Me, Myself, Matai
It turns out that receiving a chief title, becoming a matai, is a much bigger deal than I thought. If you do not inherit your title, it...
That's Gratitude for Ya
Happy post-Easter. Here in Samoa it’s an all-weekend holiday of church-going and pageants by the children. Friday, Saturday, Sunday,...
Bump, Set, Samoa
So the guys tell me they love to play volleyball. I’ve played some myself, so I think maybe I’ll join them in a pick up game. The court...
Canoe Collage
An unexpected benefit of the project is that the older craftsmen are able to teach all the skills necessary to the next entire...
Nestle's Quick, Samoa Slow
Hankering for a cup of hot chocolate? Grab a can from the shelf and scoop out some powder and add water? Not so fast, American—like...
Samoa Update
All trees chopped down and moved to the finishing area in the village. (Canoe total: 16) Six canoes finished, awaiting outriggers and...
Surviving a Day at the Beach is no Picnic
One day, Tavae asks me if I want to go to “survivor’s beach.” Of course, I don’t understand what he’s talking about, because one: I...
Delivering the Fishing Kits
Salea’a’umau village. When we think of fishing we usually imagine someone casting a line into the water and reeling in their catch. ...
Samoa, Matafa'a Update
Matafa’a canoe project update: All but one tree chopped down and moved to the finishing area in the village. (Canoe total: 16) One tree...
Day of Rest : Sunday in Matafa'a
The incredible experiences are piling up so fast I can’t write about one without the next one happening and clouding the details of the...
Cock-a-doodle-snooze
Matafaa, Samoa If you’ve ever spent any time in a rural area like this, or on a farm, you know that the romantic notion of a single...
Stalking Big Game
Matafaa, Samoa, 3-24-12 what you can't see in this picture is that it is pounding rain! Finding a big tree to turn into a canoe is like...
The Miracle of the Multiplying Fishing Nets
Salea’a’umua, Samoa, 3-16-12 Meeting up with Nanai from the Community Centered Sustainable Development Project (CCSDP) to visit the...
Chief Drop In
Matafaa, Samoa The other night I was sleeping—early, admittedly, about 9 p.m.—when the door opens and in comes the high chief, the man...
Umu Day
It’s hard to put into words, so much was going on when I arrived at Tuilagi’s house for umu—the traditional meal cooked in a pile of hot...
Got Machete?
The morning light creeps down the steep verdant hills behind the village as the sun rises in the east. Already, I can hear the sound of...
