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American Samoa Government - PR001-04022025
Posted: April 2, 2025
Upu Tomua; O le Gagana Samoa o lo tatou Tofi mai le Atua, ole Measina tatou te mitamita ai.
Ua Fa‘alauiloa e le Kovana Pulaali‘i ma le Lutena Kovana Pulumataala
le Masina o le Gagana Samoa.
Na tatala aloa’iaina le vaiaso o le fa’atāuaina o le Gagana Samoa i se sauniga sa fa’ataunu’uina i le Malumalu EFKAS “O le Ki o le Malo ole Lagi” i le Afioaga i Fagatogo, i le aso 30 o Mati, 2025. Ona o le Poloaiga Fa’alau’aitele a lana Afioga le Kovana Sili Pula’alii Nikolao Pula, fa’apea le Afioga le Kovana Lutena ia Pulumata’ala Ae Ae Jr, ua avea ai le masina o Mati e fa’amamaluina ai le Gagana Samoa. Na ta’ita’ia lenei Sauniga e le Susuga le fa’afeagaiga Iasepi Ulu, fa’apea le lagolagosua a le tausi Matagaluega Tupea Seumanu ma le Susuga le Toeaina Fa’amao Asalele.
Sa auai foi le Afioga le Peresetene o le Senate, le Afioga ia Tuaolo Manaia Fruean, fa’apea le Sui Fofoga Fetalai, le Afioga ia Fetu Fetui Jr ma nisi o sui o le Fono, sui o Ekalesia, fa’apea le Kapeneta, ma le mamalu o le atunu’u.
Na saunoa le Afioga a le Kovana Sili i le fa’atāuaina ma le taofi mauina o le Gagana auā o lo tatou Tofi lea mai le Atua, e puipui ai la tatou aganu’u ma le aga i fanua. Na saunoa foi lana Afioga le Kovana, afai e mou atu le gagana, ua fa’apena ona mou atu fo’i o tatou so’otaga o faiā ma gafa ō a’iga. O le mea lea e ao ona u’umau ma fa’atāuaina ai le tatou gagana, auā e le mo i tatou a e fa’asili lava mo tupulaga mo ā taeao. Na ia saunoa ma toe tepa i le tāua fo’i i le taimi o lona talavou ma ia fa’amanatu mai ai nisi o meatāua na tutupu ai.
I le si’ui o lana saunoaga sa ia fa’amanatu o tatou matāfai’oi i a’iga ma le atunu’u ina ia taofi mau, ma ia tausisia pea la tatou Gagana, auā e malu i o tatou lima.
Sa maua foi le avanoa e saunoa ai le Komesina o le
Gagana Samoa, le faletua ia Elisapeta Tu’upo Alamaleata, ma ia fa’ailoa ai lona agaga fa’agae’etia e talia lenei tofiga a le Kovana, ‘atoa ai ma lona fia auauna mo lona atunu’u ma ona tagata. Sa ia a’oa’oina foi lenei mataupu mo le silia ile 20 tausaga talu ai i atunu’u mamao. Na faailoa foi e le Komesina o le Gagana Samoa, ua ‘atofaina le vaiaso atoa mo porokalama eseese ua fa’atulagaina e fa’amamaluina ai le tāua o le Gagana Samoa i Amerika Samoa.
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Governor Pulaali’i and Lieutenant Governor Pulumataala Proclaim Samoan Language Month
PAGO PAGO, AS—Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula and Lieutenant Governor Pulumataala Ae Ae Jr. have officially declared March as Samoan Language Month, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to preserving and promoting the Samoan language.
The Governor’s Office Samoan Language Commission hosted a commemorative church service on Sunday, March 20, 2025, at the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa (CCCAS) in Fagatogo. Reverend Iasepi Ulu led the service, with Reverend Tupea Seumanu delivering the benediction and Reverend Elder Dr. Fa’amao Asalele offering the opening prayer.
The service was attended by Governor Pulaali’i, Lieutenant Governor Pulumataala, Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean, members of the Fono, church leaders, cabinet members, and the general public. Reverend Iasepi urged families and leaders to take responsibility for teaching the Samoan language to younger generations, emphasizing its role in cultural identity and faith.
In his keynote address, Governor Pulaali’i stressed the importance of language in preserving identity and heritage. “If we lose our language, we lose our connection to our families, our culture, and ourselves. It is our duty to safeguard and pass it down as a sacred gift from our Heavenly Father,” he stated. Reflecting on his upbringing, the Governor credited Bible reading as a key factor in strengthening his Samoan fluency.
Newly appointed Director of the Samoan Language Commission, Mrs. Elisapeta Tuupo-Alaimaleata, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead this vital initiative. A longtime advocate for Samoan language education, she highlighted its inclusion in institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and the University of Hawaii. She emphasized the Commission’s goal of increasing daily Samoan language use in homes and communities, citing past research
showing only 67% of local residents use the language daily. Updated research and new programs will be implemented to improve these numbers.
Samoan Language Month will feature a week-long program, including Authors Day, school visits, Samoan language classes, and panel discussions.
For more information, contact the Samoan Language Commission at the Lumana’i Building (Fagatogo) at +684 633-7526.
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