Contributing Writer
Honoring the diversity of cultures of the South Pacific Islands in Long Beach is the Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (PIEAM), which currently features Lisa Papadakis-Ala’s and her husband’s private collection of Samoan artifacts on exhibition through June 4.
Papadakis-Ala and her family lived in Signal Hill for 55 years, and her father George Papadakis served as mayor/councilmember in the 1960s.
With 35 artifacts on display— part of approximately 190 items in 25 categories she’s collected since 2007— patrons get a flavor for the historical culture of the Samoan Islands from the 1700s to 1980s. The museum’s permanent collection celebrates the 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean including from the Oceania regions of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, showing similarities between them.
“We display the pieces with the common materials found in Samoa to try to showcase the commonalities between the islands,” said PIEAM Associate Director of Operations & Special Projects Hugo Albarran, adding that this is one of the museums’s first solo island exhibits and he hopes it will “open the door to other private collectors with single island pieces.”
Papadakis-Ala’s lifelong quest, passion and curiosity for collecting artifacts actually began 40 years ago with buying old copper pots and folk costumes from her ethnic roots in Greece. Her Samoan husband, Falana’i Meafatu, would cart the items personally to the U.S.
Her collecting then branched out to items from Papua, New Guinea to Samoan artifacts as a way of honoring her husband’s heritage.
The exhibit is in honor of Papadakis-Ala’s in-laws, Meafatu and Mele Elisara Ala, and is dedicated to their sons George and Elisara, who plan on carrying on with the collection.
“I’ve always been comfortable with old,” Papadakis-Ala said. “It’s just taken [me] a long time to realize it. Old has a different feel to it— a beauty to it.”
The family’s journey of collecting artifacts from near and far geographically, over time, culminates with the PIEAM exhibition. Samoan artifacts have even been purchased on eBay and at local garage sales, besides her husband bringing antiquities over from Samoa.
“I rescue,” she said, “[so I can] share my passion, and welcome you on my journey.”
Her largest artifact on display is a one-man paddling outrigger canoe called PaoPao Bonita. Carved from a single tree trunk, it was used in the early 20th Century, and similar vessels are still used today in the remote coral-reef lagoons. According to the museum’s description, the canoes would carry such migratory fish as the mullet and mackerel as well as seaweed, shellfish and a marine worm called “palolo.”
Other items include the Puletasi and Titi, a colorful two-piece dress made from Pandanus leaves, vibrantly dyed hibiscus inner-bark and dyed feathers. Most likely, it derives its vivid orange, pink and yellow colors from dyes brought over by Dutch and English traders, according to Albarran. It was the most popular formal wear of Samoan women dating back to 1940, worn for going to church and for ritual dance. It was considered modest dress that was influenced by missionaries. A modern version is still worn today in Samoa.
In the center of the museum inside a hut is the tulafale, or orator chief’s garment. It shows the delicate handweaving skills that are passed from one generation to the next. In Samoan society, chiefs come in many different levels and are custodians of culture, knowledge and history, according to Papadakis-Ala.
Polynesias arrived in the Samoan archipelago about 1000 B.C., and European exploration first reached the islands in the early 18th Century, according to Britannica.com. It was discovered as early as 1722 by Dutch navigator Jacob Roggeveen, and Christian missionaries arrived in 1830, according to Papadakis-Ala.
“America, Germany and Great Britain fought for possession of the islands in 1899,” she said. “Despite all these outside influences, the Samoans are strong, proud and resilient. They continue to live Fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way— a culture steeped in pride, family and tradition.”
For more information, call (562) 216-4170 or visit pieam.org.
