By Floris Niu, Initiative Creator/Cocoa Farmer for Ms Sunshine Organic Farms

Samoa’s first Women’s Farming Calendar, featuring 12 cocoa and mixed-crop growers, their stories, and the attempt to revive traditional or organic farming practices, at grassroots level.

Farming by the Moon:

The ancients observed how the moon affected the tides and by tracking it alongside the sun, they developed calendars to predict agricultural rhythms. The sun was the life giving force, but the moon played an important role in predicting rainfall.

Polynesians understood and moved with the Moon as it proved to them that everything is connected. They followed the Moon phases to plant certain crops and to fish in particular ways or at a particular time, to prevent over fishing. 

They thrived under the guidance of the Moon’s harmony with the rest of Nature and existence.…more

Round 1 of the NFL Draft kicked off earlier this evening with the 86th annual meeting of NFL franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2021 season.

There were 2x Top 10 Draft picks of Pacific Islands heritage.

Zach Kapono Wilson who is of Native Hawaiian heritage and Penei Sewell who was born and raised in American Samoa.

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Similar to Hawaiian born Marcus Mariota who is of Samoan heritage, Zach was picked by the New York Jets 2nd overall in the 2021 draft! 

Wilson played in 30 career games for BYU with 28 starts and is the youngest freshman quarterback to ever start for the Cougars.  In 2020 he earned Pro Football Focus All-America Second Team, Phil Steele All-America honorable mention, Co-Polynesian College Football Player of the Year and finished No. 8 in the Heisman Trophy voting.

He is one of six siblings and grew up in Utah.  His first love wasn't football but basketball and for most of his youth his father took him to basketball tournaments around the US.…more

By Meli Tulewa 

Bula Vinaka. I am Meli Tulewa, a former Flight attendant with Fiji Airways.

When I was young, whenever Fiji Airways was hiring Flight attendants, one of my friends would bring the news and we would then share our exciting dreams of becoming flight attendants and create our own happiness with imagination.

Many people who knew me always thought that this was impossible because I was born with a medical condition or birth defect called congenital talipes equinovarus (commonly known as ‘clubfoot’) on my right foot which could result in me walking on the side of my foot. Thanks to my mother, Kelera Tulewa who raised me single-handed, she decided to put me up for surgery while I was only 8 months old. Since then, I walked without any issue even though my right leg was slightly thinner than my left leg. Growing up, I never liked to highlight or tell people about my condition unless they see it for themselves and ask me. I grew up being laughed at and people even made fun of my leg.…more

By Vaai Nah Folasa

As I have written before, there are a number of lessons arising from our recent general election.

The OEC has done an amazing job in accommodating special voters, counting and re-checking every individual vote and has done so professionally, with thoroughness and efficiency. But can we make the process more efficient? Are there areas needing further reform? Here are a few ideas.

1. Voting does not decide the winner.  In the lead up to the election there were numerous changes to the electoral system, to constituency boundaries and even to eligibility criteria. Voters were made to register for their appropriate seat and new electoral rolls finalized. Yet in spite of all these changes to close loop-holes why is it that the Court becomes the final arbiter?

2. Bribery - The Art of Giving and Taking.  Even before the final votes were tallied both parties were jostling to lodge challenges of bribery and treating. Knowledge of this appears to be wide spread and even acceptable to some degree.…more

By RNZ Pacific Correspondent in Tokelau, Elena Pasilio

In the remote Tokelau atolls, where the culture is family oriented, everyone plays a role in looking after the community through traditions like Faiva Fakamua.

Faiva Fakamua is a Tokelauan fishing quest. Village fishermen set out together in search of a catch for their whole community to share. Any fish caught are distributed, via the unique inati system, amongst all the villagers. The Faiva Fakamua tradition sees the men and boys of the island, the lima malohi o te fenua (strength of the land), combine their efforts to feed the village from their catch. This longstanding tradition has been preserved through generations by the elders, and is considered an important part of Tokelauan culture.

Lui Tumua, 31, who was raised in Nukunonu, will bring up his son with these traditions the same way he was. "Each family has their own fishing methods and traditional knowledge, passed down from their forefathers.…more

By Vaai Nah Folasa

More than a week after the general election and Samoa is no closer to knowing who will govern us for the next 5 years.  Last night it was announced that an additional seat would be added to Parliament to meet Samoa's minimum quota for female candidates. An HRPP candidate had been appointed to make up the apparent shortfall.  This morning Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio (pictured above - photo credit Samoa Observer) announced his decision to join the FAST party which means there's still a 26/26 tie.

The OEC has done an amazing job in accommodating special voters, counting and re-checking every individual vote and has done so with thoroughness and efficiency. But still there is no outright winner.

So at this point, what do we know?

1. The electoral process remains faulty. In the lead up to the election there were numerous changes to the electoral system, to constituency boundaries and even to eligibility criteria.…more

Samoan Panthers Panthers boys Brian To'o, Jarome Luai & Stephen Crichton have a go at performing one of Boyz II Men's hit classics in this hilarious lipsync video. 

They then have a go at singing the song live on NRL Live after they took on the Broncos on Saturday night.

By Va'ai Nah Folasa

Samoa's 2021 will go down in history as a true game changer.

The official results have the two major parties each with 25 seats and an Independent candidate may yet hold the balance of power.

It is expected that there will be a flurry of legal challenges. Leaders of both parties have indicated this. Ultimately it will be the Court who is the final arbiter.
Regardless of the final tally, Samoa's political landscape has changed forever.

It is clear that after some 40 years in power the HRPP no longer have ultimate and unfettered control in parliament.  Whether voters were expressing outright dissatisfaction or whether they just believed it was time for a change remains to be seen.

It is also evident that Samoa is more than happy to be led by a woman. Fiame Naomi Mataafa held her seat at Lotofaga uncontested and went on to become leader of  the new FAST party.…more

LUCY MATA'UTIA JARRARD

Competitive Surfer 

Samoan / French 

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My name is Lucy Mata’utia Jarrard. I’m a 19 year old competitive surfer from Carlsbad, California, but currently live in Oahu, Hawaii. In addition to my passion for surfing, I also enjoy activities such as hiking, skating, and sewing.  My pacific heritage is Samoan and French. My mother is Samoan while my father is French. 

You're the first Samoan female surfer to represent American Samoa Surfing Association - tell us how you got into surfing and how long you've been competing for.

I originally come from a water family, so all of our weekends and days off were spent together at the beach surfing and hanging out. It’s funny though because I actually didn’t even really like the beach. I think I was about three when I first started surfing, but I didn’t start enjoying it until I was about eight. My first contest was a Volcom series at about nine.…more