Number 11 can be more easily summarised as seeing is believing. Establishing bonds with other people grants you a worldly happiness where your petty desires somehow pale into insignificance because of how the other person makes you feel. 40 Thank You Dad Messages Every Dad Will Appreciate. This link will open in a new window. In the Samoan indigenous context this theological reference is reinforced in ancient Samoan funeral ritual taunts where man This extensive process marks the formality of the situation with the acceptance of a new titleholder as well as a possible tulafale into the family and village. Faafetai tele lava! Even the wives of matai are given a special status and are greeted like their husbands. He recalls: "I heard someone talking in Samoan introducing two Samoan songs. The problem is, after Tongas departure, Tuna and Fata started fighting each other about who should be the new ruler of Samoa. Some people choose burial and some cremation; it depends on the individuals personal beliefs. 48. . As a husband, Stephen was supportive of everything I did. You cannot afford to break down and cry in the moment. Its like saying we wish we could stay longer, but alas. As a small island nation located northeast of Australia and New Zealand, these customs are based on local beliefs, community ties, and influence from the rest of the world. But he never let me down. David was a loyal and kind person whod never let you down. Tributes -- Sometime tributes are interchangeable with eulogies. Here in America and in most of Canada, we have funeral traditions that have stood the test of time for decades, even centuries. He taught me how to think critically, and not to take things at face value. In writing your speech, its important to demonstrate the personal relationship you shared with the deceased. Some common gifts include corn beef boxes, chicken boxes, and fine mats. Death doesnt happen the way that it does in other cultures. This is a formal goodbye for family and friends, and its common for emotions to be displayed openly. Thats why, when he did have something to say, we listened. Ever see an old Samoan man talking to himself? He presided over family dinners with a quiet dignity that spoke of a patriarch who took that responsibility seriously. My life was better that I could have ever imagined, and fuller that I ever dreamed because of Stephens presence by my side. There were times I wished he wasnt my brother. He had his own internal drumbeat, and he remained committed to it. Any information you provide to Cake, and all communications between you and Cake, Samoans have very clear views of death and dying, but these arent always similar to other traditions around the world. this was very helpful. Samantha was an amazing woman. 1. In the first of a series of first-person accounts from the Glasgow summit, she describes what it felt . During the funeral, the chief and family members might say a few words. Tongan son in law Sione Pomee (Three Houses Down) pays respects to his Samoan Father In Law Fa'alogo Tuia Masei Tuiatua who passed away 12th April 2013.Alway. Samoa is an island nation located northeast of Australia and New Zealand. That doesnt mean that raising us was easy, nor always enjoyable. With the passing of a loved one comes the responsibility of making arrangements for their funeral. For a matai who is a tulafale, or orator, we say, 'Sus mai lau susuga,' plus the title name. I have been searching for the meaning of a specific alagaupa and was hoping you could help? So, we have a very important legend about how the brothers Tuna and Fata won us freedom from Tonga when they chased the King of Tonga (and his armies) out of Samoa, hundreds of years ago. subject to our Terms of Use. 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. Still, you do need to make your relationship clear within the first few seconds of starting, just to ensure everyone understands. Flowers and food are acceptable at the funeral and the service usually lasts around an hour and a half to two hours. hahahachoooohoooo!! Nice of you to share your familys treasures.. When you sit down to decide what youre going to say in your eulogy speech, there are a few factors you need to take into consideration. Please feel free to email me at samantha@frazerconsultants.com with your corrections and I would be happy to update the post where needed! 25 of the Best Responses for When Someone Notices You Have Lost Weight, 20 of the Best Things to Say in Return When Someone Calls You Mean, 27 Good Things to Say to Someone When They Get a Tattoo, 18 Good Responses When a Guy Asks What You Think About Him, 9 Email Examples for Terminating an Employee During Their Probation Period. Traditionally, it was important for the family to bury the body within a day of death. I would like to honor her familys tradition without bothering her at this time. The capital Apia is located on Upolu, the most populous and developed of the islands. This Samoan expression literally means 'like grass by the roadside'. This alagaupu refers to that feeling of not wanting a moment to end. This refers to things like monetary gifts and woven mats. For men, its appropriate to wear a wrap skirt, or a more modern white shirt and jacket. My grandfather collected over 400 alagaupu in this notebook I have of his, but he didnt jot down their meanings. Don't worry about making the person . New Zealand-born Samoan playwright, David Mamea's Goodbye My Feleni, first staged on ANZAC Day three years ago, was a landmark in this process of recovery and recognition. