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- "Riverdale" star KJ Apa became a Samoan chief during a ceremony last week.
- Apa, 25, shared a photo from the ceremony on his Instagram account Wednesday.
- Apa's father Tupa'i Keneti Apa is a chief in Moata'a, a village located in Samoa.
KJ Apa is officially a Samoan chief after participating in a traditional ceremony.
The "Riverdale" star revealed the news with an Instagram post on Wednesday that showed him at the ceremony in Moata'a, a village on the island of Upolu in Samoa. Apa plays Archie Andrews, the lead character in the CW series.
According to local news website Talamua, the 25-year-old was bestowed the Samoan chief title of Savae in front of village leaders.
"O la'u fautuaga - o le a ou tautua i le tatou aiga ma le tatou nu'u. Fa'afetai i le Atua," Apa wrote in the caption, which translates to: "My goal is to serve my family and my village (Moata'a) Thank you God."
The outlet reported that the chiefs commended Apa's decision to further embrace his Samoan heritage and the responsibilities of the title. Apa's father, Tupa'i Keneti, is also a chief.
The New Zealand Herald reported that Apa gave a speech in Samoan at one point, saying he wished God's blessings on his village and those present at the ceremony. He also removed the traditional attire he wore and gifted them to the village leaders as part of a custom, the outlet reported.
Representatives for Apa did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Apa has opened up about his Samoan heritage in the past. In 2017, he spoke about his family to Vulture.
"I have a massive Samoan family. And the Samoan culture has always played a massive part of my life," Apa told the outlet. "I've got hundreds of family on my dad's side that live in Samoa and in New Zealand. I've just been surrounded by the culture ever since I was a kid. I actually used to speak Samoan, but me and my sisters all kind of lost it."
Apa also spoke about his name and father during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in February 2021,
"KJ is short for Keneti James, which is a Samoan name. I'm named after my father," Apa said, adding, "He holds the matai title—chief title—of the village that he's from and I'm from called Moata'a in Samoa."
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Apa continued that his father received his chief title after his grandfather died. When asked if he would become chief, too, Apa said he didn't feel "adequate."
"I don't know. I can't speak Samoan … I would think it's a huge responsibility. I don't really feel adequate to be honest, but I doubt myself in almost everything that I do, so," he said.
'Riverdale' star KJ Apa becomes a Samoan chief in his village during a traditional ceremony
Source: Kalayaan News
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