I was sad to hear about a recent incident in Samoa. Apparently, kids from one school went to Apia looking for students from a rival school for the sole purpose of inflicting injury and causing mayhem. The whole incident seemed to have started from an athletic competition between the two schools.
The news from Samoa indicated that a number of people had to be taken to the hospital. One girl was severely burned from a molotov bomb. It appears as if a carful of students from one school went to Apia, basically they were cruising for victims. In Samoa, all students wear uniforms so schools from different schools are easily identifiable by their uniforms. So, this poor girl was standing there waiting for a bus to go home when the wannabe gangsters drove by, saw her standing there in her school uniform, launched their molotov bomb, and just took off. Reports indicate that this poor girl is going to need massive reconstructive surgery and that she is in a lot of pain. Guess, the long arm of gangsta style drivebys have finally reached our islands. I hope that these misguided, pathetic, and cowardly wannabes pay for the pain and suffering they’ve caused this poor girl.
Back in the day, when these kinds of competitions got out of hand, the worst that can happen would be a full out fistfight or a fuki ga ulu. Heated arguments were sometimes settled with scrapes, bruises, and maka fula instead of cool heads. Bad enough, but now it seems to be getting worse. Now, the new generation has graduated to molotov bombs. What’s next, guns? Are we going to hear that some students are bringing guns to school in Samoa? I used to think that would never happen but now I’m not so sure. E sa’o ai kala a lo’omakukua, ua kele le makamaka kifaga ma TV ae le o e fai gi fea’u.
Is this an indication that there is a breakdown somewhere in our fa’a Samoa? Are outside influences gaining this much of a foothold in our Samoan society? I am saddened by the high number of our Samoan youth that become involved with gangs here in the U.S. And just so you know, I do have a pretty good idea what I’m talking about from previous professional experiences. Now, it seems as if even in Samoa, even in the very heart of our culture with our strong belief in respect, family, and our fa’aSamoa, even there isn’t safe anymore from the long arm of gangs, guns, and molotov bombs.
Filed under: News from Samoa | Tagged: molotov bombs, samoa schools, school violence
I never would of guessed that all this would be happening in our island of Samoa. Being in America I still believe that we shouldn’t be involved in guns,bombs,knives,or anything harful for back in the day I thought fists was just it.
Not saying that fists fights are acceptable but it is way better than any oth the things that gangs use for we all know that us samoans can’t keep our anger in us. Being 16 years of age I am trying to change my ways and I think that the problem that these youth in Samoa are having is wanting to be cool in which gang will win against another which truly is sad but they don’t think how it would affect them as if the things they do to others are to be done to them and how they would feel about it. Just know that they’re are some of us good ones left:) but this to me I feel ashamed for what is happening to others because of gangs,colors, and this is how the youth(my age group) are representing our heritage!
ia fa;)
Hi Fa’aea,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, it is sad to see what is happening even in Samoa but if we have enough young people that think like you, then the future of our people and our culture will be in good hands. Malo
As Fa’aea said, I think Samoan youth in general try to gain acceptance by joining gangs; a sort of 2nd family for most of them. The fact they gain a sense of belonging, and feel apart of something bigger than themselves, transforms them into doing things not the Fa’a Samoan Way. I seen too many young pacific islanders, do stupid things and end up getting killed or finding themselves in Jail. It’s sad to see that they don’t take it upon themselves to actually try in essence to make something of themselves other than associated with negative things. Some polynesians here in the states lose their cultural identities once they come to America. And I believe that kids in Am.Samoa and the other islands of the pacific look to the usa for role models, and in part see the gangster images of rap/ hip hop videos on tv. Images of islanders getting arrested on COPS. The younger generation is mirroring what the see through local media. The fact that “cool” and “gangster” have be entwined as one.
Someday I hope that a role model that all Pacific Islanders can look up to, will come about. But those role models need to be started in one’s own family. The enviornment one lives in, does play a part in the way he/she is brought up. And it all starts in the family.
Well just to let ya’ll know, this stuff has been happening in Samoa forever. School rivalries especially between St. Joe’s, Don Bosco, Avele, and Leififi has always been like this.