Keeping the flame of Samoan custom alive was everyone's responsibility, a cultural display by young curators held on Friday night at the Fagamalo Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S.) showed. 

The resident minister looking after the Fagamalo parish, Reverend Taulotoga Viliamu and his wife Sago Viliamu initiated the event. The cultural exhibition on Friday night, culminated the village's first Talomua Festival, showcasing their agricultural products.

The event was well supported by the untitled men, the youths and the elders of the village who worked hard on their plantations and had to show off the first harvests of their hard work last week. 

With the belief that the children are the future leaders of our villages, congregations and country, the event saw the youths of the C.C.C.S. parish come together for the occasion. 

It was well-attended by people of the village and neighboring villages, as well as people with roots at Fagamalo residing in Upolu. 

The event, according to Reverend Taulotoga is to promote and encourage the youths to be proud of our Samoan culture and practices. 

With so much influence emerging in Samoa with the rise in modern technologies, and western influences, Reverend Taulotoga is of the view that it is vital to push and encourage our youths to take pride in our culture so they can continue one promoting our culture and way of life and pass it down to the next generation. 

Nevertheless, it was also an opportunity to showcase the different talents among the youth. 

There were traditional Samoan dances, singing, fire dancing, performing the traditional ava ceremony and many more. 

The youths also had the opportunity to take part in some of the cultural practices we have not been using these days, under the supervision of the elders of the village. 

The Deacon Elder of the Itu-o-Tane District and Member of Parliament and Associate Minister of the Minister of Women, Community and Social Development, Seuamuli Fasi Toma, who is from the village of Fagamalo hailed the event a success. 

He acknowledged Reverend Taulotoga and his wife for the great initiative to revive the Samoan culture and practices within the communities. 

Seuamuli said it was a very educational and important event not only for the youths involved but also for the children who were in the audience, as well as the elders who watched on as the youth performed the various cultural performances they put together. 

Moreover, another positive outcome of the event, said Seuamuli, is that it helps build the confidence of the youth in part by taking on some of the cultural responsibilities that are usually held by village elders.

This, in his belief, is a great way of preparing them for the future, as they will someday lead our communities. 

Nonetheless, Seuamuli said, as an Associate Minister for M.W.C.D. and a matai, he would encourage more villages to have similar programmes to promote and revive our traditional practices that are starting to fade away. 

Seuamuli believes that it's good practice for our children so that they will know exactly what to do when it's their time to lead our communities, villages, churches and country.