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Culture of Samoa

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The traditionalculture ofSamoais a communal way of life based onFa'a Samoa,the unique socio-politicalculture.In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. The traditional living quarters, orfale(houses), contain no walls and up to 20 people may sleep on the ground in the same fale. During the day, the fale is used for chatting and relaxing. One's family is viewed as an integral part of a person's life. Theaigaor extended family lives and works together. Elders in the family are greatly respected and hold the highest status, and this may be seen at a traditional Sundayumu(normal oven).

Samoan culture is present in both theIndependent State of Samoaand inAmerican Samoa(aterritory of the United States).[1][2]

Traditional art forms

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Construction of a Samoanfale,c. 1896(see:Architecture of Samoa)
Pe'a,traditional male tattoo

Both men and women can be tattooed (tatau). A man's tattoo is called the soga'i miki while a woman's tattoo is called amalu.[3][4][5]

Womenplayed a very important part in contributing with their skills in items of important cultural value including'ie toga,finely woven mats used in ceremony and gift exchanges.[6][7]In terms of material goods, during ritual exchange, women give fine mats 'ie togaand decorated bark clothsiapowhile men give woodworking items and red feathers.[8]

Bark cloth,calledsiapoin Samoa (similar to theFijiantapa clothcalledmasi), both of which is made from beatenmulberry bark.[9][10]Patterns or pictures are painted on with a natural brown dye taken from a tree source. These pictures typically depict abstract and realistic depictions of plant life, shells,fish,turtles,andhibiscusflowers. The siapo may be used for clothing, for wrapping objects and even simply for decorative reasons.Ornaments,jewelleryand hair accessories are made from naturally occurring materials such assea shells,coconutandcoir.Traditional Samoan medicine is often practiced as a first-line before hospital medicine. This is a type of alternative medicine usingplant leavesto massage the affected area.

Wooden figurative sculpture was extremely rare in pre-Christian Samoa, and shares some similarities with Fijian and Tongan sculpture.[11]

'Ava ceremony

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Main article:Samoa 'ava ceremony

The'ava ceremonyis the most significant ritual which takes place before all important occasions, including the bestowal ofmataichiefly titles.[12]The overall ceremony is highly ritualized, with specific gestures and phrases to be used at various times. Ceremonial items for the 'ava ceremony include thetanoa(round wooden bowl) similar to those used in thekava culturesof otherPolynesiansocieties. Thetanoaare made of varying sizes supported by many short legs around it. These bowls and other related instruments are often highly decorated. Known askavain other parts of Polynesia, the 'ava is a beverage produced from a plant that is drunk throughout the western Pacific region. The drinking of ʻava in Samoa is generally done through highly ritualized ʻava ceremonies. The kava is prepared by a group of people calledaumaga.It is brought to each participant by thetautuaʻava,or ʻava server, in the order proscribed by thetufaʻava,or ʻava distributor. Usually, the highest chief of the visiting party is served first, followed by the highest chief of the host party, and then service proceeds based on the rank of the rest of the participants. The drink is served in a polished coconut half shell.

Dance

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Boy performing a Samoan fire dance (siva afi)

The traditional Samoandanceis thesiva.The femalesivais with gentle movements of the hands and feet in time to music. Thesasais a group dance performed sitting to adrumrhythm. Samoan males traditionally perform thefa'ataupati(slap dance), usually performed in a group with no music accompaniment. Other types of dance aremodern danceby the younger generations. Traditional Samoan dance is arguably the one area of Samoan culture that has not been touched by Western Civilization. Themaulu'uluis a group dance performed by female counterparts only, also thetaualugais the main Samoan traditional dance that is performed by a village chief (manaia) or village chiefess (taupou). It is often performed atweddings,birthdaysand other Samoan celebrations.[13]

In the Samoan culture theTaualugais used for special celebrations, started by the village chief's son (manaia) or village chief's daughter (taupou). The Tuiga is a Samoan traditional headpiece (crown) that is made out of things like feathers, human hair, and a variety of different types of shells. It is now a privilege to wear the Tuiga because in the 19th century it was only to be worn by the high chief's son, daughter, and also by extended families. Before they start the taualuga, he or she must bow their head and spread out their hands to the people, to thank the people for coming out and for their support. This happens before and after the taualuga. The outfit is made from fine woven mats that symbolizes time, honor, and traditions, then we add red feathers from the birds of the islands. Next the outfit with a Tapa is made from the bark of the tree and it represents the art and the craft of the Samoan culture. Then there was the Ula Nifo, a necklace made from whale-tooth that is worn by the head chief or by the person who dances the taualuga. It was also a symbol of wealth. Finally, the meaning of the dance. Back in Samoa in the 19th century the person who performed the dance was the high chief's son or daughter that was a virgin.[citation needed]

