American Samoa- South Pacific

The  secrete water of the Well of Youth on the floating Green Island of the West and the twists of the Bennane Cave sing that I am Clan Morrison.  The twists of the studies of art and the discipline of drawing say that I am an artist. American Samoans are like us Scot Americans big and religious. American Samoa is possibly the least known or developed Inhabited US Territory. Ironically, Americans know American Samoa for the book Coming of Age in Samoa which was part of the 1920’s “Jazz”  and tattoos which is ironically as they are primarily devout Christians. According to legend, the islands were owned by Tonga, but Queen Salamasina unified the Islands as an independent Samoa who descendants were the four noble families. In 1830 John Williams of the London Missionary society brought the gospel to the islands. The United States formally got it as part of the backlash of the “Scramble for Africa” and “Great Game” in a treaty in 1900 which divided the Islands. 1976, American Samoa finally got home rule with their own governor.  The Islands still keep Fa’a Samoa of chiefs, extended family and church. I went to a college in Florida for a semester near the “Fountain of Youth.”

Samoan Mythology is greater than most of territories mythology with the exemption of Hawaii. The Islands have crytids also such as sea monsters and Nifoloa (long toothed creator near the villages of Falelima) but not in the drawing.  Behind everything is the Fatu ma Futi or Flowerpot Rock which is a sea stack or volcanic plug in American Samoa National Park. Everything is on the grave of Jean-Francois La Perouse who died on December 11, 1787 by Samoans which marks Massacre Bay. Everything is in a tanoa which piper methysticum is pounded in the ‘ava ceremony which is at all chiefly, public and government meetings. Before drinking the Highest Chief pour some on the floor then gives a toast and every one can drink. The stick with long fur is a fue (fly whisk) and is part of public speaking. (It is Coconut fiber not fur.) it is worn on the shoulder by the talking chief. (tulafale) The matau (stone adze (wood shaping tool)) is for the Tataga-matau wher they used to mine basalt for stone tools which were used across the Pacific. It is 9” x 12,” drawn with pencil and white chalk and completed recently.

The name of this piece is Harmany is 9” x 12” and drawn with Sumi-e on watercolor paper recently. It is a Japanese wasp  on the top left corner and a Japanese Whiteeye on the bottom right. Birds eat wasp wasps sting birds, harmony. Asian Logic is all about enemies finding harmony as in Taoism with Ying and yang. If you are interested in buying this or any other of my work email me at MatthewMorrison76@yahoo.com to order