1. Samoan and English are official languages. Due to an increase in poverty and migration among Western Samoans, total reciprocity of gifts is no longer strictly followed. Ia sui tonu le mata o le niu. Used by someone whose opinion has not been sought. Ua ta i matau, ta i ama fa'alamaga ise. If the boards met exactly in the centre, the job was completed. The dying of the pair of birds. These proverbs may help: Another way to honor a lost loved one is by making a donation to a cause they supported. 3. 98. All Rights Reserved. I was also told that Seu foga'afa designates a usage customary at the alafaga and resembles the malagafaga (No. Before everything else a house. Inspirational Samoan famous quotes & sayings: Augustine of Hippo: Life is a misery, death an uncertainty. May the cluster of nuts bow to the midrib of the coconut leaf. This Samoan idiom literally means why do you not steer out of the way?. They are proverbial expressions, mostly in elliptically mutilated form, taken from the mythology, the history and the everyday lives of the natives and serve to illustrate their opinions and utterances. Aumai le u matatasi e fana a'i le lupe ua i le filifili. 28. This cannot be done on the left side because of the outrigger. After the harvest the pole will be laid aside or thrown away. Upu faifai applied to a community (family, village, district) composed of many but unimportant individuals. Ua taulua i le tuga. It was called the passage of the bonito and through it the bonito fisher had to bring her a fish, even though he had caught only one. E gase a uluga. The fishermen said Ua tagi le pu ina ua maua i le upega, o le a mate. (The pu cries because it is caught in the net where it will die.). According to the Samoans the bird is so proud of its long tail that, being approached from the front, it sits immediately and allows itself to be caught, for fear of damaging its feathers by turning round. Lani Wendt Young, Telesa: The Covenant Keeper. 2018;7(Suppl 1):AB016. 140. This phrase literally means pick the breadfruits on the far-off branches first. The bundles of sugarcane leaves fetched by the women from the plantation for the purpose of thatching the houses are large and bulky but light in weight. One day her brother went out to noose sharks and stayed away a long time. 95. Samoan custom required that all the family members assist at such an undertaking, either to help in the building or to supply food. Samoan A decision made at night may be changed in the morning. Proverbs offering support include: Some cultures view death as a very part of life on a larger continuum. 0 le pa ua sala le fausaga. 6. Famous Samoan Proverbs (Alagaupu) & Samoan Sayings, How To Say Hello In Samoan + Other Useful Samoan Greetings, 17 Tongan Proverbs, Quotes & Sayings + Their Meanings, How To Say Happy Birthday In Samoan. The saying is used of a family or a village where perfect peace reigns. Upu vivi'i to commend the energy and perseverance with which a person strives towards his goal. The competition had not been conducted according to the rules, but it was a fait accompli. The fish caught in the net looks for some advantage, namely for a hole through which it may regain its liberty. He tries to find out if the other person is good natured, liberal, hospitable and how he can turn things to his advantage. The neck of land is now called Tiapepe. The lavalava covers the design. Pepe tried to catch it. It came not when the yam plant withered; it came not when it sprouted again; it came when the plant was once more in leaf. The hunter is interested only in those wild pigeons that appear in front of his hut. Fa'afanauga a laumei. Fatu'ulu. Ua fa'alua'i talo Asau. 11, 12, 23. At torch fishing an aitu appeared on either hand. As an upu fa'amafanafana: E le afaina, ua e pa'u i se niu umiTake comfort, it is to a person of rank that you have succumbed. Upu fa'aalualu referring to the frequency of the Samoan civil wars. Now, it is common to delay funerals for overseas loved ones. To rejoice like a young bird on the return of its parent with food. 26. 33. Only at Neiafu is the trade wind despised. Ia fa'autu ia le fao. O le va'a si'i vale la'u lauga nei. O le upega e fili i le po, 'ae talatala i le ao. The work, called milota'i, is usually done by the women. ", "What you give for the cause of charity in health is gold; what you give in sickness is silver; what you give after death is lead. To lend aid in the undertaking. 191. Dale is an experienced fact-checker and researcher with a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University, Graduate School of Journalism. O le upega le talifau. He will say to the tautai: Fa'amolomole, o lo'u va'a o le va'a si'i vale, au ou sau lava i lo'u fia fagota, i.e., I beg your pardon; I have launched my canoe without a good excuse; I have come to help you. The inhabitants of the coast finally determined to rid themselves of the oppressor. Malu i puega. 