Ceremony and Beauty: A Wedding in

Samoan Style

LAST Saturday, at 10 a.m., my Samoan wife, Sieni, and I attended a Fa’ai poipoga Samoa; or a wedding in Samoan style. Well-known and popular Doctor Maka Sapolu, of Vaiala (Paulava) Village, married a nurse, Laga’an Uele, of Talefa. Both are attached to the Apia Hospital.

The wedding took place in a picturesque and historical spot, some two miles from the Hospital, on the Vailima Read, on the way to the late Tusitala’s home. The church was the lovely little coral lime stone building of the LMS.

A premarriage ceremony was held in a Fale Ofolau (meeting house), built of native wood, with earthen and stone floor, over which was a thatched roof of Lau Tolo (leaves of sugar cane). These houses are thoroughly rainproof and have blinds of Pola to be let down round the sides, in wet weather.

The Fa’aipaipoga ceremony begins with the Tamafa’aipoipo (bridegroom) taking his place, with two Tamauosili (grooms men) in the rear of the Fale and to the left. The wedding cake of lovely design, consisting of seven tiers, was placed in the centre of the house. Behind the bridegroom and groomsmen, a sheet of Siapo (Tapa) was stretched across the width of the house. This Siapo is the bark of the Ua tree, and is beaten out till it becomes quite thin, and looks, at a glance, like heavy cloth. This, in turn, is dyed in contrasting designs, and the finished article is indeed a lovely piece of work. Frangipani and Hibiscus flowers (Pua and Aute to our Samoans) were in abundance and, together with leaves of

the Fa’i and Niu (banana and coconut) artistically placed, the Fale was made very beautiful and suitable for the happy occasion.

At the rear of the Siapo, the Teinefa’ai poipo (bride) was attended by her Tein euosili (bridesmaids); in this case, nurses of the Apia Hospital. The bridegroom’s groomsmen were fellow doctors (Drs. Oti sene and Mi:) also of Apia Hospital.

After the guests were assembled, Samoan fashion, on the many mats of lovely designs—these mats are pre wedding gifts and take many weeks to complete—the bride and her two pretty bridesmaids took their place, to the left of the groom and his groomsmen.

The bride wore a lovely white satin gown and white veil and the bridesmaids were in pink—these lovely dresses dis placed the siapo of bygone days.

The Faifean (native ordained minister) then appeared and seated himself directly in front of the bride and groom, and facing them, proceeded to fill in the particulars of the marriage certificate.

Then, contrary to European custom, the couple signed the register, and their sig natures were duly witnessed by the two groomsmen. During this occasion, should anyone desire to wish the couple health and prosperity, he may do so. Through out all this, gifts of all kinds were arriv ing continually, and were accepted by a friend of the bride.

THE bride and groom, together with their attendants, then proceeded to the little church through a guard of honour, formed by the nursing staff of

Apia Hospital (Samoans). The couple went to the front of the church, where they were seated on fine mats (letoga).

These mats take up to one year to com plete, and are finely woven from the leaves of the Lauie tree. The mats I saw were woven as fine as the average table cloth, and no fault could be seen when examined closely.

After all guests were seated, the short and lovely little service in Samoan was

conducted by the minister. Hymns were sung, prayers were said —the “Ote Faia” (“I Will”), the passing and placing of the Mama Fa’aipoipo (wedding ring) and final prayer, and they departed, man and wife.

They went with their guests to the Pale Ofolau. There were hand-shakes and “la Manuia Oulua” (“Health to you two!”) and other tokens of goodwill and greet ings.

Songs and dances occupied the next

three hours. Typical among these was the Samoan Siva, which is their native dance, just as the hula is that of the Hawaiians, During the Siva, bride and bridegroom were the centre of attraction —they performed this dance excellently.

At 3 p.m. the names of the guests were read out and they were called to the Aiga (feast) and what a feast it was! Food was prepared in the Umu (native oven) and consisted of pig, pigeon, fowl, yams, talo, ulu (breadfruit) and hosts of other

things. The food was laid out on the Malae (lawn in front of the Pale Afolau) and placed on banana leaves. Overhead, trestles of wood had been erected, and coconut leaves were arranged thereon to keep out the sun.

At the conclusion of the feast came the cutting of the cake by the bride, as sisted by her husband, and it was nicely dissected and handed out to the assembly.

During this ceremony speaches were given and there was a reply by Dr. Toto’a.

Throughout the entire festival no word of English was spoken—the whole thing was conducted in Samoan.

When they returned to the Pale Afolau, songs and dances were again the order of the day—and this happy band of Islanders danced and sang into the early hours of the morn, when bride and groom adjourned to their quarters.

Leaga Tonu Samoa.