Big Question: Will There Be a Fautasi Race?

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Now the biggest question on everyone’s mind: will there be a fautasi race today as announced?

No there wont be one.

Last evening the Flag day Committee issued an announcement saying that the fautasi race set for 7:30 this morning has been cancelled until further notice.

The announcement said that once a date for the race has been finalized, the public will be informed.
Meanwhile, KHJ News has received confirmation that two villages with fautasi in the finals, Nu’uuli and Leone, have decided that they will not participate.

And two fautasi which were disqualified by the Committee, Paepaeulupoo and Matasaua,
approached Governor Lolo after the Committee rendered its decision, and presented their cases.

The governor is reported to have later met with the Committee Co-chair,  Lt. Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga and Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga Tasi Asuega and by Saturday night, the word was out that the race for Monday had been cancelled and that all 13 fautasi would race, not just the 6 which the Committee had picked for the finals.

A close associate of the governor told KHJ News that Lolo was concerned about the incidents which occurred following the Committee’s decision to disqualify four fautasi, and upon being told that other fautasi which appeared to be ahead of the pack on Saturday, were not disqualified.

The associate said that the governor’s main concern is to prevent further disturbances especially among the youth, not just fautasi crew members but fans.

It was after 8 last night that the Flag day Committee issued the announcement that there will be no fautasi race this morning and that it will announce when the finals will be held, once a date  has been finalized.

After the Committee’s decision on Saturday, Pago Pago High Chief Pulu  Ae Ae Jr. suggested that the fautasi races be stopped completely and for all participating villages, and he stressed only villages, be given equal amounts of money from the purse for the Fautasi Race.

He said that’s a peaceful way to appease everyone and stop any further controversy and problems from what was supposed to be a fun event for Flag Day but has turned out to be everything but.

In another twist, after the race on Saturday, Iseula one of the fautasi that was disqualified, had their party at their boat shed and that same evening, their old fautasi which had been used by the Fono, was seen in the water, being rowed by Manono.

No other information could be obtained as to whether there’s been a change of plans concerning Manono’s participation in the fautasi race.

Like what happened with the fautasi events last week, the weather may again interfere with the fautasi schedule.

According to the National Weather Service showers, thunderstorms and high surf are expected today and continuing this week.

A small craft advisory and a high surf advisory are in effect , due to swells of  10-12 feet, which may increase up to14 ft on Wednesday.

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