A new exhibition at the Jean P. Haydon Museum is offering the public a rare glimpse into American Samoa’s history with the United States. The America 250 exhibition, opened Thursday, July 2, features artifacts that have been in storage for decades, now displayed for the first time in many years.
Museum Administrator Marion Mageo said the artifacts span key moments in American Samoa’s association with the U.S., including a tanoa that belonged to the first governor of American Samoa, Benjamin Tilley, and the blueprint of the American Samoa flag designed by Fareti Sotoa in 1956.
Beyond political history, the exhibition celebrates cultural arts and crafts that embody faaSamoa. Visitors can see drawings and wood carvings by Master carver Sven Ortquist, siapo by Kolone Faiivae Leose, and works by unknown master weavers of the iconic ‘ie tonga and ‘ie sina. Tatau tools are also displayed with photos showing their traditional use.
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge and will be on display for an unspecified duration, giving ample time for the community to explore and learn.
Article and image source: samoanews.com