5. We When the girls grumbled because the anticipated tit-bits failed to appear, Pili soothed them with the words: O le upega e tautau, 'ae fagota. 7. 36. O le la'au e tu, 'ae oia. Ia lua mata to 'ese. i wush fr mor information twas very short, Your email address will not be published. 79. Upu alofa, fa'aulaula or fa'anoanoa. Samoa, arise and raise your flag, your crown!Look at those stars that are waving on it:This is the symbol of Jesus, who died on it for Samoa.Oh, Samoa, hold fast your power forever.Do not be afraid; God is our foundation, our freedom.Samoa, arise: your flag is waving, your crown! Plant the giant taro to prevent the weeds from spreading. When a number of matai turn out for a common fishing expedition (alafaga), each canoe must keep its place and be steered properly, lest the fishing lines get tangled. Upu vivi'i referring to a village that boasts of many experienced orators. Upu fa'amaulao having the same meaning as Nos. 89. 182. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. The favourable progress of an undertaking is a good sign of final success. (See also the following.). The snake when about to be killed looks but does not escape. Proverbial Sayings of the Samoans. 46. Upu vivi'i applied to surpassing qualities in persons or things. 129. Oh, Samoa, hold fast your power forever. Upu fa'amaulalo: respect and courtesy in the form of self-abasement. Upu taofiofi: Act after mature reflection. To'ai fa'a i'a a po. To bait the manuali'i, a bunch of bananas was used (No. One day the boys went fishing for their father. This figure of speech presupposes that a single pigeon was spied by a hunting party and that it was artfully enticed and caught in presence of all the hunters. 166. Like the tip of the pandanus leaf. Let it go the way of the bonito. O le fili va i fale. Of the five kinds of boats mentioned by Kraemer, three are still in general use: (1) The small outrigger canoe (paopao); (2) the large outrigger canoe (soatau); (3) the bonito canoe (va'aalo). If the tautai has no luck, people will say it is the punishment for some sin he has committed and that he must try again until he makes a catch. E le se tunuma ma moe fa'atasi. Samoan Blessed is the moon; it goes but it comes back again. The sponging of the Matamea crab. The whole contraption is known as matau, or more simply, pa. To polish the pa, pieces of coral are used: the rough kind called puga, as well as the softer 'ana. 27. The people hunted mostly with the help of decoy birds. Thus also did Vaomua. E le aia puga i le masi 12. The middle portion of the roof and the round ends are then carried to their new emplacement. Type-written copy. He then fits it in place and with his wooden mallet (tafao) hammers it down, his assistant holding it. According to the thought expressed, the muagagana can be divided as follows: In compiling the proverbial expressions I consulted the works of Kraemer, Pratt, v. Buelow, Journal of the Polynesian Society, Sierich, Stair, Stuebel, and Turner. Refers to the conclusion of a speech, a fono, etc. Image: Facebook At the building of the double canoe it is necessary that an ample supply of sinnet be available, lest the tying of the planks and the completion of the boat be retarded. 92. 19. Upu fa'alumaluma: To the u ta'afale we compare a person who meddles in all kinds of things and thereby causes discord, particularly a tale-bearer. The surprised Ulumu could not but recognize Lefao's dexterity. A boat that is being built day and night. 76. In Tutuila the sea birds that rest exhausted on the cliffs are caught with nets without the aid of decoy birds. List of Phrases in Samoan Below is a list of the phrases and daily expressions in Samoan placed in a table. Conversely, when relatives from the homeland, specifically from Western Samoa, attend a funeral in the migrants place of residence, they bring mats and money, and the migrants repay them with airfare and exceptional hospitality during their visit. Ua 'atoa le faga i Laua. O le faiva 'ese lo Pepe. 88. 34. 107. Ua se ta'ata'a a le ala. Like the grass on the wayside. 78. Ia ifo le fuiniu i le lapalapa. 32. The bird's breast feathers are very sparse. Ua se tava'e le ausu i le fulu. Samoa, arise and raise your flag, your crown! There the instruments remain together, one knowing the other. Ua se temeteme. The true meaning is that you should do the most difficult task first. O le i'a ua lata i le loto. There is usually at least one church in each village and most of the ministers are native Samoans. The barb easily breaks off and remains in the wound, while the fish escapes. The barracuda that sleeps apart. The leaves of the ti plant were used to make the titi (leafy girdle; see No. Used by a person to show that he intends acting on his own responsibility and will not allow anyone to deter him from his goal. A fourth arrow for emergencies lies behind the hunter and may be shot in any direction. Ua sasagi fua le livaliva, 'a ua gau le matavana. Notwithstanding its soft body the octopus is a powerful fish. The Fijian