The Teuila Tourism Festival Week was established in 1991 to promote Samoa to the world as a top tourism destination.
It became a key part of our recovery strategy after the economic turmoil of the early 1980s. It was a week filled with cultural songs and dances, sporting events, the preparation of Samoan dishes, and proud displays of traditional wear.
The Teuila, or Red Ginger, was chosen as the national flower of Samoa and became the proud symbol of the festival.
The Teuila Festival became a major tourism event in the Pacific, alongside Fiji’s Hibiscus, Tonga’s Heilala and American Samoa’s Moso’oi festival.
This led to the adoption of the Elei as the national dress for all formal events.
We saw our people all over the world proudly wearing their vibrant teuila branded eleis with beautiful Samoan designs.
These items quickly became popular gifts for tourists and visitors to our shores. A village clean-up campaign, including landscaping and planting of all kinds of beautiful flowers, was launched at the same time.
Public gardens and restrooms were also constructed throughout Savai‘i and Upolu.
The first week of September was chosen to launch the Teuila Festival to boost the hotel industry as it was the month with the lowest visitor arrivals.
It was decided that the festival would commence on Sunday, when different churches would also participate in choir competitions, with prizes presented for the best musical compositions.
This brought out the beauty of our church hymns and talent of our composers. Other activities included the replanting of pandanus trees or laufala used for weaving Samoa’s fine mats, which lies at the heart of Measina.
As a result, many overseas visitors came to enjoy our very popular festival which brought a great number of tourists, as well as our own relatives to Samoa.
Teuila showcased the beauty of our people and uniqueness of our Measina. Both were in perfect harmony.
The FAST Party’s decision to tear Teuila and Measina apart is a national tragedy.
Why destroy something that was clearly working?
Measina is a sacred part of Samoan culture that pays deep respect to the art of weaving fine mats practiced for generations by our mothers.
Using it to rename the Teuila festivities diminishes Measina’s cultural significance. Measina refers only to our fine mats.
To use the word Measina otherwise, is a misnomer.
It is a change fueled by hate and driven by a desire to undo all that has been good for our people and nation.
Much like the actions of Cain, the jealous destruction of good in the eyes of God will only lead to restless wandering in the wilderness.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP