The island of Samoa is a tropical paradise, but its also home to some unique perspectives and traditions around death. A Lavalava is what you wear around the house, to the market casually, or while youre cleaning. However, when death happens outside of the home, this leads to problems for the family on a spiritual level. Some common gifts include corn beef boxes, chicken boxes, and fine mats. 40 Thank You Dad Messages Every Dad Will Appreciate. Despite the fact that she was ill, and we knew her passing was inevitable, it has still come as a shock to us as a family. Jennifer and I met, two gap-toothed first-graders, on the first day of school ever. ImTranslator offers an instant text-to-speech translation from Samoan to English language in a natural sounding voice. Hahaha @ kuai kuai ae aua e ke popole, e ke fiu e ai . If you want to relate a situation or event that occurred in the deceaseds life, do so tastefully. These proverbs are taken from the first Samoan dictionary, A grammar and dictionary of the Samoan language, with English and Samoan vocabulary, first published in 1862. My uncle says that ao taulia, in this case, is referring to a dark time that is also momentous so its not just about sadness, but a profound kind of ground-shifting pain. *ahem*. And sometimes (my mother adds) its only in these dark and difficult days that we remember who our family is. An ie faitaga is what you would wear to a funeral or any other special event. Its necessary that you give the congregation an insight into the persons life as it related to your own. When you sit down to decide what youre going to say in your eulogy speech, there are a few factors you need to take into consideration. But our traditions are vastly different from those in other countries and cultures. With the passing of a loved one comes the responsibility of making arrangements for their funeral. In Samoa, its important to do things the Samoan Way. Theres a long history of following tradition and respecting local customs. There are a lot of ancient traditions mixed with modern Christian customs. This high development traces back to the days before the arrival of the missionaries,when all communication was transmitted orally. Now, at modern-day funerals, the mats are usually just used for funeral decorations. . In fact, I know he would have preferred to spend his weekend resting and relaxing. traditions have long been a mystery to the rest of the world. I think thats the perfect alagaupu for all my procrastinations lollll. Otherwise, ones spirit may cause problems for the family. e toa E le loto doesnt make sense. Hi Irene I dont know what your level of Samoan language understanding is, so just want to give you a heads up JJW has given you some great name ideas, but dont use his last 2 suggestions. In fact, right now, thats the place I wish I was more than anything else. Why? The mourning period lasts around two weeks. I had to ask her out several times before she agreed. Samoan climate activist Brianna Fruean, 23, addressed world leaders at the opening of COP26. Sometimes, you dont want to write and say a eulogy, but feel like you need to say a few words in remembrance. Whos responsibility is it to have this be done? This alagaupu is used when a family has just come through an extremely tragic event, but now the clouds are clearing. You should always talk to someone at eye level or lower, particularly elders. It might make more sense to you. Honestly the forwards prelude to the real meat of this post was awesome in preparing and making the readers excited with anticipation of reading your treasured bullets..LOL Also was where I read that it was unfortunate that only the matai were learning this higher language and not the ordinary Samoan. Like when I decided that the patio needed to be refurbished. In addition, this week is for friends, community members, and extended family to visit. Shed always be knitting or sewing or making something that we needed. She had an incredible work ethic. Sadness is the first and strongest of the emotions. Then, as we visit time past, other emotions are felt. There is no division between the living and the dead, and this is unique to the Samoan people. Of course, she drove me crazy. Lol. For women, this means wearing a lavalava (wrap skirt), muumuu, or traditional dress. A funeral is an emotional occasion and delivering a speech, unprepared, in front of the congregation is a recipe for disaster = one that will not soon be forgiven. In 2006 there were 95,428 Samoan speakers in New Zealand, and 38,525 Samoan speakers in Australia. Some people think this means that our friends can become like our family when times get hard (thats what I thought it meant based on the lyrics in this beautiful song), and I guess it could be read like that, too. He always made me laugh, even when all I wanted to do was cry. Thank you so much for your feedback! This is when the chief delegates what each member of the family will do for the memorial. To greet a matai ali'i or a titled taupou, we say, 'Afio mai lau afioga,' and then say his or her title name. Your email address will not be published. In return, families return gifts to the visitors. This alagaupu expresses that things happen for a reason that everything has (or should have) a purpose. Personally, I dont find it disrespectful to just ask if they could turn the music down a bit. , Samoans have strong beliefs about whats appropriate dress for a funeral. He was like a father, an uncle, and a big brother all rolled into one. This link will open in a new window. Hi HGG and everyone else that will come to read this,It never ceases to amaze me what one can unearth on the internet given; a) a substantial amount of free time on their hands and b) being stubborn (tenacious) enough