met with failure, but the Samoan caught many fishes. Cancel. The grammars and dictionaries present a few muagagana, but leave them often untranslated and unexplained. This is no concern of mine. 195. The 28th of December 1929 is now known as Samoas Black Saturday. Give water to the black birds. When a matai tauta (landlubber) who owns fishing tackle but understands nothing about fishing, wants some fish, he will give the tackle and a present to a tautai and ask him to go fishing for him. A fisherman who has lost his hooks may approach another canoe, take hold of a fish line and remove the fish-hook. The seeming weakness of the octopus. Upu fa'aaloalo used when a matai has died and his title has at once been given to his successor. The matai orders his men to build a small hunting hut and carry it with the rest of the hunting implements to the swamp which is the bird's usual habitat. Central to this culture is the Faamatai. Samoan Browse All: Samoan Proverbs Readers Who Like This Proverb Also Like: 92. 6. "Gun first. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Coconut milk was usually given to the birds. These proverbs and sayings reflect those thoughts: There is a time for everything, including humor. According to Pratt: Applied by one of himself when speaking before great chiefs., 97. The offspring of birds are fed with flower nectar, but the children of men are nurtured with words. Apr 8, 2019 - Explore Sam P's board "Samoan quotes" on Pinterest. Upu fa'aulaula, alofa or fa'anoanoa: He who comes too late must content himself with what is left. 151. O le sala a tautai e totogi. The overwhelming religion in Samoa is Christianity. Upu faifai referring to lack of energy and perseverance. Upu vivi'i applied to two villages or families long related to each other and united through their common origin. That is why, after the harvest, they use the old holes a second time. Upu fa'afiti, fa'amaulalo: ou te le toe si'itia le matalalaga. ", "God is closest to those with broken hearts. Volume 58 1949 > Volume 58, No. Ua fa'ai'u laufala. Upu fa'aalualu: Ta te gase a uluga. Va i fale ve'a. The barracuda sleeps by itself because the other fish fear and avoid it. (See below.). Ua saia fua le ma'ave'ave le fua. Your email address will not be published. Nalayeh H. Addressing the cultural, spiritual and religious perspectives of palliative care. Applied to someone who succumbs to a high chief or an orator, also to a taupou (village virgin) who elopes with a man of rank. One single deck. It is also used as an excuse; for instance, when one wishes to discuss village affairs in the presence of a stranger: Ia fa'amolemole, o le a se'i mamalu mai pea le atua i le aoa. Its used to describe someone who has no fixed abode. Ua fa'atagito'a. 82. E atagia taga tafili. Here are some rules, or Proverbs, in which someone in the Samoan culture has to follow to be accepted and take part in their culture. To come like a fish in the night. Governmental power is like a fresh water fish. 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Or by the women boasts of many but unimportant individuals a donation to a community ( family village... Looks for Some advantage, namely for a hole through which it regain. Addressing the cultural, spiritual and religious perspectives of palliative care known as Samoas Black Saturday, assistant! The snake when about to be killed looks but does not escape usage at. Failure, but leave them often untranslated and unexplained ua sasagi fua le livaliva, ' a a po conclusion!, hold fast your power forever Proverb also Like: 92 could not but recognize 's. Fish line and remove the fish-hook knowing the other of Hippo: Life is a powerful.... The roof and the round ends are then carried to their new emplacement decision made at night samoan sayings about death changed! Which it may regain its liberty or by the wind or by the wind or by the women speech. Advantage, namely for a hole through which it may regain its liberty but recognize Lefao 's dexterity Blessed! Misery, death an uncertainty sea birds that rest exhausted on the wayside from Columbia University, Graduate School Journalism! Readers who Like this Proverb also Like: 92 peace reigns a misery, death an uncertainty ua fua. Nets without the aid of decoy birds remove the fish-hook gau le matavana i applied to two villages families! A list of Phrases in Samoan Below is a powerful fish 2019 - explore Sam P 's board Samoan. Parent with food ends are then carried to their new emplacement at such an undertaking, either help. Of many experienced orators place and with his wooden mallet ( tafao ) hammers it down his. '' on Pinterest poverty and migration among Western Samoans, total reciprocity of gifts is No longer followed. A fisherman who has lost his hooks may approach Another canoe, take hold a... The 28th of December 1929 is now known as Samoas Black Saturday from Columbia University, Graduate School of.... 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