvers from other Pacific islands — in keeping with the theme of 2024 FestPAC — Regenerating Oceania.

There are a total of seven carvers in the American Samoa contingent which includes four from the Territorial Administration on Aging (TAOA) led by Maoa'e Ioane, and three from the American Samoa Arts Council.

"I believe that artists or those who possess the talent to produce works of art, whether it be painting, abstract art or carving, are chosen by God to work in this field and are given the responsibility of preserving their culture by producing works of art and teaching the young generation so that this part of their culture lives on," he said.

"The teaching part is actually the awakening and nurturing of the talent that lies within each budding artist's sub conscience, because just as there are musicians, athletes, doctors, lawyers, tattooists, etc, there are artists and carvers.

"The God-given talent or gift of carving exists as an inherent part of the carver's unconscious mind which has been dormant, manifesting in beautiful carvings and other works of art when one he or she is inspired.

"While the basics can be taught, only the real carver will progress in leaps and bounds creating high quality work because the skill that has been lying dormant for so long has been awakened by inspiration.

"Some carvers are inspired through the encouragement of their instructors while others by observing their older family members who have the skill, and they develop their own style."

Tile is the third of 11 children born to veteran Samoa News journalist /writer/ orator, the late Aeoainu'u Aleki Tuala-Tamaalelagi and the late Elisapeta Vaiaoga-Tuala-Tamaalelagi.

Head carver of the American Samoa contingent to the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture to be held in Hawaii on June 6-16, 2024, To'oto'o Tile Tuala-Tamaalelagi, with an 'umeke' (carved wooden bowl) which will be displayed at the festival. [photo: Asi A. Fa'asau]

He started his education at Laulii Elementary School, then continued at Fagaitua High School where he graduated in 1987. After graduation, the young man did not have any immediate plans or aspirations of what he wanted to do with his life.

After two years of staying at home, his concerned father who was worried he might follow the wrong crowd and end up doing drugs and alcohol, enrolled him at the Leulumoega Fou College School of Fine Arts, a secondary school owned and run by the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa.

He had noticed that his son was always drawing pictures in his school books when he was young, so he decided to enroll him at the LFC School of Fine Arts to nurture and develop his artistic attributes.

As it turned out, it was the best decision for the young man because he found his true calling there and his artistic talent awakened and blossomed under the guidance of the school's first director when it was established in 1987, Italian Maestro Ernesto Coter.

Coter produced the most promising young artists of Samoa by lecturing on the works of the Italian Masters of Art, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael, and abstract artists like Picasso, incorporating the essentiality of the unique elements of Samoan culture, made of animated things of water, air, forest and light.

The students first of all had to learn the history of art and the famous artists and their respective styles, then they started to learn the basics of the different disciplines of art like painting, carving, creation of murals and mosaics, abstract art, and so on.

"Coter introduced me to a world of kaleidoscopic beauty and wonder," the accomplished artist recalled. "He awakened, nurtured and developed the artistic talent which was in me, and I was like a sponge taking in all this knowledge hungrily."

When his Italian instructor retired and returned to Italy in 2003, he was in his final year and he studied under two of Coter's first students Pelenato Liufau and his wife Susana Fa'asau-Liufau.

After graduation, he stayed in Samoa for nearly six years with relatives and helped his older brother, Taulapapa Tivia and his wife Michelle establish a business specializing in the production of shirts and dresses with hand-printed traditional Samoan motifs, paintings and carvings.

“We started that business from scratch and it expanded into an operation that employed more than 50 staff members and three branches attracting both a local and international clientele,” he recounted.

The business proved to be very popular because of the uniquely Samoan flavor of its designs which were modeled in many fashion shows. Subsequently, Samoa Lokostyle is now an internationally renowned brand.

During the time he was with Samoa Lokostyle, he would occasionally visit his parents in American Samoa, and it was during one of his visits that he was bestowed the tulafale (orator) title To'oto'o from the Salanoa family in Laulii, of which his father was also a matai (chief).

In 2008, he returned to American Samoa in time for the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts and Festival where he showcased his carving skills by carving a large statue called ‘O le Ala I le Pule o le Tautua’ (The Path to Authority is Service) depicting various daily chores and responsibilities of untitled men.

The carving which stood upright at about eight feet in height was displayed in front of the old Jean P. Haydon Museum for some time, before it was removed when the new museum was under construction.

In the following years, he continued to ply his trade independently and his first major assignment as a certified artist was carving and decorating the pulpit of the CCCAS church in Vatia and decorating the wall behind the pulpit with the biggest mosaic on island.

As people started to notice the high quality of artistry in his work, he started to get more requests for his artistic works which included carvings, mosaic, murals and stained glass decorations that can be seen in the interior of churches in Laulii, Fagatogo, Utulei, Fagaalu and other villages.

To’oto’o paid tribute to local artists whose works inspired him, such as the late master carver Sven V. Ortquist who was awarded the Consortium for Pacific Arts and Cultures’ Heritage Award and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

“I wish I could have spent more time with him so I could learn his perspective on how he went about creating his artistic works,” he stated. “But he passed on not long after I returned home.”

Other renowned local artists who inspired him were the late Iosua To’afa who specialized in the abstract style of painting and Sauleone Ueligitone who painted in the traditional realistic style.

At present, To’oto’o works as a Program Artist at the American Samoa Arts Council and is responsible for promoting traditional art in its different disciplines, something which he enjoys doing with the young generations during summer breaks.

However, he stated that the time available to him is too short and is seriously thinking of starting a school of fine arts like the one where he was educated.

"The only challenge I face is the lack of capital to establish the school," he shared. "In Samoa, the Leulumoega Fou College School of Fine Arts was successful because it had the backing of the CCCS, the largest religious denomination in Samoa."

To'oto'o stated that he is researching if there are federal programs where he can apply for grants to help in establishing his school of fine arts.

"I owe it to the young generations of artists who don't know they have the talent," he said. "Nowadays, young people are so engrossed with social media that it is killing the creativity of their God-given talents slumbering in their subconscious."

He revealed, another option he is seriously considering is to submit a proposal to the Department of Education to include Fine Arts in the local school system, so that he can garner government support to secure all the resources he needs.

“We’re talking about producing skilled artists right here on-island because not every student will succeed academically, but they possess the artistic talent that can be nurtured and developed in an institution like this,” To’oto’o reasoned. “I personally think this is a very important initiative which the government should invest in, because it will be a guaranteed win-win scenario.”

He expressed his gratitude to his late father for putting him on the right path by enrolling him at the LFC School of Fine Arts where he realized his calling.

He credits his dad as the person who molded him to be the man he has become, always there for him and urging him to do something useful with his life.

"He always told me not to compare my work with others, but try to beat myself artistically if I was not satisfied with what I had produced," To'oto'o reminisced fondly. "I still remember those heart- to-heart talks and I have printed and framed all his words of wisdom and hung them on my wall."

Most of all, he thanked God for giving him the talent which he now uses to make a living.

“I always dedicate every piece of artwork I complete to the glory of God because He picked me to be an artist and gave me the talent,” he acknowledged. “I want to thank Him by nurturing and developing the talent He has given to the next generation of artists, so that they in turn will produce works of art for His glory.

“Also, I want to put a smile on the faces of the people of Amerika Samoa, Motu o Fiafiaga (Islands of Happiness) when they see the work these young artists can do," he declared.