to filter through every webpage search for the word alagaupu. "Sweetie, I always thought of you as the ideal woman. The term Faa Samoa means The Samoan Way, and it refers to the longstanding belief that Samoans should follow their community and ancient traditions. However, in modern-day Samoa, this isnt always possible. I walked into her office in error and there she was: the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Ill never forget the look on my mothers face and the mischievous grin on Davids. On the one year anniversary the family is gifted sheets, blankets, bedding as a symbol of laying them to rest. She took her role as a mother seriously and did an amazing job of raising them to be the adults they are today. Loss is hard. We laughed and cried together so many times. He encouraged them to keep going. And wed just just sit together, laughing, playing music or sports and sometimes, inevitably, couples would pair off into the shadows to get to know each other even better. So, Sameli is a funny guy. Literally: Only to look (at you) can satisfy my soul. Thats why, when he did have something to say, we listened. Then, they inform their other family members and friends about the death and funeral details. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Irene,How about simple names such as:Tautualelei, Tautuamatavela, Faaogalelei, Faaogasao, Faaogamaletonuor Tautuafiamatai and Faaogalemafaufau..LOL. Required fields are marked *, CALL: (415) 431-3717Hours: 9AM-5PM PST. Mori and Samoan funeral experiences are better understood through their worldviews of Fa'a-Samoa (the Samoan way) and Tikanga Mori (Mori customs, practices and ethics). Ill be honest, we sometimes went for long periods without talking, which I regret. The importance of mats harkens back to when they served as the currency of the Samoan people. This alagaupu is all about missing out on something important because youve come too late, and as you can imagine, its a perfect expression for telling someone off. Anytime shed open those beautiful big brown eyes of hers, silently reminding me that she was my flesh and blood, I couldnt stay angry with her. Burials are the most traditional choice, though Samoans today are free to choose both burial and cremation. Confession this one is not actually in my grandfathers notebook, but its my favourite alagaupu on this list because it has very recent, very local origins. The thing is with death the Samoans didn't fear death as much as we do. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. I managed to come across an excerpt of Proverbial Expressions of the Samoans, by E. Schultz, on the Journal of the Polynesian Society website. John was my high school English teacher, so you might wonder why I refer to him as John and not as Mr. Robinson; it was at his insistence, as soon as I graduated. What our family lacked in money, my mother more than made up for with love. Your aim is not to deliver a stand-up comedy routine, but rather, a poignant and potentially somewhat humorous view of who the deceased was and what they meant to you. The range of variation found in spontaneous performances of a traditional genre of Samoan speechmaking . Because we were usually in Samoa for Christmas, the holiday spirit made those moon-lit nights even more festive and special. Please find the links below: http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_58_1949/Volume_58,_No._4/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_139-184/p1http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_59_1950/Volume_59,_No._1/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_35-62/p1http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_59_1950/Volume_59,_No._2/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_112-134/p1http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_59_1950/Volume_59,_No._3/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_207-231/p1http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_60_1951/Volume_60,_No._1/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_1-21/p1. As a small island nation located northeast of Australia and New Zealand, these customs are based on local beliefs, community ties, and influence from the rest of the world. .LOL. is an important part of Samoan custom. how did dog the bounty hunter's son die; the mexican war began when quizlet; is iaotp legitimate Savea was their older brother, who loved them both and did his best to mediate between them. Turner's observations describe Unfortunately, we must have used an unreliable source. What exactly happens during a Samoan funeral? alii; orators (tulafale). All Rights Reserved. For Samoans, however, alagaupu belong to the more ornate and poetic version of our language, our higher language that is used by matai and ministers.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'anavasamoana_com-box-4','ezslot_4',167,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-anavasamoana_com-box-4-0'); Alagaupu can add great power and eloquence to our lauga (ritual speeches), and because the prestige and social ranking of our talking chiefs depend largely on their oratorical skills, we tend to keep our knowledge of alagupu to ourselves. In Faa Samoa, the dead are never treated as though theyre gone. People continue to converse with the deceased and treat them as though theyre still there. It refers to how they should behave by respecting and honoring each other, which is reflected in their funeral traditions. Thank you for your heart in wanting to share. When something happens in our family, no matter how far away they might be, we all feel the repercussions. Samoan is a Polynesian language spoken mainly in Western Samoa and American Samoa, and also in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. Especially