A visit to the newly renovated Jean P. Haydon Museum in Fagatogo

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “Fa’alavelave” na tusia e Sau Ueligitone. O se ata lea e sili ona taua i le soifuaga o tagata Samoa aua ua va’aia ai mea uma sao ma foliga va’aia o lea upu o le “fa’alavelave” faaleaiga Samoa. Maimoaina i le fale mata’aga i Fagatogo.

A painting titled “Faalavelave” by local artist Sau Ueligitone hangs in the Jean P. Haydon Museum art gallery in Fagatogo depicting the lifestyle of a Samoan — which centers around the fa’alavelave, a Samoan cultural event that involves the ceremonial giving of gifts, such as money, food, materials, and fine mats.

In this painting, the artist reportedly said he wanted to record the affect of the faalavelave on our daily lives — where we are seemingly the ‘puppet’s of our chiefs/ matai — who insist we give without thought to what we can afford, for the glory of ‘aiga’ — the family.

O le afioga Mulitauaopele Tamotu mai le afio’aga o Laulii, o le ata na valia e Patrick. Matagofie le taleni, ma e maimoaina i le Fale Mata’aga o Amerika Samoa i Fagatogo. [ata: Leua Aiono Frost]

Le afioga Tuimanu’a Elisara, le ata ua mae’a fa’alauiloaina mo maimoaga i le Fale Mata’aga o Amerika Samoa i Fagatogo. [ata: Leua Aiono Frost]

Larger view of “Faalavelave” by local artist Sau Ueligitone [photo: Leua Aiono Frost]