SAMOAN CULTURE

THE SAMOAN HISTORY ACCORDING TO LEGEND SAYS THEIR ANCESTOR TAGALOP WAS THEIR CREATION. THIS ISLAND IS THE CENTER OF POLYNESIA. THEIR ORAL HISTORY DATES TO PREHISTORY. ORAL HISTORY IS MAINTAINED FROM ANCESTRAL VOYAGES. THEIR MIGRATIONS REFLECT THE COURAGE OF SEAFARING PEOPLE IN NAVIGATING WITHOUT INSTRUMENTS TO SAIL. ARCHAEOLOGISTS PLACE THE EARLIEST HUMAN SETTLEMENT OF THIS ISLAND AROUND 1500 B.C. THIS IS BASED ON POT SHERDS THAT WERE FOUND.

THE TRADITIONAL CULTURE IS BASED UPON THE FAA SAMOAN, THE UNIQUE SOCIOPOLITICAL CULTURE OF THAT IS COMMERCIAL. MOST EVERYTHING IS DONE TOGETHER. THEY HAVE FAITH, FAMILY, AND MUSIC. THEIR FALE HOUSES CONTAIN NO WALLS AND UP TO 20 PEOPLE WHO MAY SLEEP ON THE GROUND.IN THE DAY THEY EAT AND RELAX IN THEIR HOUSES, THE EXTENDED FAMILY WORKS TOGETHER. ELDERS IN THE FAMILY ARE RESPECTED AND OF HIGH STATUS.

WOMEN PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CULTURE BY CONTRIBUTING THEIR SKILLS OF FINELY WOVEN MATS USED IN CEREMONY AND GIFT EXCHANGE. THEY AL;SO MAKE BARK CLOTH FROM MULBERRY BARK. PICTUIRES ARE PAINTED ON IT WITH NATURAL BROWN DYE. THEY PAINT TURTLES, FISH AND FLOWERS ON CLOTHING. THEY MAKE ORNAMENTS, JEWELRY AND HAIR ORNAMENTS FROM SEA SHELLS OR COCONUTS. THEY USE TRADITIONAL MEDICINE BEFORE A DOCTOR'S VISIT.

THE SAMOAN'S HAVE AN AVA CEREMONY. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT RITUAL THAT TAKES PLACE DURING ALL IMPORTANT OCCASSIONS. CEREMONIAL ITEMS ARE USED - A ROUND WOODEN BOWL OF TANOA. THE BOWLS ARE DECORATED. KAUA IS IN MANY POLYNESIAN SOCIETIES. IT IS FROM A PLANT THAT IS DRUNK IN HIGHLY RITUALIZED CEREMONIES. THE DRINK IS SERVED BY COCO0NUTS.

THEIR DANCE IS CALLED -SIVA. FEMALE SIVA IS WITH GENTLE MOVEMENTS TO MUSIC. THE SASA IS A GROUP DANCE PERFORMED SITTING TO A DRIM RYTHYM AS WELL. THE MALES PERFORM A SLAP DANCE AND PERFORMED IN A GROUP WITHOUT MUSIC. THE YOUNG GENERATIONS DANCE MODERN. THE SAMOAN DANCE IS THE ONE THING THAT HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED. THE MAULALU IS A GROUP DANCE OF FEMALES. THE TAULUGA IS A GROUP DANCES PERFORMED BY A VILLAGE PRINCE OR VILLAGE PRINCESS. IT IS PERFORMED AT WEDDINGSAND OTHER CELEBRATIONS. MOST PEOPLE SPEAK SAMOAN OR ENGLISH. THE WOMEN WEAR A SKIRT AND TUNIC WITH SAMOAN DESIGNS. LAVA LEAVE IS A SARONG WEORN BY MEN AND WOMEN. SOME MEN HAVE MANY TATTOOES PAINTED ON THEIR LOWERBODY. IT IS PERFORMED WITHOUT ANESTHESIA AND IS VERY PAINFUL.

THEIR RELIGION IN SAMOAN ENCOMPASSES A RANGE OF GROUPS. RELIGION IN SAMOA ENCOMPASSES 100% OF THE POPULATION AND THEY ARE CHRISTIAN. THEY HAVE MANY RELIGIONS AND ABOUT 300 FOLKS. MISSIONARIES OPERATE WITHIN THE COUNTRY.

THEY PLAY RUGBY UNION AND SAMOAN CRICKET. 30 SAMOANS PLAY IN THE NFL. SOME HAVE ENTERED WRESTLING. SOCCER IS POPULAR. RUGBY IS MOST POPULAR.

IN AMERICAN SAMOA THEY PLAY AMERICAN FOOTBALL. THEY ALSO PLAY RUGBY UNION SOCCER NET BALL, AND VOLLEYBALL.

A FORMAL PRESENTATION OF GIFTS IS PART OF SAMOAN CULTURE AT FORMAL EVENTS. IT IS THE PROCESS OF FA'A'ALOA LOGA - WEDDINGS, FUNERALS, CHURCHES, AND OPENING OF HOUSES. EVER SINCE CHRISTIANITY IN THE SAMOAN ISLAND THEY INCLUDED A TAETAO OR SPEECHES THAT HAVE BEEN THE FIRST PRESENTATIONS TO TO RELIGIOUS REPRESENTATIVES. THIS IS MADE UP OF VAILOLA - A DRINK WITH MONEY IN IT! OR IT COULD BE A TRAY OF BISCUITS, OR A BOX OF CORNED BEEF OR CHICKEN. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY A FINE MAT OR MATS. THESE OFFERINGS COULD INCLUDE A HUGE TAPE CLOTH.

SUNDAYS ARE DAYS OF REST AND MANY FAMILIES CONGREGATE TOGETHER FOR A MEAL OF EMU OR COOKED PIG. OLDER PEOPLE WILL SIT AND EAT FIRST. THEN YOUNGER CHILDREN. THE DISH MAY BE AN ABUNDANCE AND VARIETY OF DISHES - FRESH SEAWEED, CRAYFISH, OR BAKED TUNA, OR RICE. COCONUT IS IN MANY DISHES. THIS DISH IS IN MANY LEAVES AND HAS A RICH CONTENT.

THEIR MUSIC IS A HALLOWED OUT LOG AND THEY MAKE WOODEN DRUMS; AND THEN THEY USE A CONCH SHELL AND BLOW A FLUTE. SINGERS ARE MO0ST IMPORTANT.

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