"E Iloa Oe I Lau Gagana"—"Your Language Defines You."

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Last Friday, the Samoan Studies Institute (SSI) at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) celebrated the successful completion of a three-year initiative designed to increase reading, thinking, and writing skills in the Samoan language. The project also aimed to increase publications in fa'a-Samoa, ensuring the preservation of Samoan cultural and linguistic heritage.

The program, titled "E Iloa Oe I Lau Gagana"—which translates to, "Your Language Defines You"—was supported by funding from the U.S. Administration for Native Americans (ANA). ANA focuses on empowering Native communities through efforts in areas like language preservation, cultural revitalization, and economic development.

According to SSI Director Aiono Okenaisa Fauolo, the project's title stems from the fact that language is one of the cultural traits that forms a human culture. Language is a vital part of one's identity and origination. It's tone and usage has profound definition of one's character, which is why language is very important in the Samoan culture.

In an exclusive interview, Project Outreach Coordinator Falefata Moli Lemana highlighted a significant cultural insight regarding the interactions of young, unmarried individuals with elder members of their community.

“When young people engage in conversation with village matai (chiefs), pastors, or other respected elders, the language they choose and the manner in which they express themselves serve as a reflection not only of their own character, but also of the values and upbringing instilled by their parents and family elders,” Falefata emphasized.

This is aptly illustrated by the Samoan proverb, "E Iloa Oe I Lau Gagana"—"Your Language Defines You."

To achieve the project's objectives, the SSI outreach team, through a Memorandum of Understanding, organized workshops and writing competitions across six community sites. These included the Methodist Church in Futiga, CCCS Ierusalema Fou in Tafuna, LDS Church in Aunu'u, Catholic Parish of Fatuoaiga, CCCAS in Nu'uuli, and CCCAS in Taputimu.

The workshops centered around four key areas: Oral Traditions, Creative Writing, Poetry, and Cultural Art. The project was implemented over three years starting in 2021, at two community sites each year, fostering cultural preservation and creative expression within the participating communities.

Falefata reflected on the project's progress, noting that it had been advancing smoothly until the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The lockdown measures enforced in the Territory caused significant delays in their efforts.

He lamented over the devastating toll the pandemic took on the community, with 34 lives lost to the virus. Many of the victims were elderly, whose invaluable wisdom and irreplaceable presence left a profound void.

Falefata emphasized that the funding provided by the U.S. Administration for Native Americans (ANA) was instrumental in bringing the project to life, fueling the initiative to preserve histories. In light of the significant loss of elders during the pandemic, SSI made the pivotal decision to document and capture the stories of elders from the six community sites they collaborated with.

He reflected on the challenges posed by the lockdown measures, which disrupted the original schedule of workshops and forced them to be postponed. Although many of the workshops were well attended, the submission of work from participants was less consistent than anticipated.

Furthermore, some participants perceived the workshop activities as additional burdens rather than opportunities for growth. Others struggled with fully expressing themselves in the Samoan language, adding an additional layer of difficulty to the project’s goals.

Fortunately, he shared that the success stories far outweighed the challenges, and SSI successfully achieved the project's objectives. He applauded the participants for producing outstanding work across the four categories of competition, highlighting their dedication and creativity.

Falefata revealed that the original plan had been to publish two books at the conclusion of the project. However, SSI surpassed expectations by publishing and launching collections featuring at least 20 selected entries per category that were deemed valuable. Among these entries, the works of the three overall winners from each of the four categories were prominently showcased.

The ceremony held last Friday began with opening remarks and a prayer delivered by Rev. Iasepi Ulu of the CCCAS Fagatogo, who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the ASCC Board of Directors.

SSI Director Aiono Okenaisa Fauolo addressed the audience, which included parents, relatives, and friends of the participants. In her speech, she emphasized the project's critical role in preserving the Samoan language for future generations, ensuring it withstands the test of time. She further encouraged the teaching of Samoan in both its spoken and written forms to younger generations to uphold the language’s legacy.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of prizes to the top three winners in each of the four competition categories, with ASCC President Dr. Rosevonne Pato bestowing the honors.

The ceremony also coincided with the conclusion of Samoan Language Month, a vibrant celebration aimed at promoting and honoring the Samoan language, officially recognized as the second language of instruction by law.

Throughout last month, schools across the Territory engaged in a variety of activities organized by the American Samoa Government, showcasing the rich heritage and cultural significance of the Samoan language.

ASCC President Dr. Rosevonne Pato (seated far left) and SSI Director Aiono Okenaisa Fauolo (seated beside her) joined the winners of the four categories from the three-year program, "E Iloa Oe I Lau Gagana," for a group photo following their prize-giving ceremony last Friday. The program, funded by the U.S. Administration for Native Americans, celebrated its successful efforts in promoting the preservation of the Samoan language and culture. [photo: Asi A. Fa'asau]