Languages

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InAmerican Samoa,most people are bilingual; they speak bothEnglishandSamoan.People inSamoaare also bilingual, but Samoan is stronger and more widely spoken, although the inhabitants ofSwains IslandspeakTokelauan.[citation needed]

Names

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The meaning of a given name is important when naming a child in the Samoan community:

  • personal traits:Malosi(strong),Umi(tall),Vave(fast),Fa'avalevale(foolish)
  • religious:Toefuata’iga o le talalelei(restoration of the Gospel)
  • events:Dodiana(this name was created to commemorateDodi FayedandPrincess Diana's death)
  • objects:Tala(dollar) "selegi" (quarter) "lima sege" (nickel) "sefulu sene" (dime)
  • animals: Maile (dog) pusi(cat) pusi feai (wildcat) lioga(lion) aeto(eagle)
  • descriptive: Leilani (heavenly flower)
  • traditional: Pua’a’elo (this was the name of a Samoan high chief)[14]

Dress

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Casual day to day wear will usually comprise an ie lava lava and T-shirt with jandals for shoes (also known as thongs in other regions of the world). Shorts are an alternative to an ie lava lava.

For events or work attire, the traditional ladies clothing is thepuletasi[15]which is a matching skirt and tunic with Samoan designs. Thelava-lavais asarongwhich may be worn by men or women. They are of different patterns and colors, but tend to be plain for men who may wear it as part of an official uniform. Some men have intricate and geometrical patterns that aretattooedonto their lower body and upper legs. The tattooing process is performed without anyanaesthesiaand is extremely painful. Ceremonial attire includes a headdress calledtuigawhich is made of shells and feathers.[16][17]

Cuisine

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Samoanumu,an oven of hot rocks above ground
See also:List of Oceanian cuisines

Sundays are traditionally a day of rest, and many families congregate to share anumutogether for a Sunday afternoon meal. In a traditional household, the older members of the family will sit and eat first, and as the meal continues the younger members and then children are invited to eat. The umu contains an abundance and variety of dishes ranging from a wholepig,freshseaweedandcrayfishto bakedtaroandrice.Coconutappears in many Samoan dishes, for example, luau, a parcel ofcoconut creamwrapped in taro leaves baked in the umu. This dish is eaten in its entirety including the leaves and is rich in taste due to its coconut content.[citation needed]

Pisupoandsupoketiserved with white rice

A staple of the modern Samoan diet ispisupo,orcanned corned beef.Commonly imported from New Zealand or Australia,pisupois conventionally served alongside white rice oralaisa fa'apopo(coconut rice), combined with vegetables and noodles to makesapasui,simmered with taro leaves in coconut milk as inpalusami,or mixed withsupoketi(cooked spaghetti).

The wordpisupois derived frompea soup,which was one of the first canned foods introduced to the island in the 19th century.[18]Today, the word is applied more generically to all foods preserved in cans, especially corned beef, which has become incorporated into the daily social and gastronomic life of Samoans. On occasions such as weddings and birthdays, it has become commonplace to receive cans of corned beef as gifts.[19]

Critics claim thatpisuporepresents a form of "food colonialism" wherein Western dietary standards displace those of the indigenous populations of the South Pacific, creating a dependence on foreign trade and the importation of processed goods.[20]In recent years,pisupohas been targeted for contributing to an emerging health crisis in Samoa, which has seen a steady increase in obesity and diabetes since the 1960s. It was projected that, by 2020, 59% of men and 81% of women in Samoa would be classified as obese.[21]Nutritionists have pointed to the influx of imported processed foods, sugary beverages, and rice as contributing to the rise in obesity and diabetes in the island. Canned corned beef, in particular, is high in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol[19]and, like many processed foods, is linked tohypertension.

Religion

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Main article:Religion in Samoa
A church in Matavai village,Savai'i

Religion in Samoa encompasses a range of groups, but nearly 100% of the population inSamoaisChristian.[22]The 2001 Census revealed the following distribution of Christian groups:Congregational Christian,34.8 percent;Roman Catholic,19.6 percent;Methodist,15 percent;The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,12.7 percent;Assemblies of God,6.6 percent; andSeventh-day Adventist,3.5 percent.[22]These statistics reflected continual growth in the number and size of Mormons and Assemblies of God and a relative decline in the membership of the historically larger denominations.[22]The following groups constitute less than 5 percent of the population:Nazarene,Anglican,Congregational Church of Jesus,Worship Centre,Jehovah's Witnesses,Full Gospel,Peace Chapel, Elim Church, Voice of Christ, andBaptist.[22]

