(Tusia: Judy Mata’utia)
I le masina ua se’i mavae atu nei o Aukuso, na faatupula’ia ai le talanoaina o le taua o le faaaogaina o le tatou gagana Samoa. I nisi o su’esu’ega o tagata Samoa ua taua ai o le gagana o le auivi o feso’ota’iga a tagata e ala lea i le faaaogaina o upu. I le tatou faaSamoa, o le gagana aemaise o le faaaloalo, o nisi ia o faavae taua o le tatou aganuu e pei ona taua e Fofo Sunia, ‘o le tatou gagana e faavae ai, e fusi ai, e ta’ui ai foi ma teumau ai ana aganuu’(Sunia 2000). E feso’ota’i ai tagata uma e ala i le gagana ma mafai ona faailoa ai manatu, mafaufauga faapea ma lagona, pe mafatia po’o le fiafia foi. O le gagana e faatino ai le aganuu, a leiloa le gagana ua leai se aganuu. Tusia e se tina iloga o Samoa, le afioga i le foma'i ia Aiono Fanaafi Le Tagaloa e faapea ‘A leai se gagana ona po lea o le nuu’(Fanaafi 1996), aua ua leai se iloa, leai se malamalama o le isi i le isi, le faailoa ai manatu ma lagona. O lo’o faamatalaina mai e le tatou gagana auala e tatau ona tatou nonofo faatasi ai o se aiga, ma le faiâ ma isi, o tatou nofoaga ma le si’osi’omaga, ma tatou tapuaiga.   O le tatou gagana tatou te iloa ai o tatou tu ma aga e tatau ona tatou faatinoina i taimi e feagai ai ma fetaia’iga faigata faale-tagata.
Fetalai le afioga i le tama-a-aiga, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, ‘A faaumatia se gagana, e faaumatia foi ma tala faasolopito and suia ai ma faasinomaga o ni tagatanuu. O i’i foi la o lea leiloa ma lilo atu ai i le lumana’i le so’otaga sili a le tuana’i ma le taimi nei’ (Tui Atua, 2008). O le mou atu o se gagana, e mou faatasi atu ai ma pine faamau, talanoaga, ma feagaiga pei o talatu’u na fuafuaina mo augatupulaga o le lumana’i, faatasi ai ma le mou atu o se aganuu. O le gagana a tagatanuu, o le faaolataga lea mo tu ma aga’ifanua o tagatanuu. 
O le tatou gagana e si’itia ma vi’ia ai tagata, ae mafai fo’i ona faato’ilaloina ai nisi i le tatou gagana, e ala lea i le faaaogaina o tatou upu ma tala e faaleaga, faatiga, faamanu’aina, faanoanoa, ma faatauemu ai i nisi. O le tatou gagana ua faatinoina ai misa'aga ma vevesi i totonu o lotoifale, ua talepeina ai mafutaga, ua fetu’u ai foi e matua o latou fanau ona o le toatama’i, ua tatou tu’ua’ia ai foi i latou ua sauaina ae le tu’ua’ia le na faia sauaga, ma ua malepe ma fetaua’i ai faiga malo ma ekalesia eseese. I se isi itu ua tatou sauaina tagata i tatou upu lafo, po’o o sauaga i upu ma tala. 
O se isi itu e taua tele le tatou malamalama lelei i ai, o le malosiaga lea o sauaga, lea e le faagaganaina ai le tagata. O le toatele oi latou ua a’afia i sauaga, e tele ona le fia faatalanoaina tulaga o sauaga ua sauaina ai i latou, aemaise lava sauaga faafeusuaiga. E mafua mai ona a le ma, e fefe le tagata e faailoa mai o ia ua sauaina, ona e faapea o sauaga nei e mataga, pe le talitonuina ia e nisi. E taua le taumafai ina ia ave ese ia faiga po’o tu ma aga masani o le le gagana e faailoa mai sauaga, aua e tumau ma faaauauina ai lava sauaga. 
O se isi itu taua o le tatou gagana o le tatou iloa o faamatalaga e faia ina ia faato’ato’a ma fesoasoani ai i se isi ua a’afia i sauaga. O se fesili po’o se faamatalaga le talafeagai e faia, atonu e mafai ona aveesea ai le fia faasoa mai o le ua a’afia i sauaga aemaise o le faailoa mai o mea na tutupu ia te ia. O nisi fo’i o taimi, atonu o le leai o se tala e faia e mafai ona avea ma to’omaga mo nisi, pau o lea o le tatou auai faatasi ma ia, tusa pe le faaleoina ni manatu. E ui ina taua le iai o le tatou gagana, ae faapea fo’i ona taua o le tatou iloa o le tala e fai faapea ma le taimi e faia ai, aemaise lava pea faia le tatou galuega faale-faufautua po’o le tatou fesoasoani atu i nisi. Mo le tatou galuega faifai pea o le taumafai e taofia sauaga, tatou faaaogaina le tatou gagana tatou te faailoa ai tulaga i sauaga, tatou talanoa i le taua o le puipuiga o tatou aiga ina ia taumamao mai sauaga ona e fai sina ogaoga ma le matuia o ona a’afiaga. Tatou taumafai ina ia faaaogaina le tatou gagana tatou te talanoa ai i ni auala e faatupula’ia ai le tatou malamalama i nei mataupu ma ni auala e puipuia ai tagata uma i totonu o nuu ma afioaga ta’itasi. Tatou taumafai ina ia faaaogaina le tatou gagana tatou te talanoa ai i le fausiaina ma le faaaogaina o upu faaaloalo, migao, aemaise o le alofa tatou te feso’ota’i ai ma faailoa ai o tatou faalogona. Tatou taumafai ina ia faaaogaina le tatou gagana tatou te taofia ai sauaga, ma aveesea ai le pogisa mai totonu o tatou aiga, aua e le mafai ona tatou gafa taulimaina pe galulue aga’i le faatama’ia o sauaga, sei vagana ua tatou faatalanoaina ma fefaasoa’i muamua i nei faafitauli. Aua a leai, ona faatumauina ai lava lea o le po, a’o lea e fai mai ua ao Samoa! 
 

