Discover American Samoa: Top 6 Amazing Fun Facts You Never Knew!

1. Time Travel via Flight

Ever wondered how you could time travel without calling on Doc Brown's DeLorean or a blue British police box? Here's an itinerary for you: just hop on a flight from Samoa to American Samoa! Serious reveal: In 2011, Samoa switched its position across the International Date Line to align its work week with trading partners, resulting in a time difference of only 1 hour instead of 24. This means if you fly from Samoa to American Samoa, you'll effectively arrive a day earlier, giving you a taste of turning back the clock!
Source => veryhungrynomads.com

2. Bird Gossip in Aunu'u Island

In the heart of American Samoa, birds gossip by the water cooler, exchanging quacks and tweets as they converse over the Chinese water chestnut spread: Behold Aunu'u Island, home to the territories' largest freshwater wetland, Fa'amulivai Marsh, and the sole stomping ground for the elusive Chinese water chestnut plant. This popular bird watching oasis gathers winged colleagues like the Pacific black duck and the purple swamphen, turning the marsh into their very own social club.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that the ancient Lapita culture sailed across the Pacific, introducing pigs, chickens, and staple crops to Samoa? Discover how they shaped the region's culinary palette like a gastronomic Christopher Columbus!

=> Fun Facts about Samoa

3. Teen Fire Dancer Moemoana

While most teenagers might be toying with gadgets or playing video games, Moemoana Schwenke is out igniting fires—not just metaphorically, but literally—with knives, no less: At just 15 years old, Moemoana is one of the few female Siva Afi dancers in the world, training to compete in the Siva Afi World Championships while she learns and teaches various Pacific Island cultures at her parents' own Matavai Cultural Arts center, using her artistic talents to further environmental conservation efforts.
Source => talanoa.com.au

4. Livestock to Gift Hampers

Step aside, gift cards and fruit baskets: In American Samoa, gift-giving at celebrations once entailed exchanging livestock like cattle or pigs, alongside fine mats! However, in a moo-ve towards sustainability, the government now encourages the practice of giving gift hampers instead, helping to both spare the animals and boost national livestock numbers – making it easier for overseas guests to lug their souvenirs home.
Source => talanei.com

5. Barkcloth Warrior Women

Move over Mulan, the real barkcloth warriors are here: In American Samoa, the production of traditional siapo, a ceremonial cloth made from the soft inner bark of the paper mulberry tree, is primarily crafted by women, who meticulously pound and glue strips of the bark together to create large, artful sheets that hold significant cultural importance across Polynesia.
Source => metmuseum.org

6. Samoan Jack and Jill at To Sua Trench

If Jack and Jill were Samoan, they'd be tumbling down the ladder for a swim instead of fetching a pail: In American Samoa lies the To Sua ocean trench, a 90-foot deep sinkhole filled with saltwater and bordered by a tropical paradise. A spectacular spot for adrenaline-seeking swimmers, the trench comes complete with its own beach and cave-like nook that can only be accessed by navigating through its hidden pathways.
Source => atlasobscura.com