HistoricMethodistChapel atPiula Theological CollegeonUpoluisland

There are also members of other religions such asIslamand theBaháʼí Faith;the shared estimate of the Baháʼí population in Samoa circa 2000 according to a profile by theWorld Council of Churchesand the online encyclopediaEncartawas 2% of the nation—some 3600 people—and the only non-Christian community of any number.[23][24]The country hosts one of only sevenBaháʼí Houses of Worshipin the world.[22]The Baháʼí Houses of Worship was dedicated byMalietoa Tanumafili II,King of Samoa (1913–2007), who was the first reigning Bahá'í monarch.[25]Although there were no official data, it is generally believed that there are also some practicingHindus,Buddhists,andJewsin the capital city.[22]

All religious groups are multiethnic; none are composed exclusively of foreign nationals or native-born (Western) Samoans.[22]There are no sizable foreign national or immigrant groups, with the exception of U.S. nationals fromAmerican Samoa.[22]Missionaries operated freely within the country.[22]There is strong societal pressure at the village and local level to participate in church services and other activities, and financially support church leaders and projects.[22]In some denominations, such financial contributions often total more than 30 percent of family income.[22]Theconstitutionprovides forfreedom of religion,and the government generally respected this right in practice.[22]The US government found there to be no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.[22]

Sports

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Samoa performing theirSiva Taubefore playingSouth Africaat the2007 Rugby World Cup
Main article:Sports in Samoa

The main sports played in Samoa arerugby unionandSamoan cricket(kilikiti). In rugby there are the three D's: defence, discipline, and the DAKKLE. About 30 ethnic Samoans, many fromAmerican Samoa,currently play in theNFL.A 2002 article fromESPNestimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in the 50 United States) is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American. A number have also ventured intoprofessional wrestling.Socceris a popular sport in Samoa, with thenational teambeing ranked 149th in the world.

Rugby unionis the most popular sport in Samoa. Thenational teamis consistently competitive against teams from vastly more populous nations. Samoa have competed at everyRugby World Cupsince 1991, and have made the quarter-finals in1991,1995and1999.Samoa also play in thePacific Nations Cup.The sport is governed by theSamoa Rugby Football Union,who are members of thePacific Islands Rugby Alliance,and thus, also contribute to the internationalPacific Islanders rugby union team.At club level, there is theNational Provincial ChampionshipandPacific Rugby Cup.Prominent Samoan players includePat LamandBrian Lima.In addition, there are many Samoans that have played for or are playing for theAll Blacks.

Rugby leagueis a popular sport in Samoa, with thenational teamreaching the quarter-finals of the2000 Rugby League World Cup.Australian rules footballis a popular sport in Samoa, played asSamoa Ruleswith the national team, theBulldogs,competing at theArafura Gamesand the 2002 and 2005Australian Football International Cup.

Samoans have been very visible in Americanprofessional wrestling,despite the relatively small population of the islands.Dwayne Johnson,Peter Maivia,Yokozuna,Umaga/Jamal,Manu,Rosey,Samoa Joe,The Wild Samoans,The Headshrinkers,Rikishi,Roman Reigns,andSonny Siakiall have a Samoan heritage.

Sports in American Samoa

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Main article:Sports in American Samoa

Sports in American Samoa are influenced byAmerican cultureandAmerican footballand its league,NFLare popular. For the Independent State ofSamoa,New Zealand and British influences has led to the popularity ofrugby union,soccer,netballandvolleyball.

Fa'aaloaloga

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The most salient and perhaps the most prominent part of Samoan culture at formal events is the process of Fa'aaloaloga (formal presentation of gifts). Atweddings,chiefly installations (sa'ofaiga),funerals,opening of houses orchurches,or any other public gathering of Samoans, Fa'aaloaloga will always be performed.

Ever since the formalisation ofChristianityin Samoa and the inclusion of the Christiantaeaoor mornings into the general recitation of 'mornings' in Samoan speeches, the set protocol has been that the first presentations are always presented to the religious representatives present at the event. This is followed by the highest ranking chiefs by order of rank.

A standard set of presentation is called thesua.This is usually made up ofvailolo(drink withmoneyin it; originally it was a coconut and a coconut frond calledtuaniu),amoamosa(tray ofbiscuitsand material or a combination of other small foodstuffs like a can ofcorned beef), and asuatalisua(a box of corned beef andchickenor similar). This is followed by a fine mat or several fine mats (mats of state -ie o le malo), which could vary from 5 metres (16 ft) long to 25–30 metres (82–98 ft) long and 10 metres (33 ft) high. Depending on the occasion and the rank of the person, each of those elements above could be magnified several times by the addition of numbers, and could also include a hugetapa clothbeing tied to the young lady presenting the vailolo or draped several metres behind her as she presents it.

Museums

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Main article:List of museums in Samoa

There are several museums in Samoa, ranging fromFalemata'aga - The Museum of Samoato theRobert Louis Stevenson Museum.[26]In addition there are a number of arts centres.

