In celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, ChicagoBears.com sat with linebacker Noah Sewell — a native of American Samoa — about his culture, the significance of his tribal tattoo and the Polynesian presence in the NFL.
Noah Sewell spent the first nine years of his life in the small village of Malaeimi on the island of American Samoa with his parents, three brothers and one sister. When he was growing up on the Polynesian island, most Samoan boys only had two options for a career path — enlist in the Army or play football.
For Noah and his brothers — Gabriel Jr., Nephi and Penei — putting their energy toward football served as a way to stay out of trouble and develop a passion for a sport that could create endless opportunities for the family. The four boys began watching the NFL and idolized Polynesian players like legendary Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and longtime Bengals nose tackle Domota Peko.
"Football was the only thing that kept us grounded, kept us where our feet were," Noah said. "It taught us more about life than any other experience. I'd say we leaned more towards football because we saw more Poly athletes. There were quite a few in the league, but I just feel like all the kids from the islands looked up to them and saw the path that they set for us. We were trying to uphold that standard that they set."
In 2012, the Sewell brothers began the serious pursuit of forging their own path. Their parents moved the family to Utah, allowing Gabriel Jr., Nephi, Penei and Noah to have a shot at earning scholarships to play college football.
When the time to make college decisions arrived, Gabriel Jr. headed to Nevada, Nephi started at Nevada before later transferring to Utah and Penei went to Oregon. Noah, who was the last of the four to commit as the youngest brother, also attended Oregon.
After spending their entire lives as a tight-knit group, the brothers scattered around the country to follow their football dreams post-college. Now, 12 years after first arriving in the United States, Gabriel Jr. is in Houston pursuing a UFL career, Nephi is a linebacker for the Saints, Penei is Pro Bowl offensive tackle for the Lions and Noah is in his second season with the Bears.
"It means a lot," Noah said. "We're trying to get one more brother into the league; he's still grinding. He's still looking for an opportunity. But [we] never thought this could really happen, having brothers in the league, let alone two brothers in the same division getting to play each other. It's just a crazy, surreal feeling. Definitely blessed and definitely thankful for the other Poly guys who set the path for us and set the tone."
While the Sewell brothers are in different parts of the country consumed by their football schedules, they still feel connected in a variety of ways — one being through their culture, which they literally wear on their sleeves.
Noah's right arm is covered from shoulder to wrist with a Samoan style tattoo that reflects the significance of the culture.
"The tribal tattoo basically represents our culture and everything that we believe in," he said. "It also connects our daily lives. There's some patterns that you can see that we've used in our lifetime — these are just certain tools that we used and have a deeper meaning."
At the top of the tattoo is the Seal of American Samoa which pays homage to the place he was born and raised. Throughout the middle portion of the design are various tribal symbols and patterns that represent the work of the Samoans. The main symbol in Noah's tattoo is the spearhead, which he says symbolizes "a warrior in the family and protecting the family."
The last part of the tattoo, which stretches across the side of his forearm, is the word "Sewell," allowing him to honor his family name and culture at the same time.
Noah's tattoo also serves as a connection between his family members. Gabriel Jr., Nephi and Penei all also have tattoos on their arms similar to his. His father, Gabriel Sr., has a tattoo on his back while his sister, Gabriella, has one on her ankle.
Noah remembers his parents teaching him and his siblings at a young age the story of how Samoan tattoos came to be. He understands the significance of the artwork and historic meaning behind it and hopes to pass that down to the next generation of his family.
"For me, personally, every time I look at my tattoo, it gives me that reminder of where I came from and holding on to that culture," he said. "Hopefully later on when I start my own family, I am able to teach them about my background and where I came from and what it means to be Samoan."
The Samoan tattoo also allows Noah to show off his culture each week of the NFL season. During every game, no matter the weather, he always keeps his right arm visible.
The presence of Polynesian athletes in the league has continued to increase in Noah's lifetime. In the 2024 NFL Draft, a historic 5.1% of all players selected were of Polynesian ancestry, including three of the top 20 picks — Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu and Pittsburgh offensive tackle Troy Fautanu.
NFL stars like Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata and Rams receiver Puka Nacua, along with families like the Sewells, have continued paving a path for young Polynesian athletes who aspire to reach the NFL.
"It makes me happy," Noah said. "More of us are coming out and making it to the league. I mean, shoot, we're basically just setting an image for the kids on the islands, anything is possible. If you just put your mind to it and just stick with it, anything's possible."