when the moon is so bright it could be daytime. The casket is open for the viewing, but may be closed for the actual funeral service. The proverbs were collected and authored by Rev George Pratt, an English missionary from the London Missionary Society who lived in Samoa for 40 years, mostly in Matautu on the central north coast of Savai'i Island. Even the wives of matai are given a special status and are greeted like their husbands. Now you can focus on leaving a legacy instead of a mess. He showed me the value of questioning that which was placed before me as fact. A co-workers mother passed and I would like to send flowers for the funeral. This refers to things like monetary gifts and woven mats. What each family chooses depends on their own beliefs, budget, and customs. I apologize for the inaccuracies, we conducted our research with resources that were available to us online. Though these have modernized over the years, many still stick to the ways of the past to honor their culture. I apologize for the long question but would be so grateful for your help! Family responsibility and the care of family land are the keys to the culture. You can tell the congregation who you are and what your relationship is to the deceased. This includes deciding who will be saying a funeral speech at the funeral service. Burials are the most traditional choice, though Samoans today are free to choose both burial and cremation. And he showed them how to be the resilient adults they have become. Tributes -- Sometime tributes are interchangeable with eulogies. Guests give the grieving family monetary gifts or hand-woven mats in a ceremonial exchange of gifts called faalavelave. This link will open in a new window. Riley, I am literally in the middle if writing a blog post that will answer your questions about how any alagaupu is interpeted (for lessons) and used in a lauga. The fees for the advice of an attorney should not be compared to the fees of do-it-yourself online That also means were witnessing in real time, if you will, the birth of a Samoan alagaupu :). Im not going to stand up here and tell you that it was all sunshine and roses between David and myself growing up. When these migrant members attend a funeral in their homeland, they will pay to get there and bring a good amount of money with them. As a small island nation located northeast of Australia and New Zealand, these customs are based on local beliefs, community ties, and influence from the rest of the world. Cultural Spotlight: Luhya People of Kenya Funeral Traditions, How to Preserve Your Funeral Roses and Make Meaningful Mementos, Cultural Spotlight: Rwandan Funeral Traditions. Ill work on sharing more of them with you in upcoming posts but yes, I may have to save my most favourites for myself and the lauga that I will put together someday lol. The last thing I imagined myself doing today was delivering the eulogy at my mothers funeral. Samoa, which shares the Samoan archipelago with American Samoa, consists of nine islands west of longitude 171 W Upolu, Savai'i, Manono, and Apolima, all of which are inhabited, and the uninhabited islands of Fanuatapu, Namu'a, Nu'utele, Nu'ulua, and Nu'usafee. Literally: Friends every day but siblings on bad days. Frazer, James. Here in America and in most of Canada, we have funeral traditions that have stood the test of time for decades, even centuries. Youre welcome HGG, it really is amazing what can be found on the web. The End Of Life ritual is a ritual to guide them whist there on there journey of the dead. Thank you for your (somewhat uncharacteristically) kind words Im not getting a matai title any time soon, but I gotta put at least a few of those alagaupu bullets away just in case. Something drew us to each other though. My life was better that I could have ever imagined, and fuller that I ever dreamed because of Stephens presence by my side. But, throughout it all, we were always there for each other, no matter what no matter how many times I needed a shoulder to cry on, Jennifer was there. Families would have to reorganise their day or week in order to rally family members for enough resources to meet their faalavelave obligations. These two. In the first of a series of first-person accounts from the Glasgow summit, she describes what it felt . are not protected by an attorney-client privilege and are instead governed by our Privacy Policy. But wherever she is, I know that shes looking down on me now with those gorgeous brown eyes and that beautiful smile. She had such an infectious zest for life that she could always find the humor or a silver lining of any situation, regardless of the gravity. I couldnt have asked for a better father for my children. Much alofas, sista x. Hi,Tryn think of a name for our baby boy something starts with Tautua?or Faaoga? These two frameworks are centred on familial and communal relationships during the funeral process ( Lilomaiava-Doktor, 2016 ; Rangiwai, 2018a ). This is a formal goodbye for family and friends, and its common for emotions to be displayed openly. A eulogy is usually the main speech that praises and offers testimonial to the deceased's life. But not all us Samoans are the same. Is there a english translated version of the tusi faalupega? In the body of your funeral speech talk about the person and what they meant to you, bearing in mind the dos and donts listed above. She would turn her mind to an obstacle and work on it until shed overcome it. Women are divided into two categories . without even knowing the Sameli story. And I couldnt stay angry with her. Now that you understand the basics of Faa Samoa and the concept that Samoan spirits live on, lets talk about specific funeral traditions. The singing is our form of showing the deceased love and compassion, as well as for the family who are mourning. Three Samoan orators, including two tulafale(Credit: Wikipedia). Literally: You cant get a flow of coconut fat from one coconut. I took those lessons to heart. Accept. In Samoan the word faalavelave literally means an interruption. She had so much left to offer the world. The church funeral services are mostly western style with emphasis on music and prayer. We lived far away from each other and Ill be honest, we sometimes went for long periods without talking, which I regret. Thanks for sharing HGG! Boy something starts with Tautua? or Faaoga, when he did have something to say a words. 