Other

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InAmerican Samoa,there is a location calledTurtle and Sharkwhich is important in Samoan culture – it has a legend about two people who turned into a turtle and a shark.[27]The U.S. National Park Service says the following about Turtle and Shark: "Villagers from nearbyVaitogicontinue to re-enact an important aspect of the legend at Turtle and Shark by performing a ritual song intended to summon the legendary animals to the ocean surface, and visitors are frequently amazed to see one or both of these creatures emerge from the sea in apparent response to this call. "[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Samoa | History, Flag, Map, Population, & Facts | Britannica".www.britannica.com.Retrieved2022-03-28.
  2. ^"American Samoa | Culture, History, & People | Britannica".www.britannica.com.Retrieved2022-03-28.
  3. ^Mallon, Sean (2005)."Samoan Tatau as Global Practice" Chapter 7 in "Tattoo: Bodies, Art, and Exchange in the Pacific and thee West".Durham: Duke University Press. pp.145–169.ISBN0-8223-3562-X.
  4. ^Sowell, Teri (2000).Worn With Pride: Celebrating Samoan Artistic Heritage.Oceanside, CA, USA: Oceanside Museum of Art. pp. 10–17.
  5. ^Mallon, Sean (2002).Samoan Art and Artists / O Measina a Samoa.Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 104–118.ISBN0-8248-2675-2.
  6. ^Mallon, Sean (2002).Samoan Art and Artists.Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 79–82.ISBN0824826752.
  7. ^Sowell, Teri (2000).Worn With Pride: Celebrating Samoan Artistic Heritage.Oceanside, CA, USA: Oceanside Museum of Art. pp. 30–35.
  8. ^Kaeppler, Adrienne (2010).Polynesia: The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art.Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. p. 76.ISBN978-1-883528-40-9.
  9. ^Pritchard, Mary (1984).Siapo: Bark Cloth of Samoa.American Samoa: Council on Culture, Arts and Humanities, Special Publication Number 1.
  10. ^"siapo.com".siapo.com.Retrieved2015-06-22.
  11. ^Hooper, Steven (2006).Pacific Encounters: Art and Divinity in Polynesia 1760-1860.Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 245.ISBN0824830849.
  12. ^Mallon, Sean (2002).Samoan Art and Artists.Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 93–94.ISBN0824826752.
  13. ^Samoan Sensation.http://www.samoa.co.uk/dance.html
  14. ^NamepediA Blog - Names Under the Dome: a Peek into Samoan Culture,article about Samoan culture and naming traditions
  15. ^Mallon, Sean (January 2002).Samoan Art and Artists.University of Hawaii Press.ISBN9780824826758.Retrieved18 January2021.
  16. ^Mallon, Sean (2002).Samoan Art and Artists / O Measina a Samoa.Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 172–175.ISBN0824826752.
  17. ^Sowell, Teri (2000).Worn With Pride: Celebrating Samoan Artistic Heritage.Oceanside, CA, USA: Oceanside Museum of Art. pp. 36–37.
  18. ^"Michel Tuffery, Pisupo Lua Afe (article)".Khan Academy.Retrieved2023-10-11.
  19. ^ab"We know it's a health problem. Can we have our pisupo and eat it too?".ABC Pacific.2023-08-28.Retrieved2023-10-11.
  20. ^"CATALYST - The Influx of 'Pisupo': Food Colonialism in the South Pacific".CATALYST.2022-06-16.Retrieved2023-10-11.
  21. ^Lameko, V. (2022)."Does Samoa Have Adequate Policies to Reduce Obesity and Obesity-Related Disease?".Cureus.14(3): e23239.doi:10.7759/cureus.23239.PMC9012561.PMID35449683.
  22. ^abcdefghijklmInternational Religious Freedom Report 2007: Samoa.United StatesBureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor(September 14, 2007).This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  23. ^"Samoa".WCC > Member churches > Regions > Pacific >.World Council of Churches. 2006-01-01. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-06-11.Retrieved2008-06-15.
  24. ^"Samoa Facts and Figures from Encarta - People".Encarta.Vol. Online. Microsoft. 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-09-13.Retrieved2008-06-15.
  25. ^Baháʼí International Community (2007-05-14)."Funeral and memorial service planned for Samoan head of state".Baháʼí World News Service.Retrieved2007-05-14.
  26. ^Bennett, E. M."Representations and belonging: a brief study of the social contexts of museums in Samoa and Fiji."(2017).
  27. ^abhttps://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/pdfs/14000925.pdfNational Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Turtle and Shark (American Samoa). Retrieved July 4, 2020.

Further reading

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  • Sowell, Teri (2000).Worn With Pride: Celebrating Samoan Artistic Heritage.Oceanside, CA, USA: Oceanside Museum of Art.
  • Mallon, Sean (2002).Samoan Art and Artists O Measina a Samoa.Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.ISBN0824826752.
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