I braved the stares from strangers and brought my camera with me while running errands with Gabby last week Friday. I definitely felt awkward at first but it felt liberating to pretend like I didn’t care what anyone thought.
Someone we bumped into actually told me they thought I was a tourist… which is impossible because borders have been closed since last March, but I found it funny that just because I had a camera, I was pegged as a “tourist”. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but a quick lookup in the dictionary defines a tourist as “a person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure”… which I totally vibe with! I’ve been starving for new travel adventures… so I’ve embraced that notion.
Anyhow – I’ll be spamming the interwebs with some of my attempted ~StReEt PhOtoGrApHy~ hahah… I say it like that because ever since I was in high school, I was obsessed with street photography… particularly street fashion photography. And while I’m not on the streets in American Samoa for the fashion, I did want to capture the local flair candidly. Plus, I’ve also been refueling my creative juices and I just want to shoot as much as possible whenever it makes me happy!
Which brings us to the Fagatogo Fish Market….
Open only on Fridays from 10am until whenever they sell out (usually within just a few hours), and located at the Fagatogo Market, the Fagatogo Fish Market is owned by our friends, Dustin and his wife Tumuai. They’re good people who appreciate great quality food, and I love to get out and support them by eating all the yummy food. They get all their fish locally, and they have an array of options from fresh raw fish loins, to sashimi, shoyu/spicy/California poke, and sushi rolls, then there’s Samoan oka, smoked fish jerky, and baja fish tacos… all made fresh! My favorites are the California poke and the baja fish tacos… mmmm.
When Gabby and I got there at near-noon, they had pretty much sold out of almost everything including my usual favorite, the California poke, but we were lucky to get baja fish tacos and oka (thanks Gabby!). I also picked up a couple of wooden tealight candle holders, from the Tropical Trees and Seas mini-booth. They’re made from local hardwood and are perfect to be given as gifts. We had lunch up at Gabby’s parents’ house and scarfed down our meal like nobody’s business.
Complimentary food and drinks: Cheat Day, Ano and Traci
Performing artists: Tamiano Gurr, Henry Faapalemata, Braden King, Charles Supapo, Sadie Mageo, Jarom Fuimaono, Andrew Hunkin, Manino Reed, Naomi Matagi, Danzel Romero, and a bunch more I’m unfortunately missing but don’t have their names on hand!
Peaceful protest in Utulei, American Samoa in solidarity for Black lives, and justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Elijah McClain, and literally too many other humans who didn’t deserve to have their lives taken from them.
Shout out to the event organizers, volunteers, and participants for an inspiring lineup of speakers, petitions, and donations made directly to Black Lives Matter organization, and to everyone who drove by and waved and honked to show their support.
Pacific Roots Open Mic #16 went virtual! Amidst the global coronavirus pandemic and attention on the troubling realities for people of color, the month of May was also mental health awareness month. Mental Health was the theme selected for PROM #16, to raise awareness of mental health issues and empower the young adults of American Samoa.
Here’s the link to the virtual PROM that premiered on YouTube on Sunday:
Traci and Ano put together a beautifully worded explanation in the YouTube description box, and I highly recommend you read it, watch the video, and listen to what each artist has to share. They were all so incredibly brave and vulnerable.
Here are some photos from the ‘watch party’, counting down to the live premiere of the first virtual PROM.
Thanks to Ano, Traci, Gabby, Ian, Jude, Sam, and Charity for a great night.
Last month’s open mic night, hosted by Pacific Roots founder Tamiano Gurr, powered by his better half Traci Porotesano, with the support of a creative village Gabby, Tulaga, Ammon, Jacinta and Saia, Toa, Athena, and a whole lot more people who attended and lended support.
These open mic nights are a safe space for individual expression. A need finally being met in American Samoa.