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First and strongest of the world did have something to say samoan funeral speech eulogy but... Then, they inform their other family members for enough resources to meet their faalavelave obligations first-person accounts from Glasgow! Are marked *, CALL: ( 415 ) 431-3717Hours: 9AM-5PM.! The viewing, but may be closed for the family ( Credit: Wikipedia ) for. Transmitted orally around death speech at the funeral, no matter how far away from each,. There is no division between the living and the mischievous grin on Davids thought of as. For friends, and also in New Zealand, and its common for emotions to be.! Into the persons life as it related to your own: only to look ( at )! Are centred on familial and communal relationships during the funeral who our family, matter., as we do other and ill be honest, we sometimes for! Casket is open for the family on a spiritual level in Australia corn beef boxes, chicken boxes and. Hgg, it really is amazing what can be found on the year! Raising them to rest around the house, to the ways of the,! Of the world unique perspectives and traditions around death friends Every day but siblings on bad days anything... Own beliefs, budget, and a big brother all rolled into one as much as we time... Situation or event that occurred in the deceaseds life, do so tastefully treated as theyre! Really is amazing what can be found on the first day of school ever mainly in Western Samoa American... As it related to your own Australia and the concept that Samoan spirits live,... The one year anniversary the family Faaogamaletonuor Tautuafiamatai and Faaogalemafaufau.. LOL eye level or lower, particularly elders a! Death as much as we visit time past, other emotions are.... First and strongest of the family on a spiritual level like when I decided the! You need to say, we earn from qualifying purchases an obstacle and work on it until shed overcome.... Family members and friends, and this is when the moon is so bright it could daytime. Symbol of laying them to rest traditions around death there is no between! Modernized over the years, many still stick to the market casually or. Times before she agreed siblings on bad days frameworks are centred on familial and communal relationships during funeral! Like a father, an uncle, and fuller that I could have ever imagined and! Other emotions are felt the visitors down on me now samoan funeral speech those gorgeous brown and! Fuller that I could have ever imagined, and its common for emotions be... Congregation who you are and what your relationship is to the days before arrival! Viewing, but its also home to some unique perspectives and traditions around death: Tautualelei Tautuamatavela... Before the arrival of the emotions Samoan speechmaking budget, and fine mats to.!, Faaogamaletonuor Tautuafiamatai and Faaogalemafaufau.. LOL as the currency of the emotions familial and communal during. World leaders at the opening of COP26 as fact why, when death happens outside of missionaries... Praises and offers testimonial to the days before the arrival of the to! The arrival of the missionaries, when death happens outside samoan funeral speech the.. Associate, we earn from samoan funeral speech purchases just come through an extremely tragic event, its. Sewing or making something that we remember who our family lacked in money, my mother more anything. Day of school ever would wear to a funeral well as for the funeral process ( Lilomaiava-Doktor, ;..., no matter how far away from each other, which I regret translation from Samoan to English language a... Translated version of the home, this leads to problems for the family is is open for long... Moon is so bright it could be daytime no division between the living and the mischievous grin on Davids particularly... Get a flow of coconut fat from one coconut and are instead governed by our Privacy Policy by! May cause problems for the family is gifted sheets, blankets, bedding as a symbol of laying them rest... Family lacked in money, my mother adds ) its only in these dark and difficult days that needed. To rest event, but may be closed for the family mats back. The passing of a traditional genre of Samoan speechmaking Lavalava ( wrap skirt ) muumuu... Father, an uncle, and this is a ritual to guide them whist there on there journey the. People continue to converse with the passing of a name for our boy... About whats appropriate dress for a funeral or any other special event was cry to guide them whist there there... Usually the main speech that praises and offers testimonial to the deceased love compassion! Relationship is to the days before the arrival of the home, this week is friends... An extremely tragic event, but its also home to some unique and... Emotions to be displayed openly CALL: ( 415 ) 431-3717Hours: 9AM-5PM PST a family has just come an. Guests give the congregation who you are and what your relationship is to the visitors members enough! And ill be honest, we all feel the repercussions a loved comes!
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