Today’s guest post is from John Wasko who just might be the most passionate person about American Samoa. He contacted me a few weeks ago to see if he could guest post to help spread the word about American Samoa and it worked out perfectly for guest post week. Through our emails I think he has me convinced that I want to visit!
Polynesia is mainly thought of as a place where adventurous travelers go to; sandy beaches, cool cocktails and colorful coral reef snorkeling in bathtub temperature waters.
For a few of us, all of that was the perfect place to stop and reevaluate the rest of our lives. Hence my 30 year old stopover in the Samoan archipelago is replete with loving wife of 26 years, two grown kids, the cat and a few cold beers in the fridge.
These past 30 years have endowed me with a keen appreciation for the vibrant Polynesian culture, a lifestyle in communion with nature, a wariness of ocean and wind and the value of village community bonded together by family, friends and common understanding. Its an island, after all, nobody can stay mad at anybody very long.
What these 30 years have evolved to has been an adventure education worth sharing.
As modern urban communities struggle with the notion that global resources are limited, that the earth is our host and that environmental destruction is possible if not imminent, we here in these South Pacific Islands live in relative harmony with our surroundings; that the rainforest and reef sustain life; a refuge, protector and source for simple basic necessities.
The nature artist Wyland made a generous contribution to American Samoa in 2009 with his iconic “Whaling Wall”, one of one hundred similar large format murals worldwide. “Whaling Wall” stands in full relief as a graphic reminder of the natural sea world around us.
American Samoan kids are born to nature; to the environment. They are truly children of the rainforests and reefs.
During the summer federally funded programs offer marine science studies for the kids. Their knowledge of the oceans, the rainforests, endangered and protected marine species such as the hawksbill turtle is the kick start for advanced marine and environmental studies for many of them. Here in this photo below, a team of young students visited the Wyland mural and readily identified each and every marine species of animal and coral in the mural.
A visit to Polynesia can be so much richer than a stage show or luxury hotel poolside overnight. A few minutes spent at the offices of the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources provides volumes of free literature. This new found information self guides the modern adventurer to new worlds of ancient knowledge. My vacation has lasted 30 years but your’s can be just long enough to gain a lifelong appreciation for the sustaining force that nature has to offer, if we just take a moment to walk into the rainforest, step onto the coral reef, breath deep and absorb fully a world of life.
From Pago Pago, American Samoa
John Wasko
Author Bio: John is passionate about American Samoa and runs the BusyCorner Magazine Blog. BusyCorner is redefining Polynesian culture by deconstructing post contact myths and prejudices about savagery, intelligence, art, and cosmos.
*All photos in this post provided by John Wasko.
*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!
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3 comments
I haven’t been in American Samoa, but fell in love with (Western) Samoa. I think it is place which everybody should visit on their trip to South Pacific.
Thanks for commenting Vi! It’s so nice to hear that you fell in love with Western Samoa – John has really made me interested in visiting the American Samoa – hopefully this post will inspire other people as well. 🙂
@Vi,
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