International Bulletin - December 1998
Report on Visit to Samoa and American Samoa
 Eleitino Paddy Walker and La'ulu Fetaui Mata'afa join in a circle of friendship in Honolulu. |
August 19, 20, 21 and 22nd were very important dates in the PPSEAWA calendar for 1998:
Each day in it's own way was significant for its single purpose - to further the aims of our association; to move everyone who attended the varied meetings to understand and accept a new vision of what we can do and where we can go.
- The presentation on the 19th of the Cook Island Programme planned for the Year 2000 Conference was accepted and applauded and we will all look forward to that event.
- The Executive Council Meeting was constructive and moved the council forward in it's thinking.
- The Seminar on the 21st and 22nd with the focus of attention on children was extremely successful. Speakers were excellent and the whole programme generated fresh enthusiasm for PPSEAWA's purpose and reason for being.
These three events acted as a catalyst for my visit to Samoa and American Samoa, and the enthusiasm felt by the participants from these islands during and after the seminar in Hawaii was still very much in evidence while I was with them. I left for American Samoa on the 24th August and on Wednesday 26th the American Samoa Chapter held a very well attended lunch at which I spoke in the hope of engendering understanding between members and Repeka Howland. My search was for the right words to bring about a peaceful attitude within the chapter. Prior to lunch I had been interviewed at length by the local TV station presenter Sineva and she became very interested in PPSEAWA and will join the American Samoa Chapter. The next day I was interviewed at length by the reporter from the local paper, but the article I believe appeared after I had left and so I expect it to be sent to me.
I left American Samoa with the commitment to meet with the executive when I returned from Samoa on the 7th August. In Samoa (Western) on the 3rd there was a small meeting held at Aggies Hotel. This meeting acted as a catalyst for an extremely successful lunch party Samoan style held at an older members house in an outer village. Her name was Malieo Paea and the village was le Togo. At this time TV was in attendance and indeed filmed the whole lunch and its formalities as they did in American Samoa.
Prior to the lunch I had been interviewed by the local newspaper on PPSEAWA objectives. When I returned to American Samoa on the 7th, I met with Repeka Howland and after we talked at length we attended an executive meeting where the whole focus of attention was on a peaceful reconciliation of the members of the executive and Becky.
To conclude my report I have some encouraging news! I have made contact with a group of friends in Tahiti who are interested in forming a branch of PPSEAWA in Tahiti. I am very hopeful that this will happen and so I will write to Fuzia to send them as much information as possible about our association. It would be wonderful to have them attend our conference. My very best wishes to you dear friend.
Alofa Alofa
Last Modified: November 29, 2002