Leala Pili
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Arts Council Teaches Traditional Arts
Executive Director for the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture, and Humanities Mrs. Leala Pili says that the annual summer program held at the Museum compound in Fagatogo is a good way of preserving our culture through educating our young people on the traditional way of living. |
Over 100 youngsters received a crash course in, among other things, traditional Samoan weaving and dancing during the nearly month-long 2007 Children’s Culture Maintenance Summer Program which was held at the Jean P. Hayden Museum in Fagatogo from July 2-27.
For more than three weeks, youngsters from across the territory experienced the art of making siapo (tapa), wood carving, Samoan dancing, elei processing, story telling, and singing.
Executive Director for the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture, and Humanities Mrs. Leala Pili said that the purpose of the annual summer program is to instill in our young people the traditions and cultures of the fa’a-Samoa.
“We want our children to know their roots so they can be proud of being Samoan,” she said. “Our goal is to educate them in the traditional arts as a way to preserve our culture.”
During the summer program, the children were exposed to carving wood, and story time included the sharing of folk tales and legends. The ultimate finale to officially close the program featured singing and dance numbers performed by the participants.
The youngsters were able to take with them the creations they made, in addition to lessons learned and fond memories.
The annual summer program is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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