Regional
Apia, SAMOA — Peace Corps celebrates 50 years since volunteers from the United States of America first came to Samoa. According to information gathered from the US Embassy, the first Peace Corps came to Samoa in 1967 and one of the first tasks was to assist with recovery efforts in the wake of a...
![St Peter's College Samoan Polyfest group members Abe Golds-Uili (left), William Morrison, Eddie Tongalahi, and Caerwyn Tomuli Liuliu-Afoa. [Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_fiafia2.jpeg?itok=zvJQ1pHz "St Peter's College Samoan Polyfest group members Abe Golds-Uili (left), William Morrison, Eddie Tongalahi, and Caerwyn Tomuli Liuliu-Afoa. [Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou]")
Samoan students at an Auckland boys school who do not speak the language are using Polyfest to reconnect with their culture.
Polyfest - the largest secondary school Māori and Pacific cultural festival - began last week in Auckland.
The St Peters College Samoan group were self-tutored last year and...
![Downtown Apia, Samoa [Photo: RNZI/Sally Round]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_0000.jpeg?itok=OLd3Rr7K "Downtown Apia, Samoa [Photo: RNZI/Sally Round]")
A new study shows that the return migration of troubled young men back to Samoa to help turn their lives around does more damage than good.
Gisa Dr Moses Faleolo interviewed 25 men aged between 16 and 24 who were sent back to Samoa in an attempt to separate them from gang life in South Auckland New...
![Leaders from around the Pacific met in Fiji on Friday ahead of an international oceans conference in June. [Photo: Supplied / Government of French Polynesia]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_FullSizeRender_%282%29.jpeg?itok=eWeOpNN9 "Leaders from around the Pacific met in Fiji on Friday ahead of an international oceans conference in June. [Photo: Supplied / Government of French Polynesia]")
Pacific Island leaders have agreed to form a united front at a major United Nations oceans conference later this year.
Fiji's prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, hosted the meeting on Friday as his country prepares to take the presidency of the conference along with Sweden.
He told the gathering...
There is so much in Samoan culture that is rich, that has made me who I am. I love our storytelling and the humour in every situation. Samoans can have serious discussions and someone will make a crazy joke, and everyone gets it, regardless of age. At every 21st someone will do the Siva Samoa (...
![In this Samoa News file photo, former Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs of the Department of Interior, Esther Kia’aina delivered the keynote address of the 2016 Flag Day. [Photo: JL]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Estherweb.jpg?itok=FbA2UHFK "In this Samoa News file photo, former Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs of the Department of Interior, Esther Kia’aina delivered the keynote address of the 2016 Flag Day. [Photo: JL]")
Esther Kia’aina had formally resigned as Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas to give the Trump administration a free hand in appointing the new person to head one of the divisions under the U.S. Department of the Interior.
OIA director Nikolao Pula of American Samoa, according to the DOI website...
![Hong Kong Police oversaw Indonesian domestic workers protesting against working conditions, agent fees in an organized demonstration in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. [Photo: Barry Markowitz]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/Cool%20Stuff%20police.jpg?itok=vYdEA2o5 "Hong Kong Police oversaw Indonesian domestic workers protesting against working conditions, agent fees in an organized demonstration in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. [Photo: Barry Markowitz]")
Recently on Mark Walter's AAR national radio program, Cool Stuff saluted the host for his political astuteness in predicting Trump's election and Electoral College results. Mark appreciated that particularly because he knew I preferred other candidates (yup, Cool Stuff ate crow live on air).
Cool...
![Legendary artist George "FIJI" Veikoso performed with other Polynesian artists — his "usos" — in celebration of Bluesky 4G Plus that was launched last week in Samoa. FIJI and other artists brought the house down and proved to sound just as good as he does on his albums. Bluesky American Samoa is hosting Spawnbreezie’s Concert, which will include a laser light show at the Fagatogo Pavilion on Saturday, Mar. 25. [photo: Ese Malala]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/fiji-2222.jpg?itok=X1Oenx7E "Legendary artist George \"FIJI\" Veikoso performed with other Polynesian artists — his \"usos\" — in celebration of Bluesky 4G Plus that was launched last week in Samoa. FIJI and other artists brought the house down and proved to sound just as good as he does on his albums. Bluesky American Samoa is hosting Spawnbreezie’s Concert, which will include a laser light show at the Fagatogo Pavilion on Saturday, Mar. 25. [photo: Ese Malala]")
Last week Friday night in front of the Government building in Apia, Samoa was where families, friends and fans gathered to celebrate the Bluesky 4G Plus launch, which hosted a free concert with the legendary George “FIJI” Veikoso.
“We are so happy we got to host this concert because the 4G plus...
![During a dive on sonar anomalies suspected to be a shipwreck, the Deep Discoverer remotely operated vehicle instead discovered the remnants of asphalt volcanoes, or “tar lilies.” Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Okeanos Explorer Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition. [NOAA]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/d2-lily-600_0.jpeg?itok=ApSIL2X2 "During a dive on sonar anomalies suspected to be a shipwreck, the Deep Discoverer remotely operated vehicle instead discovered the remnants of asphalt volcanoes, or “tar lilies.” Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Okeanos Explorer Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition. [NOAA]")
NOAA WELCOMES STUDENTS ON BOARD
Apia, SAMOA — Students in Samoa met scientists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) who were at the Apia Harbor as part of a joint deep-water research mission between America and Independent Samoa. Last Friday, science students from...
![Former American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin was laid to rest at the Provo Cemetery in Provo Utah on Sunday with full military honours for the Vietnam War veteran. [Photo: Leafaina Tavai Yahn]](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/eight_col_eni11web.jpg?itok=FJStpxOQ "Former American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin was laid to rest at the Provo Cemetery in Provo Utah on Sunday with full military honours for the Vietnam War veteran. [Photo: Leafaina Tavai Yahn]")
Former American Samoa Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin was laid to rest at the Provo Cemetery in Provo Utah over the weekend with full military honours for the Vietnam War veteran.
There was a gun salute and honour guard and a flag of the US which draped Faleomavaega's oak coffin was presented...