The digital programme marking the 31st Annual Teuila Festival will take viewers down memory lane with a 2006 performance from the Gataivai Methodist Church Choir kicking off the Choral Exhibition on Sunday night.

Officials with the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) invite Samoans in the country and abroad to view the online programme that has been scaled back for the second year in a row due to the closure of borders and COVID-19 State of Emergency restrictions.

Taimalelagi Tutuila Farao, S.T.A.’s Principal and Press Relations and Communications Officer and Fanaea Faamanatu Taulealo greeted the nation during opening ceremonies in a live Facebook broadcast on Sunday.

“This is another great time to be in Samoa. If you look around and see what’s happening around the world I’ll say we’re so blessed and we should be forever grateful to the Lord for bringing us into this beautiful country…the theme of Teuila this year is ‘Beautiful Samoa’,” said Taimalelagi.

“It won’t be the same as previous years due to COVID-19 as everyone is well aware but we will not let that stop us from having fun like always during the Teuila Festival.”

Footage of church choirs that have performed in past Teuila Festivals was broadcast on Sunday with the Gataivai Methodist Church Choir of 2006 opening the spiritual song exhibition.

Some choir members who appear in the footage no longer reside in Samoa and have moved abroad while some have passed away and “are in heaven,” Fanaea noted.

“This is a good opportunity to see them again,” he said.

Viewers have the chance to see their family members who have performed in past Teuila festivals, noted Taimalelagi.

“The programme is filled with memories,” he said.

The Samoa Apia Catholic Church Choir and a choir from Apia Samoa Central Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were also featured on Sunday night.

Additional choirs featured in the Sunday exhibition include the Congregational Church of Jesus (C.C.J.S.), Apia, Samoa (2011); the Assemblies of God Church, Samoa (2008); the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa at Vaitele Uta.

The choral exhibition compiled for the 2021 festivities can be viewed on the S.T.A. Facebook page.

Teuila Festival opened Sunday night with a prayer led by Methodist Rev. Mariota Siaea and a keynote address from Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.

The Samoa Cultural Village at the S.T.A. compound will host a Night Market featuring food and handicrafts on Thursday and Friday nights. The Night Market is hosted in association with the Samoa Hotels Association.

Live band shows are happening throughout the week at the Hotel Millenia in Sogi.

Teuila sports competitions opened on Monday with cricket at Tuanaimato. 

The Apia City Run, the Teuila Business House Regatta, a volleyball tournament and a rugby touch tournament are also planned for this week with some sporting events running through next week.