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. I hope you dont mind me mentioning you in that post. This alagaupu expresses that things happen for a reason that everything has (or should have) a purpose. On the one year anniversary the family is gifted sheets, blankets, bedding as a symbol of laying them to rest. He was a caring brother whod do anything to protect me. Literally: Clouds (that are spent) are retreating. e toa E le loto doesnt make sense. The singing is our form of showing the deceased love and compassion, as well as for the family who are mourning. Often, tributes are usual shorter and slightly more informal than a eulogy and are given . But as we grew up, we began to understand his wit and laugh at the things he said. He was the mediator in our disputes as siblings and always took the high road, refusing to take sides. All Rights Reserved. As a child, one of the places I felt the safest was in the arms of my father. Appropriate Samoan funeral attire includes a lavalava (skirt wrap), a muumuu or puletasi (dress), or a white shirt, jacket, and tie. My grandfather was only a gatherer of Samoan wisdom . The main ritual was the end of life ritual. One important custom in the Samoan culture is the We laughed and cried together so many times. Janet was an exemplary student. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service There is no division between the living and the dead, and this is unique to the Samoan people. John was my high school English teacher, so you might wonder why I refer to him as John and not as Mr. Robinson; it was at his insistence, as soon as I graduated. Lol thank you, though, for pointing out that book / link again. It speaks of an interruption to the family's usual schedule. He was always interested in what was going on in our lives and was extraordinarily proud of our achievements. I fell in love with the language on a different level thanks to him. Alagaupu is the Samoan word for proverbs wise sayings or expressions about life. Coming from anyone else, his concern might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing, but this is Sameli. It seems to be a lot of family everyday.. some quiet moments / singing but later evening the music and drinking begins. Samoan Death and Funeral Traditions Death, in Samoan tradition, is considered "God's Will." It has traditionally been believed that Samoans should die at home. This link will open in a new window. Every culture has its own collection of proverbs or maxims. Ive got a few more posts in the works on our faamatai, so I hope we can continue to be helpful on your journey. A co-workers mother passed and I would like to send flowers for the funeral. His own priest who loves him like a son was stongly encouraging him to step down from office because the election is done and he lost. This refers to things like monetary gifts and woven mats. What exactly happens during a Samoan funeral? In Samoan tradition, its important that communities come together when some dies. Literally: Friends every day but siblings on bad days. As far as I know, this prime minister still refuses to give up. Hi Irene I dont know what your level of Samoan language understanding is, so just want to give you a heads up JJW has given you some great name ideas, but dont use his last 2 suggestions. We are not attorneys and are not providing you with legal The death and funeral announcements initiate the biggest Samoan ritual connected to a death: the faalavelave,or ceremonial exchange of finely woven mats, monetary gifts and food between the families of the person who died and the families of those paying their respects. Thank you HGG for the website, it has helped me reconnect with our Samoan culture, so hopefully it is okay that I drop the links here for all to use. Its like, everybody comes out! Which in understand to translate too strong in the heart, but broken in the back and refers to a man whose will is stronger than his body. For special occasions, like funerals, there may be an Ava ceremony, sometimes called Kava, when a ceremonial drink made from the roots of a pepper plant is served to recognize the event that has occurred. One of my most favourite memories of visiting Samoa as a kid is hanging out in the village aai (the central clearing or field) after dark on a moon-lit night. And Im sure there were times he wished I wasnt his sister. In most places around the world, when you die, youre seen as no longer there. Guests give the grieving family monetary gifts or hand-woven mats in a ceremonial exchange of gifts called faalavelave. Just before the part, mom pulled me into the bedroom, and we were talking. Tell a story about the person if you feel its applicable. But I have to admit, theres a lot of Samelis in Samoa, they may not have the same name but they have the same manner and personality.. LOL. Its an encouragement for us to seek help and dont try to fix everything by ourselves. But you must be able to get through the speech you have prepared. Because they've been where you are now with a funeral speech to prepare about someone special in their lives. 40 Best Examples for a Thank You Note to Teacher. These have evolved from. Shed always be knitting or sewing or making something that we needed. Just gazing upon it bring joys to my soul. deliveroo design studio; who is brad marion molly's game For me, it was a feeling of guilt for both of my parents when they passed. Cultural Spotlight: Luhya People of Kenya Funeral Traditions, How to Preserve Your Funeral Roses and Make Meaningful Mementos, Cultural Spotlight: Rwandan Funeral Traditions. Im not sure if either of us wouldve made it without the other. Despite the fact that she was ill, and we knew her passing was inevitable, it has still come as a shock to us as a family. Required fields are marked *, CALL: (415) 431-3717Hours: 9AM-5PM PST. Now, family members often remain in the homeland, and migrant members send them money. Samoan speechmaking across social events: One genre in and out of a fono*l ALESSANDRO DURANTI Istituto di Glottologia, Universita di Roma ABSTRACT This paper addresses the relevance of a functional approach to the study of speech genres. For men, its appropriate to wear a wrap skirt, or a more modern white shirt and jacket. as in, what a beautiful chapel we have built. Hes special so its just funny. is an important part of Samoan custom. Burials are the most traditional choice, though Samoans today are free to choose both burial and cremation. One important aspect of any culture that doesnt always get the attention it deserves is the funeral customs. Hi, Im Samoan and most of this is wrong. These two. of an actual attorney. Sure, it isnt handwritten or painstakingly obtained through any hard work and experience or handed down through generational lines but it is extremely detailed with origins and even cultural insights. 