Is Fale Samoa being turned into a Fale Afakasi?

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — This Samoa News photo last Friday, shows construction being carried out by the Department of Public Works crew for a covered extension in front of the Fale Samoa at Suigaula o le Atuvasa at Utulei.  Public Works director Faleosina Voigt told a House committee last week that the extension is to accommodate entertainment and other functions.

However, Sen. Satele Galu Satele Sr. is not pleased with the extension, telling his colleagues — also last week — that it shouldn’t be called a Fale Samoa but a ”fale-afakasi”. He says there shouldn’t be any extension to the Fale, which is used for ava ceremonies and other special events.

He said a Samoan fale, a traditional guest house, is a stand-alone structure with no extension.