WRitten by:  Tina Tofaeono, PROVISION

September is recognized annually as National Suicide Prevention Month, it’s to help raise awareness and open the dialogue about suicide.  Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background.  Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate a more serious issue.  

This month is a time to raise awareness of this taboo subject. In addition to shifting public perception and spreading hope and vital information to people affected by suicide.  Everyone is affected by suicide, not just the victim.  Suicide impacts family and friends long after the loss of a loved one.  

One way to help prevent suicide is to increase access to treatment for depression.  However, identifying depression can be difficult.  Not all people who suffer from depression show signs.  We need to keep our eyes open for not only our youth but also adults.  The mental health of yourself or a loved one can never be taken too seriously.  Whether the issue of a long-term struggle or a crisis weighs you down, allow friends, family, or a counselor to lighten the load by finding support.  There is no shame in seeking help.

In American Samoa, the suicide rate has gone up.  We need to start talking about it to help prevent it.  Unfortunately, our society is not a huge fan of the topic and it’s frowned upon to speak of.  But, until we can extinguish that type of behavior and thinking, we need to do our part.  If you encounter someone speaking about dying or wanting to die, they feel empty, hopeless, or lonely.  They could mention strong feelings of shame, guilt or they are withdrawn and start to give away personal items, they might even post things on social media.  These could be warning signs and should raise a flag for you to reach out to them.  Here are some tips on how to help someone with suicidal thoughts:

ASK: Ask the person if they think about dying or killing themselves.  Don’t hesitate to do this, asking will not put the idea in their head, nor will it make them more likely to attempt suicide.

LISTEN: Start a conversation with the person and listen without judging to show you care.  Create a safe space for them to share their feelings and vent.

STAY: Don’t leave the person alone.  Stay with them or make sure they are in a private, secure place with another caring person until you can get further help.

SECURE:  If you suspect the person could be a harm to themselves, take them seriously.  Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

CALL:  Call the  988 Helpline and follow their guidance.  If danger for self-harm seems immediate, call 911.  ​

Author: Media Coordinator, Marilyn Ho Ching
Suicide impacts American Samoan Families. Many of us know someone, such as a friend, family member, or coworker who has been affected by suicide. 

In 2020 Department of Human Social Services Deputy Director Josie Lutali, shared Statistical Yearbook for American Samoa 72 deaths were classified as suicides from 2005 to 2016. There has been an influx of suicides in the last few years among our youth, and it is crucial our community know the warning signs for someone at risk for suicide.

If you know someone who is feeling hopeless, or shows signs of extreme depression, guilt or shame. If the person shares feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness, this may be a sign of depression. If they complain of sleep disturbances, or sleeping too much, or has shown a loss interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities these may be extreme signs. A person who talks about death or suicide more often than before can be a sign of suicidal thoughts. When the individual withdraws from friends, or usual activities, increased alcohol or drug use, and complains of difficulties in sleeping, eating or decrease in self-care, these can be signs of a person who is at risk for suicide.

To help those who you feel may be at risk for being suicidal, use the ACE Model (ASK, CARE, ESCORT). ASK, "are you thinking of killing yourself?" Yes, it can be awkward to ask, but research shows that people having thoughts of suicide feel relief when someone asks them in a caring way. CARE- Show they matter to you. Listen to them, and engage them without judging. These are actions of caring, and may be just what is needed to help the person feel they are not alone. ESCORT: When someone tells you they are feeling suicidal, support them by connecting them to the nearest helping resources. DO NOT leave them alone. Remove all items that may cause harm.

When we are committed to decreasing the number of suicides on island it is important to gain knowledge and know that suicide is preventable.
Throughout the month of September on our Alliance Facebook page, there will be educational posts and tips will be available and resources that are available in American Samoa for anyone feeling helpless or vulnerable.