Samoan artist Abcde Tupa'i creates bilingual colouring book to keep Tutuila legends alive

Inspired by stories her younger cousins had never heard, American Samoan artist Abcde Tupa'i has turned her love of art and culture into a bilingual children's book celebrating the legends of Tutuila.

What began as afternoons spent colouring and sharing stories with her younger cousins has grown into a published book designed to help keep Samoan oral traditions alive for the next generation.

Legends of Tutuila: Fun Storytelling Coloring Book brings three traditional legends from American Samoa to life through illustrations, storytelling and English and Samoan text, giving children an opportunity to learn about their heritage while enjoying a hands-on creative activity.

The idea came to Abcde in 2022, when she was completing her final classes in Art and Samoan at American Samoa Community College. The classes reignited a passion for art and Samoan stories that she had lost touch with.

She began painting again, eventually having her work featured in Pasefika Presence, a magazine created by Gabrielle Langkilde. Her artwork was also accepted into the Moso'oi Festival in American Samoa, where she sold her first-ever piece.

But it was time spent with her younger family members that sparked the idea for the book.

“As the eldest cousin in a large family, I shared the Samoan legends I grew up hearing while we spent time together coloring and drawing. I realized that many of them had never heard these stories before,” she said.

That realisation led her to consider how many other Samoan children might be growing up without hearing the stories traditionally passed down through families and communities.

With technology playing an increasingly prominent role in children's lives, she wanted to create a resource that could help families reconnect with those traditions.

The result is a colouring and read-along book that brings together three legends connected to Tutuila: Matafao and Pioa, Sina and Mumua, and Fatu and Futi.

The stories were chosen for their connection to American Samoa and the opportunity they provide for children to learn about the places, culture and heritage around them.

One example is Fatu ma Futi, two well-known mountain formations in American Samoa. By connecting the legend to recognisable landmarks, the book encourages children to see the stories reflected in the world around them.

Each legend is accompanied by illustrations children can colour, with the corresponding part of the story presented in both English and Samoan.

The bilingual format was an important part of the project, particularly for Samoan children growing up overseas who may have fewer opportunities to hear or practise their language.

“I wanted the book to reach Samoan children in Samoa and around the world,” she said.

“For children who may not have the same opportunities to hear or practice the samoan language, the book offers a simple way to engage with the language while still understanding the legends through English.”

The development process involved researching different versions of the legends, adapting the stories for young readers, creating illustrations and working through the book's design and translations.

Abcde was also mindful of the way traditional stories can differ depending on who tells them and how they have been passed down.

The versions featured in the book reflect the stories she learned and researched, with support from her parents on the Samoan translations.

Her own connection to the legends stretches back to her school days. One person who played an important role in introducing her to the stories was Mrs Ulu Fuimaono, her Year 7 and 8 teacher at Pago Elementary School.

Years after first encountering the legends in the classroom, she has now created a resource that gives another generation the opportunity to learn about them.

“In a way, it feels like a full-circle moment,” she said.

For Abcde, preserving these traditions means ensuring they remain part of everyday family life, rather than becoming stories children only encounter much later in life, if at all.

“A book can't replace oral storytelling, but it can become another tool that helps keep those stories alive and gives families a reason to sit down, read, color, and talk about them together.”

She hopes the book will also encourage families to explore other Samoan legends, including stories that may be less widely known.

While the cultural purpose of the project is central, the journey to publication has also been a lesson in perseverance.

Abcde began with no experience as an author, businesswoman or digital artist, and without the funding she initially hoped to secure. After applying for a grant and being rejected, she continued working with the time and resources available to her.

Alongside the project, she was balancing cosmetology school, online college courses and work while teaching herself how to write and design a book.

“There were doubts, rejection, late nights, mistakes, and a lot of learning along the way but eventually, here we are,” she said.

“What started with me sitting with my younger cousins, coloring and telling them stories, eventually became a published bilingual coloring and read-along book.”

She hopes her experience will encourage other young people and aspiring artists to pursue their ideas, even when they do not have all the skills or resources at the beginning.

“You don't have to start with experience or have everything figured out. Sometimes you start with an idea and are willing to learn along the way.”

Legends of Tutuila: Fun Storytelling Coloring Book is currently available as a paperback through Amazon. Abcde is also working towards making the book accessible to more children through community partnerships, schools, libraries and outreach opportunities.

For her, the ultimate goal is to ensure the legends she grew up hearing continue to be shared with children who will carry them into the future.

“The book's bigger purpose is to create something children can enjoy while helping keep Samoan stories and oral traditions alive for the next generation.”