Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party leader, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt, has a simple message for Ringmaster, Tupa'i Bruno Loyale. 

"My advice to him is to stay neutral," La'auli told the Samoa Observer after his opinion was sought following an open letter from Tupa'i to the party leader. 

"Stay out of Samoa's politics. Do not let the H.R.P.P. (Human Rights Protection Party) use him as a campaign tool. 

"I'll see him around."

This follows a letter that was printed in the Sunday Observer by Tupa'i, in response to "black magic jabs" from La'auli. 

The comments from La'auli were made in response to claims by Tuilaepa that he "forcefully" ejected Tupa'i and the Magic Circus of Samoa from land at Salelologa. 

According to La'auli, they had asked Tupa'i and his team to move out of Salelologa as they did not ask for permission to set up there. 

La'auli then dubbed Tupa'i's circus show "inappropriate, demonic, and evil."

"Samoa, I've seen some of his shows and some of the magic and witchcraft he does are inappropriate," he said. 

"It promotes violence and some of the acts are not good for the children. In the other act I have seen on youtube, Tupa'i puts a handkerchief on a woman's chest and then pulled out the woman's bra. That was very unfitting and disrespectful. 

"That is why I believe this show should not continue because the children are in the audience with their parents. 

"Another inappropriate act is the knife-throwing act and when they stab a person's neck with a small knife and get through to the other side. 

"Those are not the type of acts they should be doing in front of the children. 

"Those are what you call demonic and evil." 

"If it was a show that is educational for the children, I would've supported the show. But I have seen how it is done, Samoa, it's very inappropriate and should be stopped." 

But he did not stop there. 

La'auli also criticised Tuilaepa and the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.), accusing them of using Tupa'i Bruno as a campaigning tool. 

However, Tupa'i rejected the claims by La'auli in a letter that has been shared by over 700 people on Facebook, since the Ringmaster has posted his letter in full on his Facebook account. 

"With all due respect, everything you have said is FALSE," Tupa'i wrote. 

"First, let us discuss the cancellation of the circus in Salelologa.   

"You claim that I did not request permission to use the land at the old market site. That is absurd and totally false!  Never in all the years with our circus have we ever just set up our tents in a village without permission. 

"We visited the site 2- weeks beforehand, met with presumably your caretaker and her son.  They asked for $300 per Show-day, afterward lowered to $200 including water.  

"We had requested 2 weekends on the site, and it was approved. 

"Matter of fact there was no water, the unpaid bill for water on your land was over $10,000 due in arrears! Thanks to the kindness of S.S.A.B. Savaii, they provided water for us during this time.

"The caretaker’s son came over on our first Saturday and said that we would have to pack up and leave by early Monday morning, there could be no more shows. He stated the reason being; F.A.S.T. tents were to be set up on Monday for their rally.  

"We paid him the fee of $600 to him for those 3 show-days and urgently changed our tour to enter earlier the other villages already reserved. 

"After a long conversation with the caretaker’s son on Saturday evening, the reason of our eviction came to light. It was simply because I had said during the show “thanks to the office of the Prime Minister and the Government of Samoa”. 

"There were no tents ever set up on Monday or since on that land for your rally. It was simply your discontent with me thanking the government of Samoa." 

In response to accusations made by La'auli, Tupa'i said: "You have publicly accused me of being evil and demonic!  

"You have accused me of practicing black magic or witchcraft because in the show I put a sword through a man’s neck or because I remove a part of clothing….ALL IN FUN AND GOOD HUMOR.   

"You have said that our circus should not be allowed in the villages! You have said that our circus installs violence in the children! You have said that our circus is a political ploy by the H.R.P.P.  to undermine your party.

"At any time, come to our circus, I will personally show you how I put a sword through someone’s neck, and I will show you how to remove a bra..." 

"You will see that ALL that we do in the show is simply entertainment and good CLEAN FAMLY FUN! By no means, black magic!  We are in 2021 sir; it sounds like you are still in 1821."

Tupa'i and his team are wrapping up their Savai'i tour this week and are now set up at Vaito'omuli in Savai'i.