In the midst of a bustling and exciting New Year City in 1964 was a group of 30 teenage student dancers from the High School of American Samoa, who were there to perform at the Polynesian Pavilion located on the grounds of the New York World’s Fair.

According to various online information, the Fair ran from Apr. 22 – Oct. 18, 1964, and then again in 1965.  The American Samoa delegation, with six chaperones, were in New York for the fair in 1964.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the world’s most speculator fair in those days. For the local students it was something truly different especially when it came to television in New York. Stories printed in newspaper clippings were kept by some members of the group — along with photos they took — were on display more than a year ago at the Jean P. Hayden Museum, where the delegation’s trip to New York was featured.

“We have an album of the American Samoa delegation visit to the fair,” said Rexx Yandall with the museum. “We have it available for those wanting to look at IT. Once in a while, we have a person who comes in to say that their grandmother or grandfather attended the Fair and they wanted to look at the album.”

One student who traveled with the group as a dancer later became the governor of American Samoa — Talalelei A. Tulafono. The photo shows Tulafono (now former governor Togiola T.A. Tulafono) holding two fire knives.

With this year being the 50th anniversary, which has also been covered by news media across the country, Mary Chanel — who was an 18-year old student and dancer in the American Samoa delegation — wanted people to know about their trip and the information available at the museum.

A newspaper clipping, which was provided by Chanel to Samoa News, as well as a letter about the local participation in the New York fair, describes her as a pretty 18-year old with waist length dark hair.

The newspaper (whose name was not identified on the clipping) reported that the students were getting their first taste of television and according to their American-educated chaperone, Mrs. Meri Betham, reacted normally.

The group was staying at the Jamaica Estates mansion, until they started performing at the Fair’s Polynesian Pavilion.

The newspaper says chilly April nights, and not New York’s hustle and bustle, was the most unsettling aspect of the students’ stay. They brought with them bulky sweaters as the winds whipped up and the temperature dropped below 40 degrees.

“The kids were prepared,” Mrs. Betham is quoted as saying. “And our diet really isn’t so much different than the average American. We eat a little more fish perhaps.” (Samoa News should point out that Mrs. Betham later became a local Education Department director).

According to the newspaper story, television was the center of activity for the students, who picked-apart the TV series, ‘Adventures in Paradise’ with Chanel saying that the show is “pretty phony in some places but I like it best of anything.”

Another student, 17-year old Vaimoa Tauilili added, “Most of the scenes look like they were shot in Hawai’i.”

Even the news wire service United Press International (UPI), sent out an international news dispatch when the group arrived in New York, saying that the group had arrived at Kennedy Airport with “lightweight lava-lava costumes”. The UPI dispatch is also included in the museum album.

(See Chanel’s letter to Samoa News published in the Letter to the Editor section of today’s edition).