Fa’A Samoa

Old Traditions and Native Customs

APIA, October 27.

EUROPEANS resident here, even old residents, are often interested by manifestations of that mysterious thing called “fa’a Samoa.”

“Fa’a Samoa,” literally translated, is *Tn Samoan fashion” or “In the Samoan way.” But the true meaning is impos sible to translate. “Fa’a Samoa” covers all those things in which the life of the Samoan and Samoan-born differs from the life of the white man.

For example, Samoan residents were surprised recently when one of our much respected citizens, who had been unable to get any kind of employment for years, suddenly arranged a birthday celebration in the best style of “fa’a Samoa,” and sent printed invitations to a dance and a complete Samoan feast. It was a very fine affair, and hundreds of Samoans danced and made merry beneath electric lights hung in a grove of breadfruit trees beside the home of the host. A soft breeze rustled through the fronds of the coconut palms, and a full moon shed its silver light over the merry-makers.

What had happened? It simply meant that “fa’a Samoa” had spread its beneficent protection over the white man, who had married into an established Samoan family, and had accordingly pro vided him with the means necessary to celebrate an important family event in due and traditional fashion. The Euro pean in his own sphere might be un employed and ignored by his fellows; but when a family celebration was concerned “fa’a Samoa” saw to it that he was not friendless. And so we had the feast— heaps of taro and bananas, piles of suc culent pig and poultry, fish, crabs, meats, luscious fruit and beverages, wild pigeon done to a turn, salads, trifles, cakes and sweets; and a band to play crooning music for the dance!