Biography

After returning home to American Samoa at the urging of Governor Rex Lee, he joined the Department of Education and taught numerous school children the art of Polynesian dancing and recruited dance troupes to Washington and Australia. He then served as the Assistant Director of Tourism, and later Senator in the Legislature of American Samoa, and as an Associate Judge in the High Court of American Samoa.

Held many Samoan chief titles including the High Talking Chief title of "Olo" which he held for 40 years and was bestowed the Paramount Chief title of "Letuli" in 2001, becoming one of only five Paramount Chiefs in American Samoa

Was a popular demand throughout the United States and Europe, after making history with his fire knife dance. "The Samoan Warriors", "Freddie Letuli and his Wild Polynesians", "Freddie Letuli and the Samoans", and "Freddie Letuli and the Hawaiians" were some of the troupes he formed to fill his contracts and to keep up with the demand for Polynesian shows. The shows were performed regularly in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and wherever else good contracts were offered. He took his Samoan Warriors to Italy to fulfill one of his contracts and frequently performed in Chicago, Kentucky, and New York. This eventually brought him and his act to Hollywood, where they were asked to perform in movies such as "Pagan Love Song", "Salome", and "Sailor Beware", he was also a regular on "Adventures in Paradise" and "The Bob Cummings Show".

Is the pioneer of the traditional polynesian fire knife dance. He was inspired in 1946 to add fire to the traditional Samoan ailao a fierce traditional dance that involves the twirling of the nifo oti (war knife), after seeing a Hidu fire eater and a young girl twirling her baton fitted with light bulbs on both ends at a street show on Golden State Park in San Francisco, California.

Got his stage name Freddie after ordering tap dance shoes from a Sears Catalog, which included an instruction booklet from Fred Astaire, tap shoes and a board. He practiced so often that friends started to call him Freddie.