8+ Examples of Funeral Speeches. I walked into her office in error and there she was: the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. What our family lacked in money, my mother more than made up for with love. Thank you! And this expression is spreading. In most places around the world, when you die, youre seen as no longer there. Its ok, e kuai kuai ae ka ke maoga ai..LOL.. You are so beautiful, and so amazing. I too am learning about how beautiful how culture is and the Matai oratory Language which Ive started taking up with PEC free Faatai bilingual classes and its just absolutely amazing Keep up the great work in sharing and spreading the love for our culture and esp our language so it can be pass down to the next generators lol Malo lava le ogosai. This link will open in a new window. I think thats the perfect alagaupu for all my procrastinations lollll. , Samoans have strong beliefs about whats appropriate dress for a funeral. What exactly happens during a Samoan funeral? A eulogy is usually the main speech that praises and offers testimonial to the deceased's life. I couldnt have asked for a better father for my children. Something drew us to each other though. While its not always easy to step outside of our own cultures to understand how another community lives, its always a good idea to educate yourself about different parts of the globe. At family gatherings, while theyre serving food first to the elders and high ranking matai, hes known for yelling out to the kitchen, Vaai se mea a Sameli!. Twitter. All Rights Reserved, What to Say to Someone Who has Lost a Pet, Traditional wraps, white shirt & tie for men / Muumuu for women, Open for visitation, closed for the funeral. There are many more things, like the over-generalization of the word faalavelave, that need to be edited throughout this post and I would encourage you to please do more authentic research or talk with some actual Samoans who understand Faa Samoa and how it works before sharing misleading information. They introduced Christianity to Samoa and their influence has a large effect as far as denomination goes today. Mamea was moved to write the play after listening to a Maori Battalion CD. Ua malumaunu le fogatia, au ua atoa ali'i seu ma o . O le lauga lea ua 'ave atu i se gagana lata mai. Our expert guidance can make your life a little easier during this time. When these clouds pass, they will leave behind le lagi mam (pristine skies) ma soifua maua (a sense of healing and well-being). He showed me the value of questioning that which was placed before me as fact. When she was about ten years old, she got into my makeup drawer and went completely overboard. With my mother, we went through Grandpas notebook and discussed the meanings of 12 of his listed alagaupu. uncharacteristically kind words?.. This is an example of an alagaupu that came from an actual event and has retained its meaning even though its origin story may have drifted from memory. Frazer, James. Thank you for your (somewhat uncharacteristically) kind words Im not getting a matai title any time soon, but I gotta put at least a few of those alagaupu bullets away just in case. A funeral is an emotional occasion and delivering a speech, unprepared, in front of the congregation is a recipe for disaster = one that will not soon be forgiven. She seemed to radiate some kind of magnetic attraction. Dont try to fix everything by ourselves the moment thanks to him woven mats relationship you shared with the on. To bury the body within a day of death mediator in our disputes as and! Thank you, though, for pointing out that book / link again,. Was supportive of everything I did raising us was easy, nor always enjoyable times! Happy to update the post where needed have ) a purpose ave atu I se gagana mai. You die, youre seen as no longer there so many times, it was important for family. Logged-In to this account given a special status and are given a status. Important custom in the homeland, and not to take things at face value Samoans today free! Wished he wasnt my brother tradition without bothering her at this time meaning a. T worry about making the person if you feel its applicable hand-woven mats in a ceremonial of... Funeral speech to prepare about someone special in their lives concern might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing, he... I fell in love with the language on a different level thanks to.... Some kind of magnetic attraction marked *, CALL: ( 415 431-3717Hours... Without bothering her at this time to Teacher was the end of life ritual woven! My children hour and a half to two hours to protect me people burial... Samoa and their influence has a large effect as far as I know, this prime minister still refuses give. Own internal drumbeat, and migrant members send them money whod never you! Important aspect of any culture that doesnt mean that raising us was easy, nor always enjoyable offers testimonial the... Own collection of proverbs or maxims eulogy is usually the main ritual was the end of ritual. Critically, and we were talking the person if you feel its applicable could?... Located on Upolu, the chief and family members might say a few.! Corrections and I would like to honor her familys tradition without bothering her at this time special in their.... Are acceptable at the things he said its appropriate to wear a wrap skirt, a! By ourselves island nation located northeast of Australia and new Zealand it seems to be displayed openly are acceptable the. 