The embroidery detail from a jacket was donated by High Chief Lualemana to the American Samoa Government in 1957. The jacket was originally given as a gift to his grandfather High Chief Lualemana of A’asu Village around 1870. The jacket was presented with a cocked hat, sword, and shotgun when a French warship visited A’asu at that time to transfer the bodies of the French sailors killed in the 1787 massacre to a common grave.
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French Naval Officer’s Jacket
This ‘upeti board is an example of a relief pattern board in contrast to the carved boards more commonly seen. The board provides the background design in siapo printing.
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Upeti Board
American Samoa has a strong connection with the Apollo Space Missions. President Nixon is seen here presenting moon rocks to Governor Haydon. These moon rocks are still in the Museum collection today.
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President Nixon presenting gift to Governor Haydon
The Jean P. Haydon Museum has a collection ranging from canoe models from around the Pacific to full-sized Samoan paopao on display.
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Canoes
The Museum has a cannon from the Hawaiian steamer HHMS Kamiloa, the only warship in the fleet of King Kalakaua.
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Cannon
The Ma’a taife’e or octopus lure is part of the traditional Samoan fishing equipment collection at the Museum. It consists of a stone sinker covered with pieces of cowrie shell hafted with ‘afa (sennit). ʻAfa is handmade from dried coconut fiber from the husk of certain varieties of coconuts with long fibers.
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Ma’a taife’e
The Museum has several ‘ie Tōga or fine mats in its collection. This particular mat is the most extraordinary of them all. It was donated to the Museum as part of the original display collection and is over 450 years old. It is said that the mat took over 100 years to weave, at the rate of 6 inches per year.
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‘Ie Tōga
The ‘enu is a handwoven fishing basket used in Manu’a to catch small fish such as i’a sina. The basket has a funnel at one end. The Museum has a collection of ‘enu in various sizes.
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‘Enu
The Legend of Pava mural was designed and installed by Sven Ortquist. Tagaloa visits Pava but is angered by Pava’s son who acts out disobediently. Tagalaoa punishes the son by splitting him in half. Pava’s grief strikes Tagaloa and Tagaloa brings Pava’s son back to life with a drop of ‘ava.
Sven Ortquist (1938 – 2013) served as the traditional Samoan artist and Master Carver for the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture, and the Humanities and installed the mural during his time as Resident Artist of the Jean P. Haydon Museum. Sven taught students of all ages the art of Samoan wood carving and was a boat builder, artist, and book illustrator. He also was one of the founders of the Samoan Voyaging Society, Aiga Tautai o Samoa and first president. Sven considered his greatest achievement to be the artwork he created and designed for the Roman Catholic Holy Family Cathedral in Tafuna.
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Legend of Pava
Siapo Mamanu is one of the methods for designing on tapa cloth. Siapo master Mary J. Pritchard (1905 – 1992), the artist behind this museum piece, used all natural handmade materials that have been a part of the art form for hundreds of years. The motifs also define important items for our land and sea such as shells, birds, and local vegetation. Mary J. Pritchard dedicated most of her life to preserving this art form by practicing, lecturing abroad, and teaching students. She was featured on the PBS series ‘Artists in America’ in 1971 which provided a larger exposure for siapo art. Siapo : bark cloth art of Samoa was written by Pritchard and published in 1984 by the American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture and the Humanities. Shows of her artwork were organized at the Museum in 1991 and again in 2008.
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Siapo Mamanu
The ‘ava ceremony is a one in which a ceremonial beverage is shared to mark important occasions in Samoan society. This ritual is one of Samoa’s most important chiefly customs. The Museum collections has a small collection of tanoa (‘ava bowls) of various designs.
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Ava Ceremony
The Jean P. Haydon Museum has an extensive collection of traditional Pacific Island weapons from Samoan war clubs to spears from the Western Pacific.
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Weapons
This portrait is part of a collection that was commissioned for the Museum in 1975. The project aimed to capture the portraits of matai (chiefs) who were actively participating in the political, economic and social development of the Territory.
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Tui Manu’a Elisara Portrait
Sogelau Park was constructed by Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga in 2020 to commemorate the first Flag Day flag raising ceremony conducted on Sogelau Hill April 17, 1900. The small park consists of a botanical garden walkway and four fales adjacent to the Museum located in front of the Pago Pago Harbor Sea Port.
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Sogelau Memorial Park
This piece is a handwoven material made of fau (hibiscus fiber). ‘Ie sina are very rare with only a few known examples found in museums and in family collections.
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