HI Devin:

>>>> GRIN <<<<

I knew this was going to be your next question, why did I know that?

Okay, I need to know how much of Chinese-Samoan gafa/genealogy you already have delved into, if any. And if just a little or the basic it is better to say "none".
....

This I've posted to the RW SAMOA list (you are a member right?):

Anyone coming from the China mainland transporting to
Samoa came from two provinces: Fukien and Kwangtung.

Below is listing of villages in those two provinces -
old name and new name.

Current Heading:
Fukien Province (China)
Amoy (China)
Fu-chou shih (China)
Lin Village (Fukien Province, China)

Recommended Heading:
Fujian Sheng (China)
Xiamen (Fujian Sheng, China)
Fuzhou (Fujian Sheng, China)
Lin Village (Fujian Sheng, China)
....

Current Heading:
Kwangtung Province (China)
Canton (China)
Swatow (China) Guangdong Sheng (China)

Recommended Heading:
Guangzhou (China)
Shantou (Guangdong Sheng, China)
....

That is the easy part.

It's the name: Aso Chou Lee. What was/is the original characters before leaving China or before arriving to Samoa your wife's ancestor was born with/named?

I'm glad Aso didn't come with AH attached to the CHOU LEE name! After all these years Canada finally realizes AH is a misnonmer/mistake for the Chinese immigrants for their country.

Do you remember this?

http://www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=c6...

~~ or ~~

http://tinyurl.com/6gsplk

New Wiki for Chinese-Canadian Family Tree Research

Extract:
Cultural and language differences further complicated things. Immigration officials recorded the surnames of many Chinese as their given names. Plus, when a Chinese-Canadian was asked another's name, they would often answer "Ah so-and-so," and the "Ah" was often recorded as the surname, when it really means "this is."
....

The above revelation does not come as a surprise for me and I think to a lot of Chinese-Samoan descents who have known this since when their Chinese ancestors arrived to the Samoan shores in the late 1800s.

Let us know your thoughts.

--Manaia
....

Okay, what we have to do now is contact the two provinces in China (I've done this with Eveni) to find out which villages the CHOU LEE characters originated from.

But first the characters and we have to post to Helen's forum. I'll get the info for you. Samoan gafa is easiest, it's the Chinese part I'm having difficulty getting in the door!

--Manaia