Today we’d like to introduce you to Chief Samoa Tiupita Leiataua.
Hi Chief Samoa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The Samoan Flag Day has been in existence in the city of Carson, CA for 48 years. The end of 2017 is the year the torch was passed over to Chief Samoa Tiupita Leiataua with Samoa Ua Tasi from Chief Pele Faletogo and the Samoan Federation of America after their last flag day. Chief Pele and the Samoan Federation of America served the Samoan community diligently for 32 years. 2018 was Chief Samoa and Samoa Ua Tasi’s first flag day. He brought back the Samoan Cricket Tournament for men and women.
There were seven teams all together in the first year. They came from Utah, Seattle, and locally here in Carson. In 2019, Samoa Ua Tasi entered the Miss Samoan Flag Day, college-bound student Miss Trinity Asuega into the Miss Samoa Pageant in Samoa. This was the first-ever in the history of the Samoan Flag Day. Miss Trinity was entered as Miss Samoa Los Angeles, CA, and placed 2nd runner up. She won numerous categories but came up short. We thought she should have taken 1st Runner Up but we went in as the underdog and came up as a favorite for all of the USA, hence winning the Most Online Votes category. Covid-19 hit us strong in 2020-2021, no Samoan Flag Day.
Many loved ones perished during this period. Samoa Ua Tasi was personally touched, we attended and gifted every funeral service of those who had a hand in the Samoan Flag Day whether as a volunteer, a singer of one of the Anthems, a guest speaker, or a former community or church leader. In 2022 Chief Samoa invited the Honorable Laaulialemalietoa L.P.F. Schmit, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Samoa and founder of the Faatuatua Ile Atua Samoa Ua Tasi (FAST) Party and Tapuala Oloapu of EFKS TV2, host of his live show Soalaupule and Lau Ao Sinasina as guests’ speakers to our very first Meet and Greet Dinner held at the Carson Civic Community Hall in Carson, CA.
They were also VIP guests at the 2022 Samoan Flag Day. This was a monumental event as the FAST Party won the 2021 elections in Samoa with the Honorable Fiame Naomi Mataafa as the first ever elected female Prime Minister. Miss Jessika Ki crowned 2022 Miss Samoa Los Angeles, CA was entered in the Miss Samoa Pageant. Although she did not place in this pageant, we were very proud of her efforts and commitment to representing Los Angeles, CA, and her hometown of Utah. Samoa Ua Tasi honored all those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic by resurrecting a Memorial Garden at the flag day and a moment of silence in their memory. 2023 proved to be a difficult year with funding for the flag day however the show went on.
The women’s cricket championship team from Hawaii; Teine Samoa Moni won the flag day women’s tournament and the men’s cricket team from Melbourne, Australia; Tausi le Filemu won the men’s flag day tournament. Pastor Poe Su’a and First Lady Filifilia Su’a along with the youth group of Universal Pentecostal Ministry of Ma’agao, Samoa were our special guests for this year’s flag day along with the Tufuga Malofie team of 6 from Vaipu’a, Savaii.
During flag day, they operated out of the Salima AB&B in Carson. In the three weeks of their visit, they tattooed three young men with the traditional pe’a and four young ladies with the traditional malu and tattooed multiple contemporary arm sleeves and ankle bands. I would say the most difficult part of this journey is getting the funding to hold such an event. Post Covid sponsorships and grants have been reduced drastically or no longer available while logistics and third-party vendors have doubled their costs. Although CA probably has the highest percentage of Samoans here in the US, the support during annual fundraisers is limited to mostly friends and families.
Sadly, there is a lack of support from our people during these fundraisers. Each year, the challenge to sustain such an event becomes harder and harder. Since 2018 the flag day has been an 8-day event, free entry and open to the public. Each year we work closely with the LA County Parks and Recreation and other County entities to ensure the event runs smoothly and most importantly safely for the protection and safety of the community. Many Samoans have the misconception that the flag day is fully funded by LA County and the City of Carson.
No, it has never been a fully funded event. We receive sponsorships from the City of Carson and LA County 2nd District however those funds are but a fraction of the whole cost to put out this event. The park is not free, the Sheriffs are not free, nothing is free. People think we make money from the flag day but truth be told we have funded this event since the beginning just so we can continue to have this vital event for our people. It would be a shame to lose what has become tradition, the largest celebration of the American Samoa and Samoa (Independent) here in the US. Samoan Flag Day has existed for 48 years. We must continue to celebrate and educate our generations today and tomorrow.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This is far from “a relatively smooth road.” The biggest challenge we face each year is funding. During pre-Covid Sponsors were able to give more based on their annual allocations towards community events. Post-Covid changed all that. Costs to everything doubled including government services, Sponsors cut their donations in half while some were no longer able to support the cause.
We are so grateful and blessed to have our devoted Sponsors who continuously give each year towards the Samoan Flag Day. We are thankful for a handful of our people and local churches who have also contributed financially towards the flag day. We are thankful for our dedicated volunteers who take time off from their jobs to help out with the flag day.
There is no rest period for Samoa Ua Tasi. We are constantly searching and soliciting for new sponsorships and grants. 2023 by far was the hardest year to fund the flag day. Since its inception in 1975 ‘funding’ has always been the main problem in sustaining the Samoan Flag Day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Retired from Marathon Petroleum, 33 years of service. I am a husband, father, deacon community leader, and a Samoan chief.
I serve my villages and family in Samoa as well as my community, church, and family here in the US. I am most proud that our Samoan Flag Day continues to be celebrated each year. This platform has allowed me to serve our people and community on a broader scale. I have met so many wonderful people from all walks of life and from different parts of the world who share the same love, passion, excitement, and eagerness for the Samoan Flag Day.
What sets me apart is I think regardless of the challenges and difficulty running the flag day, I am optimistic that our people will come together and work together to ensure this vital community event is celebrated each year, empowering and educating our Samoan people to hold tight to our Faa-Samoa, our Gagana Samoa, our culture and traditions, hold tight to our identity and the many things that set us apart from all others. The Samoan Flag Day is the largest and longest celebration here in the US, 48 years and counting.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I’d like for our people to know how vital the flag day is to everyone, especially to our people here in the US. We do not live the faa-Samoa everyday life as our families do back home where they are exposed to the Gagana, the culture and traditions of our beautiful Samoa daily. Flag day is a place to gather, celebrate, and learn through dances, songs, foods, arts and crafts, and sports. It’s an annual reunion that many travel from all over the world to attend.
We cannot lose this opportunity because of lack of funding. Samoa Ua Tasi has never profited from the Samoan Flag Day. Samoa Ua Tasi is the largest funder of this event. Continued contributions and donations from churches, companies, friends, and families along with sponsorships from government entities can offset some operational and logistical costs. Let’s continue to celebrate the Samoan Flag Day for our future generations.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @samoa.ua.tasi
- Facebook: Samoa Ua Tasi
Image Credits
Samoa Ua Tasi
