What is was in the Begining.

In the Island of Tutuila Am. Samoa grew up knowing that it's very sacred and hard to get one, Certain steps, ways, cultural have held alot of key issue's upon getting one. Just a couple of them I know from off the top of my head,

1. You have to have a Matai(Talking Chief) name.
2. You have to Understand & Speak the Samoan Language on how it was written.
3. You have to be and voted into from the members of your family with a certain given name.
4. Name given has to be past on to you from your family, not from another who made up a cool spiritual name.

But saddens the Heart that money and greed has taken over that you would'nt have to go throught the neccessary steps if you wanted one. All you need is money and the Artist(Tufuga) and you can get one at a relative's home or friends, upon receiving how it makes you feel like a man or a warrior. But in actuality? It's like a Bachelors Degree that has been bought! And I don't Understand how can a Tattooist(Tufuga) put a price on something that holds true and every meaning to our culture? It's Priceless!! I do hope that we truly understand how our ancestor's bled in history on how and it came to be called a "Pe'a."

Many died and battles were fought over the "Pe'a." In my honest opinion, our culture is now and slowing fading away due to the lack of teaching's, many in our generation distracted. But before the church and the good word(Bible) touched Samoans, we were not in our best ways either. In the beginning our ancestor's were into cannibalism, that is a true fact how I have read stories and acted out in a church play at one time. Now that is another Story to talk about, but for now I think you have an idea where I was going with this. Be true to our culture and do not let it slip from our native tongue's and Heart's, Taofi mau i lau aganu'u!

Soifua.