Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke returns to Washington D.C. as Fofoga o Samoa Ryan Zinke.
He was bestowed the honorary matai title, which is the same one that was given to the late Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.
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The bestowal was announced by Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga Tasi Asuega who led the chiefs who laid their hands on Zinke who was seated cross legged in the Samoan Fale at Suiga ula.
Zinke was dressed for the occasion having stepped off the plane this morning in an ie faitaga and white aloha shirt.
Earlier Zinke, accompanied by Lt. General Fenton the second in command of US Forces in the Pacific based in Hawaii, Assistant Secretary of the Interior Doug Domenech and Nikolao Pula, Executive Director of the Office of Insular and International Affairs, was given a warm welcome by the management and employees of StarKist Samoa.
Like his ride from the airport when school children and government employees lined both sides of the road waving and displaying welcome signs, the scene at the cannery was similar.
StarKist stopped production and the employees came out to greet the visitors. They sang Samoan songs and danced. 
One of the signs which welcomed the Interior Secretary at StarKist said “:Please save our jobs, re-open ocean monuments.
We asked Mr. Zinke for his reaction.
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General Manager of StarKist, Mr. Sangdong Kwon and management staff including Archie Taotasi Solia welcomed the Interior Secretary.
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The Interior Secretary addressed the cannery workers.
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Cases of wahoo were given to the secretary and his delegation and before leaving Zinke shook hands with the employees and had photos taken with them.
