American Samoa Local Food

Local Food

The staples that make up American Samoan cuisine include taro, breadfruit, bananas, mangoes, coconuts, papayas, some chicken, pork, canned beef and of course seafood; although shops generally stock most foods found in western supermarkets. At a Samoan Fia, visitors can experience a feast of national specialties and traditional dancing. These specialties include: pig, chicken or fish, palusami (a special treat of coconut cream wrapped in taro leaves and cooked in a pit oven), breadfruit, coconut, bananas, lime and mango. The national drink is called Kava and it is often drunk as a part of sacred ceremonies. If you have the privilege of attending a kava ceremony, there are a few basic rules you should be aware of: before taking a sip, you must tip a little of the drink onto the ground in front of you and say "manuia" (mah-noo-ee-ah) which means good luck; and just before finishing, tip the remaining amount out before you return the cup to your server. You may also find that Kava is an acquired taste! Restaurants in American Samoa provide a variety of cuisines including Polynesian, Chinese, Japanese, Italian and American.