From 1996 to 1998 a documentary was shot and released entitled “Destination Samoa”. It had migration/remigration as its main topic showing reasons and consequences of migration activities for Samoan society and culture.

The main protagonists of that documentary were two Samoans with deeply rooted connections to their Samoan background, both of whom, however, living in New Zealand for family as much as job reasons. The multiple aspects of that situation of living in two worlds are depicted in the film presenting two men socialized with traditional Samoan values and their strong cultural commitments. At the same time they are part of New Zealand’s society and its often completely different requirements.

Tyrone Laurenson and Michael Alofa own differing life-long traditional rights in Samoa providing them with a number of political and social status modalities. But these rights at the same time also include obligations towards the Samoan society.

Twenty years after producing the original documentary an unusual opportunity for a “follow-up” film has emerged: Michael Alofa, since 1998 rooted in New Zealand through his wife and family and a remarkable job career in public administration, has now decided to make a claim on his traditional Samoan rights, even though he intends to continue living in New Zealand. But in order to manifest his Samoan rights he must undergo a central traditional obligation: he must be full-body tattooed with the traditional pe’a in a tattoo process lasting six weeks. The pe’a will underline his claim on a matai title, which will make him a political, cultural and social leader of Samoan society. It will also strengthen his own identity as a part of Samoan culture.
Tyrone Laurenson has quit the high-ranking position as a New Zealand police officer which he held in 1998, has returned to Samoa where he spent most of his years since. Although he is by birth entitled to high matai titles, he has never accepted to undergo the tattooing process. But in order to prove his strong ties to Samoan cultures and to justify holding the matai title he has involved himself in several projects for the social and economic development of Samoa. In spite of not being tattooed himself, this topic plays a significant role in his life, if only through his son Corey Weir, one of today’s internationally best-known tattoo artists who now and then also works in Germany. By including Corey in the film, the story is carried into the next generation by someone who is also a “New Zealand-born Samoan” who now tries to connect Samoan and New Zealand art.

This setting acts as frame for the new film, showing the life of Samoans between tradition and modernity and by looking at facets of migration-remigration trying to describe and analyze the roots of the protagonists in both worlds.

Looking at this field of migration and remigration “at the other end of the world” at the same time offers viewers in Germany with its multicultural population a chance for a better understanding of living together harmoniously.