American Samoa delegation participates in global Indigenous education summit in Aotearoa

The American Samoa Samoan Language Commission represented the territory at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education, held from November 16 to 20 in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The delegation was led by Executive Director Elisapeta Alaimaleata and included Project Manager John Falaniko Pātū, Don Maifala of the Office of the Governor of American Samoa, and Dr. Rosevonne Pato, president of the American Samoa Community College.

The World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education, commonly known as WIPCE, is one of the most significant international gatherings focused on Indigenous education. Held every three years, the conference brings together educators, researchers, community leaders, and students from Indigenous communities around the world. Several thousand abstracts were submitted for this year’s conference, with an estimated 300 selected for presentation.

Both abstracts submitted by the American Samoa delegation were accepted, a notable achievement given the scale and competitiveness of the conference.

Alaimaleata presented on the Samoan Language Commission’s ongoing work to stabilize and strengthen the Samoan language in American Samoa. Pātū presented research titled Establishing the Ōfaga Leo for Samoan language revitalization in stateside Samoan communities, which focuses on supporting Samoan families in the diaspora as they work to maintain the language in their homes.

Beyond formal presentations, the delegation met and networked with Samoan educators and students from across the globe. During one session, a Samoan student from Texas asked whether additional online resources could be developed to support members of the diaspora who wish to continue learning the language. According to the delegation, the question underscored growing interest in Samoan language education outside the islands and the need to expand access for Samoan families living abroad.

American Samoa was also among seven locations invited to submit a bid to host the 2028 WIPCE conference. While the territory was not selected as the final host, inclusion in the process signaled international recognition of American Samoa’s work in Indigenous education.

The next WIPCE conference will take place in Waikoloa, Hawaii. The Samoan Language Commission said it plans to encourage broader participation from educators, students, and community partners from the islands.

While in Aotearoa, the delegation also attended the Annual General Meeting of the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium, held from November 13 to 14 at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. The meeting brought together Indigenous educators, researchers, advocates, and professionals from educational institutions and government agencies worldwide to discuss the advancement of Indigenous education at all levels.

WINHEC also serves as an Indigenous accreditation body. The Samoan Language Commission said it aims to work with the consortium to pursue accreditation for programs focused on Samoan language and culture in American Samoa and hopes to host a future annual general meeting to foster international collaboration.