Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Junior and Senior students of South Pacific Academy experienced hands-on activities, at Le Faleoo Samoan Cultural Center recently, to celebrate and experience the Samoan culture in an environment touted as American Samoa’s only “living museum” — located in Mapusaga Fou.

SPA students were first to use the venue for a school field trip.

Hands-on activities included siapo making, weaving mailo, baskets and Samoan hats using the launiu (coconut fronds), and also learning the history behind the Samoan Ie toga, while it was being woven.

Part of the event also included preparing everything for an umu and then the students got to eat it after it was cooked. They ate taro, banana, palusami, faiai pilikaki, chicken — and it was delicious!!

Junior and Senior students of South Pacific Academy experienced hands-on activities, at Le Faleoo Samoan Cultural Center recently, to celebrate and experience the Samoan culture in an environment touted as American Samoa’s only “living museum” — located in Mapusaga Fou. The event also included umu preparations and then the students got to eat it after it was cooked. They ate taro, banana, palusami, faiai pilikaki, chicken — and it was delicious!!  [Courtesy photo]

They enjoyed it very much and the most important thing they learned from the field trip was appreciating the Samoan way of life. They were proud of how Samoans use natural resources to prepare food and live life. For example cracking the coconut with rocks was used, even though nowadays a machete is usually used.

Also Samoans didn't use foam cups or bowls to eat their food on. They cleaned and washed banana leaves and placed them on a mailo woven from launiu to serve food. It's amazing how Samoans used everything from God’s creation to make things.

Another highlight of the South Pacific Academy Junior and Senior field trip to Le Faleo’o Samoan Cultural Center, according to their teacher, Ms. Maryann Toilolo-Mikaele, was the hands-on experience of weaving mailo, baskets and Samoan hats using the launiu (coconut frond). [Courtesy photo]

Some students have received umu from their neighbors and they never knew how much work it took to make an umu, so now they appreciate their neighbors even more when they bring an umu to their house.

Junior and Senior students of South Pacific Academy experienced hands-on activities, at Le Faleoo Samoan Cultural Center recently, to celebrate and experience the Samoan culture in an environment touted as American Samoa’s only “living museum” — located in Mapusaga Fou. The field trip also included umu preparations. [Courtesy photo]

Ms. Maryann Toilolo-Mikaele’s students fellowshipped with the Center’s workers especially the old ladies that showed them how to make an ie toga. They got to get out of the classroom and learn in a safe and Samoan environment at the Cultural Center.

The owners, Mr and Mrs Tuinei, together with their Staff were very friendly, humble, and helpful.

We were the first school to take a field trip to the Cultural Center and we came back with so much positive energy from the experience and full of memories that will last for a long time.

I want to thank our Principal Mrs. Kathy Fitisone for allowing me to take my Juniors and Seniors to Le Faleoo Samoan Cultural Center, and my students’ parents for giving permission to take my students and trusting me with them.

I wanted to also thank the Center for having us and for the great and wonderful hands-on learning experience that they were able to provide my students.

One of the highlights of the South Pacific Academy Juniors’ and Seniors’ field trip to Le Faleo’o Samoan Cultural Center, was the fellowship with the Center’s workers especially the ladies that showed them how to make an ie toga. They got to get out of the classroom and learn in a safe, as well as Samoan environment at the Center. [Courtesy photo]

The Samoan way of life is our kids environment everyday. They are surrounded with the culture they will not learn or appreciate unfortunately if we don’t teach them about it.

The cultural center is a fantastic resource for a Samoan teacher like myself who wants her students to learn as much as they can about the Samoan culture.