American Samoa's Educational Ocean Center

Students, adults and visitors can learn about ocean resources, coral reefs and the ocean fish and mammals at the new Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center.

The Ocean Center has a 360 degree globe video projection system, educational kiosks, interactive diasporas and a gift shop.

The Center is most popular with elementary and high school students. In American Samoa students learn, from an early age, to respect and preserve the marine resources in the oceans and coral reefs surrounding their island home.

American Samoa Flag Day, 2013

American Samoa's Flag Day celebrates dependence: The day the chiefs of Tutuila agreed to US protection and oversight  in exchange for guarantees of land tenure and cultural integrity.

The long boat racing tradition reminds us of the Polynesian voyaging past. But the boats are of a whaling and trading origin; Lighters that brought goods through perilous reef breaks from ocean going vessels.

Today the 40 crew long boats, or fautasi, highlight the entire festive days.

This video captures the race's excitement as villages vie for bragging rights of strength, courgare, stamina and dedication.

Follow the excitement from start to finish to celebration with the winning team/

People of Austronesia

Boundaries stretching from Madagascar to Taiwan, Indonesia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Easter Island



500 million people.

Related by language, culture and DNA


. 

The Austronesian Migratory Dispersal represents the greatest voyage of discover in human history.

Bangkok, Taipei, Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Manila, Honolulu

American Samoa Global MPA Leader

Protecting the environment and her abundance of resources requires commitment, care and perseverance.

American Samoa has all three.


The American Pacific Territory uses traditional, sustainable knowledge of village elders to preserve oceans and coral reef for future generations.

Traditional knowledge: A human resource guiding a future generation.

The Art of Hospitality in Dance: Fijian Style

Cinematographer and Auteur, American Samoa's Tulanga Whitcombe creates an inviting portrait of  Drue Slatter's traditional Fijian dance interpretation.

Sea Terns in Flight, New Age Consciousness

The ancient Polynesians touched nature and led their sustainable lives in touch with nature.

Feel that connected experience. Be alone for a moment; touched and belonging.



Calming, relaxing, reflective, inspiring American Samoa.


Three minutes of solitude.

American Samoa EPA LEEDS Platinum Home

In the southern hemisphere (you read that right ) there are only two LEEDS certified platinum buildings

One is in American samoa

The new American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency office building and laboratory is net zero energy efficient. The building's photovoltaic solar panels generate more electrical energy than the building consumes; and its air conditioned.

Other energy saving features include a grass roof which keeps the rooftop temperature more than 50 degrees F cooler than adjacent buildings. Indoor sensors that control lights, temperature and climate. Air is recycled and filtered for a healthy environment.

The building was designed to be a learning environment.

Learn how American Samoa has become an instant global example for green. Watch the video.

Dr. Steve Palumbi Talks American Samoa's Amazing Coral Resiliency

Several years ago National Park Service researcher, Peter Craig, observed corals thriving in overheated reef pools on Ofu, an island in American Samoa's Manu'a Group.


According to  conventional knowledge American Samoa's  corals should have bleached out and died in the extremely hot reef water. But they thrived instead.

For the past six years Dr. Steve Palumbi of Stanford University's Ocean Research Department has conducted on going research into why Ofu's corals survive. His results indicate an intricate set of genes within the coral that regulate the corals themselves to the prevailing water temperature.

Portable Labs on the island of Ofu in American Samoa

Dr. Palumbi's research may provide clues to save the world's remaining coral reefs from climate change and global warming.

The video provides excerpts from from his speech at the Coral Reef conference held in American Samoa in conjunction with the dedication and opening of the territory's new Tauese P. Sunia Ocean Center, an interactive learning facility funded and operated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Welcome to Tutuila, Aunu'u and Manu'a in the Samoan Archipelago

Welcome!

Here at BusyCorner Magazine On-Line you will find reef to rainforest eco-adventures, a learning place for Polynesian culture and short stories of spiritual romance. There are updates on good travel deals, how to travel on a budget and where to get the most value for your dollar; whatever your budget.

Its always better to know about a place before you arrive. BusyCorner Magazine On-Line does that. Much of the information is applicable for all of Polynesia. Enjoy, even if you don't get to appreciate the Samoan islands on your next trip.

Tutuila, Aunu'u and Manu'a have special and unique personalities.

Tutuila is modern in character with fast food places, luxury hotels, cheap hostels, economical living and great nite clubs. If you are coming from Oceania or Southeast Asia it will seem very much like being in America; music, movies, pizza, hip hop, fancy cars, beautiful buildings and polished roads and walkways. Surprisingly Tutuila's rainforests and reefs are fabulous and intact and only minutes away. Tutuila's hike and snorkel adventures put you in triple canopy rainforests during the day and back in your choice of clubs, restaurants or hotel lobbies during the evening. We are like that.

In Aunu'u your world slows down appreciably. Just a ten minute water taxi from Tutuila, Aunu'u has no stores or commercial activitie. Aunu'u does have rainforest shacks for great adventure overnights and plenty of families willing to care for you when you visit.

Manu'a is one hundred forty miles east of Upolu and eighty miles east of Tutuila. This is an enchanted world of myth and magic; A place where, according to Samoan legend, the earth was created. You are as likely to meet a friendly shape shifter spirit as you are to meet Sao Noa, an organic farmer who will serve you the earth's bounty on a plate made of woven palm fronds.