The traditionalculture ofSamoa is 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. Theaiga or 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 Samoa and inAmerican Samoa (aterritory of the United States).[1][2]
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]
Women played 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 toga and decorated bark clothsiapo while men give woodworking items and red feathers.[8]
Bark cloth, calledsiapo in Samoa (similar to theFijiantapa cloth calledmasi), 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, andhibiscus flowers. The siapo may be used for clothing, for wrapping objects and even simply for decorative reasons.Ornaments,jewellery and hair accessories are made from naturally occurring materials such assea shells,coconut andcoir. Traditional Samoan medicine is often practiced as a first-line before hospital medicine. This is a type of alternative medicine usingplant leaves to massage the affected area.
Wooden figurative sculpture was extremely rare in pre-Christian Samoa, and shares some similarities with Fijian and Tongan sculpture.[11]
The'ava ceremony is the most significant ritual which takes place before all important occasions, including the bestowal ofmatai chiefly 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 cultures of otherPolynesian societies. Thetanoa are made of varying sizes supported by many short legs around it. These bowls and other related instruments are often highly decorated. Known askava in 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.
The traditional Samoandance is thesiva. The femalesiva is with gentle movements of the hands and feet in time to music. Thesasa is a group dance performed sitting to adrum rhythm. Samoan males traditionally perform thefa'ataupati (slap dance), usually performed in a group with no music accompaniment. Other types of dance aremodern dance by the younger generations. Traditional Samoan dance is arguably the one area of Samoan culture that has not been touched by Western Civilization. Themaulu'ulu is a group dance performed by female counterparts only, also thetaualuga is the main Samoan traditional dance that is performed by a village chief (manaia) or village chiefess (taupou). It is often performed atweddings,birthdays and other Samoan celebrations.[13]
In the Samoan culture theTaualuga is 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]
InAmerican Samoa, most people are bilingual; they speak bothEnglish andSamoan. People inSamoa are also bilingual, but Samoan is stronger and more widely spoken, although the inhabitants ofSwains Island speakTokelauan.[citation needed]
The meaning of a given name is important when naming a child in the Samoan community:
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-lava is asarong which 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 aretattooed onto their lower body and upper legs. The tattooing process is performed without anyanaesthesia and is extremely painful. Ceremonial attire includes a headdress calledtuiga which is made of shells and feathers.[16][17]
Sundays are traditionally a day of rest, and many families congregate to share anumu together 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, freshseaweed andcrayfish to bakedtaro andrice.Coconut appears in many Samoan dishes, for example, luau, a parcel ofcoconut cream wrapped 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] The green young coconut is a main ingredient insamilolo, a kind of sauce made using the flesh and sea water that is cooked inside the nut on an open flame and then fermented, usually within thepalolo fishing season.[18]Breadfruit is often roasted to serve on its own or eaten withstone-cooked coconut sauce (‘ulu pe‘epe‘e), or shaped into balls (taufolo); any surplus could be preserved asmasi.[19]
A staple of the modern Samoan diet ispisupo, orcanned corned beef. Commonly imported from New Zealand or Australia,pisupo is 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 wordpisupo is derived frompea soup, which was one of the first canned foods introduced to the island in the 19th century.[20] 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.[21]
Critics claim thatpisupo represents 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.[22] In recent years,pisupo has 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.[23] 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[21] and, like many processed foods, is linked tohypertension.
Religion in Samoa encompasses a range of groups, but nearly 100% of the population inSamoa isChristian.[24] 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.[24] 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.[24] 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.[24]
There are also members of other religions such asIslam and theBaháʼí Faith; the shared estimate of the Baháʼí population in Samoa circa 2000 according to a profile by theWorld Council of Churches and the online encyclopediaEncarta was 2% of the nation—some 3600 people—and the only non-Christian community of any number.[25][26] The country hosts one of only sevenBaháʼí Houses of Worship in the world.[24] The Baháʼí Houses of Worship was dedicated byMalietoa Tanumafili II, King of Samoa (1913–2007), who was the first reigning Bahá'í monarch.[27] Although there were no official data, it is generally believed that there are also some practicingHindus,Buddhists, andJews in the capital city.[24]
All religious groups are multiethnic; none are composed exclusively of foreign nationals or native-born (Western) Samoans.[24] There are no sizable foreign national or immigrant groups, with the exception of U.S. nationals fromAmerican Samoa.[24] Missionaries operated freely within the country.[24] 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.[24] In some denominations, such financial contributions often total more than 30 percent of family income.[24] Theconstitution provides forfreedom of religion, and the government generally respected this right in practice.[24] The US government found there to be no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.[24]
The main sports played in Samoa arerugby union andSamoan 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 fromESPN estimated 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.Soccer is a popular sport in Samoa, with thenational team being ranked 149th in the world.
Rugby union is the most popular sport in Samoa. Thenational team is consistently competitive against teams from vastly more populous nations. Samoa have competed at everyRugby World Cup since 1991, and have made the quarter-finals in1991,1995 and1999. 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 Championship andPacific Rugby Cup. Prominent Samoan players includePat Lam andBrian Lima. In addition, there are many Samoans that have played for or are playing for theAll Blacks.
Rugby league is a popular sport in Samoa, with thenational team reaching the quarter-finals of the2000 Rugby League World Cup.Australian rules football is a popular sport in Samoa, played asSamoa Rules with the national team, theBulldogs, competing at theArafura Games and 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 Siaki all have a Samoan heritage.
Sports in American Samoa are influenced byAmerican culture andAmerican football and its league,NFL are popular. For the Independent State ofSamoa, New Zealand and British influences has led to the popularity ofrugby union,soccer,netball andvolleyball.
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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 ofChristianity in Samoa and the inclusion of the Christiantaeao or 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 withmoney in it; originally it was a coconut and a coconut frond calledtuaniu),amoamosa (tray ofbiscuits and material or a combination of other small foodstuffs like a can ofcorned beef), and asuatalisua (a box of corned beef andchicken or 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 cloth being tied to the young lady presenting the vailolo or draped several metres behind her as she presents it.
There are several museums in Samoa, ranging fromFalemata'aga - The Museum of Samoa to theRobert Louis Stevenson Museum.[28] In addition there are a number of arts centres.
InAmerican Samoa, there is a location calledTurtle and Shark which is important in Samoan culture – it has a legend about two people who turned into a turtle and a shark.[29] The U.S. National Park Service says the following about Turtle and Shark: "Villagers from nearbyVaitogi continue 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."[29]