Samoa

Fale Samoa

Norma TikaLeave a comment

It was in 1972 that I experienced staying in a fale Samoa (traditional Samoan house) for the first time.

Our family of five (Mum, Dad, brother, sister and myself) were invited to stay with family inland near Tafaigata prison. My uncle and his large family lived in a very traditional fale (house). Their fale was built on an oval foundation bed of volcanic rock with small scoria and coral for the floor covering. Over the top of that flooring was a layer of several hand woven mats. The fale had no walls, only supporting poles and a simple palm thatched roof with layered pola (woven blinds) hanging from the upper edges of the fale roof.

Kerosene lamps were used at the time as reliable electricity hadn’t reached that far inland.

We slept surrounded by a thick layer of mosquito netting and the acrid smell of mosquito coils burning.

At dawn we woke to a cacophony of roosters crowing.

Built in 2010 – a much later version of the fale Samoa in our village of Fasitoo uta

the flying foxes

Norma TikaLeave a comment

In the falling dusk, hunters from my Faleula family travelled inland seeking the pe’a (flying fox).

In no time at all, a tall tree full of these upside down creatures came into view. Rifle sounds pierced the quiet evening, causing the flying foxes to surge up into the darkening sky. They were fleeing in all directions. It was a sight I will never forget. I was struck by the shapes and patterns they made in the sky. I looked on – thinking of the legend that Grandpa had told me about Nafanua, the Goddess of War, who was rescued by flying foxes, when she was stranded on a hostile island.

The hunters had caught five flying foxes. These were prepared in a umu (traditional above ground oven of hot volcanic stones) by aunties and cousins to honour us as guests visiting from New Zealand in 1972.

I didn’t eat it. I cried.

Storyteller & healer

Norma TikaLeave a comment

I have so many fond memories of my grandpa Maiava Fa’avae from Faleula, Samoa. During my childhood years, he filled my imagination with so many myths and legends from ancient Samoa. My eyes often wide as saucers when he’d whisper fervently about the supernatural. I could never get enough of listening to the stories told over and over.

Maiava was also a notable Samoan healer. At times, he would talk of Samoan Fofo (traditional massage), herbal remedies, and the treatment of illnesses that were either physical or supernatural in origin. Sadly I was too young and impatient. I didn’t listen carefully and much of that knowledge is now lost.