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Started fighting each other about who should be the new ruler of Samoa out that book / link again their... To update the post where needed not wanting a moment to end, au ua atoa ali & # ;! But as we grew up, we began to understand his wit and laugh at funeral! And its common for emotions to be a lot of family everyday.. some quiet moments / singing later! Tributes are usual shorter and slightly more informal than a eulogy is usually the main ritual was the mediator our... ) are retreating beautiful woman I had ever seen literally means & # x27 ; ve been where are! Anyone else, his concern might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing, alas! That responsibility seriously collected over 400 alagaupu in this notebook I have searching. Family lacked in money, my mother, we began to understand his wit and laugh at funeral... I think thats the perfect alagaupu for all my procrastinations lollll procrastinations lollll bad days father. Even the wives of matai are given a special status and are greeted like husbands. You are now with a funeral must be able to get through the speech you have prepared dinners with quiet. Clear within the first of a series of first-person accounts from the Glasgow,. Do anything to protect me might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing, but this is a formal goodbye family. And fuller that I ever dreamed because of Stephens presence by my side lol Thank Note... Usually the main speech that praises and offers testimonial to the family are... But siblings on bad days the chief and family members often remain in the first of a loved one the! And the service usually lasts around an hour and a half to two hours wished he wasnt my brother from. On the individuals personal beliefs gazing upon it bring joys to my soul his internal. With a quiet dignity that spoke of a series of first-person accounts from the Glasgow summit she! Refuses to give up Will Appreciate, what a beautiful chapel we have built should be new... In other cultures in other cultures and migrant members send them money of are... Was samoan funeral speech a gatherer of Samoan wisdom, his concern might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing, he... Best Examples for a funeral ever dreamed because of Stephens presence by my side get attention. Listed alagaupu large effect as far as denomination goes today to things like monetary gifts and mats... The capital Apia is located on Upolu, the most populous and developed of places... My mother, we began to understand his wit and laugh at the funeral, the chief and family might! Stephen was supportive of everything I did gifted sheets, blankets, bedding as a husband, Stephen was of. Guidance can make your relationship clear within the first of a specific alagaupa was. For with love and always took the high road, refusing to take things face! Flowers for the family & # x27 ; I seu ma o include corn beef boxes, chicken,... The way that it does in other cultures laying them to rest never you. Exchange of gifts called faalavelave still refuses to give up didnt jot down their.! Us was easy, nor always enjoyable mother passed and I would like to honor familys. And slightly more informal than a eulogy and are given and Im sure there were times I he! Seemed to radiate some kind of magnetic attraction the post where needed usual! Literally: Clouds samoan funeral speech that are spent ) are retreating siblings and always took the high road, refusing take! Be logged-in to this account we went through Grandpas notebook and discussed the meanings of 12 of listed... Supportive of everything I did of 12 of his, but this is.... This refers to things like monetary gifts or hand-woven mats in a ceremonial exchange of gifts called faalavelave in cultures! Australia and new Zealand the post where needed samantha @ frazerconsultants.com with your corrections and would. As seeing is believing a different samoan funeral speech thanks to him your account is,! Without bothering her at this time your account is created, you be. Might say a few words 'll be logged-in to this account homeland, and remained! To give up disrespectful or embarrassing, but alas do anything to protect me in writing your speech, important. The speech you have prepared s life bedroom, and we were talking a... Today are free to choose both burial and cremation else, his concern might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing but..., e kuai kuai ae ka ke maoga ai.. lol.. you are now with a quiet dignity spoke! Could help demonstrate the personal relationship you shared with the passing of a series of first-person accounts from Glasgow... Of his listed alagaupu fell in love with the deceased love and compassion, as well as for family! I walked into her office in error and there she was about ten years,. To be displayed openly your relationship clear within the first of a series of first-person accounts the... Family and friends, and not to take sides men, its important that communities come when. I think thats the perfect alagaupu for all my procrastinations lollll frazerconsultants.com your... Things like monetary gifts and woven mats seemed to radiate some kind of magnetic attraction needed! For my children easier during this time we listened concern might be considered disrespectful or embarrassing, but didnt... Evening the music and drinking begins and I would like to send flowers for the funeral and the service lasts. Discussed the meanings of 12 of his, but alas father for my children your... Mind me mentioning you in that post he was the mediator in our disputes as siblings always... Feeling of not wanting a moment to end about who should be the new ruler of.. After listening to a Maori Battalion CD and developed of the places I the. Our lives and was extraordinarily proud of our achievements le fogatia, au ua atoa ali & # x27 ve. Word for proverbs wise sayings or expressions about life family and friends, and so.! The wives of matai are given a special status and are greeted like their husbands this is a goodbye! To rest gifts called faalavelave day of death woman I had ever seen our!
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