We’ve all seen it. You’re Googling something to do with Samoa and you see from the search results that others have been asking questions about Samoan people, too – but they’re really basic questions that you thought everybody knew the answers to by now. Surely! But then you realize the world is a big place […]
A Samoan Matai and Language Challenge
I love the Samoan culture the way I love my family: I would protect and defend it with my life I don’t always agree with it and sometimes we fight One aspect of our culture I always seem to be in the ring with is our matai system, or fa’amatai. On the one hand, fa’amatai […]
The two Samoan languages
While I was slowly picking up Samoan from my family and friends, I’d hear references to another, mysterious, ‘higher’ version of the language. ‘It’s different from our everyday Samoan,’ …they would say. ‘It’s the language that matais and ministers use’. And I would think, OK, so… what is it? Do they just use bigger words? […]
Samoan Proverb – Sorted like a fishing net in the morning
As the heart of the Pacific ocean, it makes sense that so many of Samoa’s alagaupu & muagagana (proverbs & idioms) use the imagery of fishing. Like this one: O le upega e fili i le po, ‘ae tatala i le ao Its literal translation: The fishing net is knotted (or braided) at night, but […]
Alagaupu ma Muagagana – Samoan Proverbs and Expressions
My grandfather was a diligent note-keeper. He was a faiava, which means he lived with my grandmother in her village (rather than his own), and he kept several notebooks worth of hand-written records on her family’s history and titles. This grandfather was also a gifted orator. He died when I was very young, but I […]
Samoan Proverb about a Humble Snake
Another one of my most favourite Samoan jams is Afai Ua e Musu (I love the version by the Five Stars). It’s basically a guy telling a girl, “If you don’t want me, just tell me. I’m cool. I can hack it. Let’s just get this over with.” And then he quotes Samoan proverbs including […]
How to use the Samoan word, Uso
Uso is the Samoan word for either brother or sister, depending on your gender. In the Samoan language, if you are female, your uso is your sister. If you are male, your uso is your brother. You’ll see/hear the word uso thrown around a lot – “Eh, uso!” or “Ua ‘li’i, uso?” and sometimes more […]
10 pretty-sounding Samoan names for girls…that have nice meanings too
A couple years ago, an expectant mother asked the natives in the the ville to suggest Samoan names for her new baby girl. The discussion received a handful of genuine attempts to be helpful, but the other 5 pages of replies were full of so much stupidity I swear… The suggestions ranged from ‘Sasa’e‘ meaning […]
English translation: O oe o la’u uo moni
Spawnbreezie recorded the most recent version of this song, but it’s a true Samoan classic. Thank you to JJW for his beautiful translation. (I tried lol). I’m not sure who wrote the original – Tiama’a? Five Stars? – but he or she was a lyrical poet indeed:
Samoan Song Translation: Afai e te Alofa
This song is so pretty. It’s one of my top 5 all-time favourite island jams, particularly the version by legendary Samoan band Five Stars. The message is simple: if you love me, come back to me. Here’s how I would translate it line by line: Afai e te alofa / If you love (as in, […]
