A Family Tree Grows One Leaf at a Time in American Samoa

Entering the So’otaga (“gathering” in Samoan) Open House held last month at the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs arena in Tafuna, each visitor wrote their name on a paper leaf and attached it to a life-size silhouette of a tree.

One leaf at a time, nearly 2,000 people added a leaf, resulting in a canopy of green by the time the open house concluded five days later.

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It was a clear visual of the interconnectedness of Samoans with the people of other South Pacific nations.

The desire to connect with our living family, and with those who have passed on, is the reason the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple is being built.

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For the past four years, the temple has steadily risen from the ground. As the day of its completion comes closer, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in congregations surrounding the temple are preparing themselves in many ways, that includes researching their family histories.

Family history research enables members of the Church to take names of departed family members to the temple to participate in ordinances, or sacred ceremonies, on behalf of their ancestors.

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“Back in 2023, we had a very big goal – to have one million names ready for the temple by the time it’s finished,” said a Pago Pago Church member, Howard Afualo.

“We’ve made this an island-wide activity, so everyone is engaged in this great work,” he said.

By the first day of the open house, they had 700,000 names ready with a little less than a year to go before the temple is scheduled to open. “Maybe the new goal is two million names,” Afualo said with a smile.

“All Samoans are related,” according to Taguivale Schwenke, a family history consultant volunteering at the event.

“It’s something very important to our people.”

She, along with her sister, Afiona Faumuina, have gone throughout the South Pacific interviewing and recording family genealogies that exist only in the memories of village chiefs.

Tulanalaua is one of those chiefs. He came to the so’otaga with his wife, Talalima.

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“My family chose me to be their chief. I want to know my roots – the connections that run to me. Talalima’s family and my family heritage are very important to us. My great grandfather never knew where he came from. Here we learned even more about our ancestors. I feel wonderful.”