Respect Samoa

Samoans pride themselves on respect and religion yet if one to judge by comments on PeterVandever.com, they would think they were completely violent people. Because I am a local in American Samoa and live among many people who are native to Samoa as well as Tonga, Fiji, and other islands; I know this not to be true.

I have counted over 1,200 hateful comments from Samoans mostly from IP addresses in the mainland, New Zealand, and Australia concerning my views of fa`lavelaves and Fa`a Samoa. Most people who comment are more of the position of, “Hey, we don’t really care for it much either but it is what it is.”

However, I have never seen a Samoan in Samoa or American Samoa ever show one bit of physical offense towards me.Samoan tend to disagree respectfully. I have had several people come to me over the last few weeks expressing concerns about my blog, including a governmental official.

It is true that I have little grace for Fa`a Samoa and namely Fa`alavelaves. It is the greatest source of poverty in American Samoa and about every person on island that I know agrees that they are “way out of hand.” It is very hard to give donations every time someone get marries, dies or any special event when you are working for $5.45 an hour. (Thanks for the Congressman and Governor) There should regulation on Fa`lavelaves to protect the people and the matai should be taxed for them as earned income!!!

The truth is few people disagree with me concerning what I believe about Fa`lavelaves. They just can’t take it from a white person. They see everything that is “white” as an attack of historical culture.

Now about culture? Culture in general, no matter what culture it is, is nothing more than slavery and mind control. Believe me, Flipino culture is just as gay as Fa`a Samoa. (Samoan culture is very tightly connected to the Flipino culture in ancient times) I detest Flipino culture completely and totally. In fact, 90% of the reason I do not live in the Philippines is I can not stand the culture. As a Flipino, I can not live on the edge of the culture like I do in American Samoa. I have to live in the culture and I am forced to embrace it.

In the end, the disrespect I get on my blog’ comments is not what I know from being friends with Samoans and people living in American Samoa. I have found to be nice and civil even when they disagree. Anyone who comes to me to discuss the issues facing American Samoa in a civil and logical matter always understand why I think and blog the way I do.

If anyone want to meet with me sometime and openly and honestly look at the issues of poverty and Fa`lavelaves in American Samoa; I am more than happy to sit down and discuss them. However, I will not engage violent of uncivil responses.

I have had all I can take from a Paligi here in Samoa who uses the internet to attack people. it was just me but some Somoans.

His name is Dennis Smith. He is using “christianity” as a tool to do business in Samoa. I am sure Jesus meant “go into all the world and do business in my name!” Some of these “ministries” are Samoa Web Ambassors Program and others. In the end it is all about using the Samoan people to make a buck. Sadly.

In a recent blog ripping into some Samoan people (that he is a guest in their land!) he said this,

As a result of these events we are hopefully wiser, and are starting to view the people around us here in Samoa more and more as the Samoan people themselves do, negatively – rather than optimistically.

First of all, the Samoan are a very nationalistic and proud people. If you do not believe, wait until Manu Samoa is playing. They think very highly of their people and of each other.

The glue that keeps Fa`a Samoa together is respect for each other (and well a little fear). The bottom line is what my landlord in Samoa said the other day, “Paligis do not have to embrace fa`a Samoa but you do have to respect it.” So much of Dennis’ post lately has been so dishonoring to the Samoan people.

I personally have a deep love for the people of Samoa. It is why I always end up coming back over and over again. I have few things to say that I just don’t like about the Samoan people. Almost all my complaints are about the government, its’ leaders, and the corruption of those leaders. I love the people dearly.

Learn to highlight the things you love about Samoa, the Samoans, and Fa`a Samoa and not $%^ about them online. For me, I love them and respect them.

Are Samoans respectful?

Go home, Paligi!