5 Things Samoans should NOT do in the USA - Keep up with the Times

1. Do not go to the USA and join a gang 😎 Those times are over and lets all be honest.. in the 1960s to the 1980s it was a cool thing. Movies were made about gangsters and at one point there was even a Jewish actor named Henry Winkler on TV playing the role of Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli (better known as "Fonzie" or "The Fonz"). The USA is trying to progress and being a menace to society hurts Samoan reputation overseas. In the past being neighborhood-protector or street-ruler might have gained respect but times are changed. This new era what some would call the Asian Century will require innovation, adaptation, and creativity to survive and thrive. Samoans in California made a great street reputation for themselves defending their communities but new leaders are making waves and traditional conservative Samoans are pushing forward. Dressing like a thug or gangster is also looked down on, even playing Gangster Rap has been pointed out by Samoan conservatives to be a causing factor in corrupting youth.

Samoan American "The USA is trying to change, lets do our part and help them. Progress. Be Creative. Work Smart and Work Hard. Focus on family. You will say No, quite a bit in your life to so many immoral things, just get used to it and better yourself. 💬 If you haven't heard, politics is the new playground, not my call, but that's how it is right now. If you're in NZ and you're Samoan, different story, community gangs there have a different history"

2. Do not hunt without a permit. Polynesians from the islands are used to hunting conservatively but in the states they have a history of people abusing hunting, and so many many laws were passed to regulate practice 💢. State Laws are different from State-to-State, some animals are protected from ever being hunted or eaten (means some animals can not ever be killed - might be sacred to Native culture as well). Some meat like horse-meet, whale, shark-fin, giant-clams may or may not be on the hunting menu in the United States. Consult the laws in your State and be respectful.

3. Do not create a large plantation in the suburbs or neglect your yard duties. Keep your land clean and updated, both your backyard and front yard. In the suburbs of the USA there is a "YARD CULTURE" where the conservative man mows his front yard on the weekends, gardens, and even competes with his neighbor on how nice his property is maintained. On Holidays only, lights and decorations are placed. Samoans and Tongans straight from the island tend to create their own family run plantation in the backyard and sometimes in the front yard and may not celebrate the same Holidays.

Plantations are a strong part of the Pacific Island culture but in the USA they don't usually do that in suburbs and only make gardens. Polynesians will have to find a way to design their yards where it grows something they like in a good size garden area (maybe a Greenhouse), but also keeps up the appearance of the neighborhood. In the USA, real-estate values (property values - selling houses) depends on the appearance and stability of the neighborhood.

Samoans if they like and if born with the right Artistic talents can go into Architecture, Interior Design, or Landscape Design, to create Samoan American Home and Backyard ideas 💚, from Pacific Island culture inspired furniture to designing futuristic Polynesian houses.

4. Do not join the Black and White racial drama. Both ethnic groups are American citizens and even though they may have their differences now, that may not always be the case. Samoans and Polynesians can be very sympathetic and empathetic people but the USA state-side history has nothing to do with American Samoan or Western Samoan History, and joining one side over the other helps no one. In the upper-east Coast of the USA (New York) area the history will vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood, from Irish history to the English history, to Italian, or Native History. Some Jewish have their own neighborhoods in east coast areas. Chicago has it's own background as does each Native American nation. Texas too has a separate identity than most states. The point is there is a lot to learn and to not have such a simple lazy outlook. 

Be pro-active people in politics or don't, vote or don't, and support with your money or don't. At least be fair and do your best for community. In most cases, Samoans tend to return to the islands around the ages of 35-45 anyway.

Samoan American "It can get pretty weird. It's not hard to get along with someone and drink a beer. Some people just need to cool down and be less extreme. Intensity all the time is pretty annoying to the normal people. Being kind in an uncaring place might seem like standing in a storm but fight the good fight"

5. Do not think of the USA as your personal playground. Respect others, you are in the states to learn and EARN money. Learning and Earning, should be the basic bullet points when immigrating to the USA or any nation in the world. Try and keep some common sense about you at all times "Don't sh*t where you eat" 💩 means don't make trouble where one usually resides unless an injustice must be corrected. Many American Samoans join the military because of the relationship history of the USA and Eastern Samoa. There are a great many career paths available in the military, (from Graphic Design to Intelligence) and the traditional Samoan culture goes well with the lifestyle.

Samoan American "I personally love the Arts and Media industries. I like to write and create websites, make videos, design tattoos, play games. I'm working on a show for a Gallery at the moment. There are so many ideas to play with, great memories to make with family and so so so little time to do it, don't waste your time on negativity. Art to me triggers the mind and keeps the engine turning"

Posted in: Pacificnews