My cousin Bnice Talanoa, also a descendant of my Moea'i side in Faleniu American Samoa, is one cousin of mine I hold very close to my heart. We have an appetite for life (we'll just leave it at that) and we pray to our Heavenly Father faithfully and we love on others... Have you seen the Julia Roberts movie "Eat, Pray & Love"?? Well, that's us!! Me and my cousin Bnice!!

Our signature spot is "Cha for Tea" in Long Beach. Bnice's favorite is "Large Hot Almond Black Milk Tea with Soy" and she gets it "No-Sweet" to cut out on the sugar lol.. My favorite is "Large Hot Honey Green Milk Tea with Soy" and I get it less-sweet. We love to take adventures to eat, pray, share, vent, laugh, cry and hang out.. Even when I'm so overly stressed and I turn to alcohol, Bnice will be right there to drive me around haha.. We don't judge others, we just accept them.. We love to see smiles and happy people.. We love to see unity and strength and love..

On Monday's after her FHE (Family Home Evening), she'll come and pick me up and we'll go on our little field trips to Melt (the crepes place), Diddy Riese (the icecream sandwich place), L&L (the BBQ place), Dockweiller Beach and many many other destinations!! It's so fun to enjoy great company of a cousin, a fellow Christian sister, and a very best friend.. Thanks cousin for all your love and support =)

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Tupulaga is owned by older cousin on my Moea'i side from Faleniu in American Samoa, Yvette Taulua Ma'o and her husband Dr.Kurene Ma'o. I grew up being a musician in this group and this is still on of the things that I love to do today. Alongside with my other older cousins Bnice Talanoa, Naomi Yamamoto Uga'itafa and aunty Flo Mamea, this core group has helped many individuals, leading them into the right paths of adulthood while inspiring them to cultivate and maintain their culture through song and dance. Along with culture, song, and dance, Tupulaga values many other aspects of life such as God, family, education, and brotherly love. Through this group, we believe that our Heavenly Father will give us the strength to unite, motivate, and raise leaders for tomorrow, hence the name Tupulaga "The Future Generation".

We've traveled together to many places to share our cultures with many others. We're located here in Los Angeles South Bay, but we've done shows in Northern California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. We've even gone to Hawaii, Samoa & Tahiti!!

Although Tupulaga specializes in Samoan dancing, we try to teach our kids about all the different islands of the South Pacific including Tahiti, Hawaii, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand. The efforts of this group to keep our culture alive is astonishing!!

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"Cha for Tea" is a tea house in Long Beach, in the CSULB area, where many people go to hang out, eat, drink tea, or use free WiFi... Introduced to me through my sisters Meilyn Otemai and Sarai Tavai, Cha now serves as a favorite location where many of my friends and family go to enjoy... Meilyn's favorite tea, "Large Hot Honey Green Milk Tea with Soymilk" is now my favorite, and my cousin Bnice Talanoa's favorite is my old favorite, "Large Hot Almond Black Milk Tea with Soymilk". Sister Sarai drinks "Large Hot Almond Green Milk Tea with Soy & Sweetened with Honey" along with my brother Nese Lutu (accept he likes his tea cold). Cha is my little getaway from home, the drive is not too far, but far enough to where I feel like I'm in a different town. The managers Eric & Kelvin know all of us very well, along with Vicky, Jessica, Stephan, Rose and Malina, who normally work the night shift now-a-days.. I still see Chris around although he doesn't work there anymore, and of course Mr.Duncan who comes to do his work almost everyday. Cha is a part of my life and a part of my life that I absolutely LOVE!!

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