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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson in Neiafu

How rising seas are threatening the crucial art of weaving in Samoa

Maeva Moelagi (L) and Amio Pei Ioane weave together. in Neiafu, Samoa.
Maeva Moelagi (L) and master weaver Amio Pei Ioane (R) work together on a traditional mat in Neiafu, Samoa. Photograph: Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson/The Guardian

In the Samoan village of Neiafu, Amio Pei Ioane sits with a group of women in a weaving house. Around her, rolls of stripped pandanus leaves, the spiky-leaved plant used to make woven mats, rest in bundles.

She began weaving when she was 15, assisting the village group before eventually joining the central line of weavers working on a large ceremonial mat. Now, she is the matua u‘u, or elder master weaver, offering guidance and encouragement to others

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