Telesa - The Covenant Keeper (66 page)
Read Telesa - The Covenant Keeper Online
Authors: Lani Wendt Young
Samoa – The Treasured Islands of the Pacific
(From the Samoa Tourism Website)
Samoa is a postcard of natural beauty consisting of ten islands, each offering very distinct and different environments to explore. From the rainforest covered rugged volcanic mountain peaks of the two main islands to the vast valleys leading down to a coastline ringed with a necklace of white sandy beaches. Within these lush green fertile valleys, grow banyan trees towering above the rainforest canopy which is full of tropical blooms and numerous varieties of vegetation. Cascading waterfalls dropping into rivers that cut jagged lines through the valley floor as they make their way to the ocean.
The coastline is a wonder in itself, with sparkling white sand beaches, in some places stretching for miles, and here and there are walls of sheer cliffs that drop straight into the Pacific. Beyond the beaches out into the blue lagoons are scattered the rest of the islands that make up the Samoa archipelago, some inhabited, others with only natures wildlife, protected by the fringing coral reef that keep the powerful force of the Pacific Ocean at bay.
Amongst all this natural beauty and picturesque valleys and coastline you will find nu’u or villages with their churches, meeting houses and open fale or homes encircling the malae or village green. Home to people proud of their strong Fa’a Samoa - cultural heritage, that live alongside these natural wonders. For it’s the people, culture and nature that give life to these islands.
Samoa is a traditional society governed by Fa’a Samoa (the Samoan Way) where family is all important, respect for one’s elders is strictly adhered to and being of service to your family is your duty. Here you will find a distinctive Polynesian culture over 3,000 years old.
Fa’a Samoa has three key elements to it – the matai (chiefs), aiga, the extended family and the church. Matai are the heads of the extended family unit and their role is very complex covering family, civic and political duties in the village. There are 362 nu’u or villages found throughout the islands with a total of 18,000 matai.
The aiga or extended family is made up of parents, brothers and sisters, children, grandparents, cousins, nephews and nieces living together within the village. When family members marry partners in other villages, the in-laws too become part of the extended family unit and in times of happiness or sadness all come together to pitch in. It is ones duty as a Samoan to be of service to our aiga for life.
Christianity has been one of the few western influences that has been accepted into Fa’a Samoa. John Williams from the London Missionary Society arrived in Savaii in 1830 with eight Tahitian and Rarotongan teachers to spread the word. Today the motto on Samoa’s crest reads, Fa’avae I Le Atua Samoa – Samoa is founded on God, and found in every village are churches of various denominations. Samoans are devote Christians and Sunday is a day of worship and spending time with family and no physical work is done.
Fa’a Samoa culture has a strong focus on welcoming visitors, however it is important that visitors follow protocol when entering villages and family homes as well as using and accessing village resources.
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Avoid walking through villages during the evening prayer curfew (usually between 6pm and 7pm). This usually lasts for 10 to 20 minutes and is often marked at the beginning and end by a bell or the blowing of a conch shell.
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Respect Sunday. While many visitor attractions are open on Sunday, you are expected to behave quietly and to travel slowly through villages.
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Skimpy clothing is not recommended in villages, and will cause offence.
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Women are recommended to wear a lavalava (sarong) rather than shorts or pants, especially if they attend church.
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Almost all shops are shut on Sunday, so buy what you need the day before.
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No nude or topless (for women) swimming or sunbathing.
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Shoes should be removed before entering a fale.
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Never stand within a fale when elders are seated.
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When sitting in a fale, avoid pointing your feet at others. Either tuck them away, cross them (yoga style) or cover them with a lavalava or mat.
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Always ask permission from your host before taking photos in a village.
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Don’t offer children money, even if they ask.
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If in any doubt, ask your host or a village member.
In Samoan culture food is a social event that brings together family and friends to share what bountiful wonders nature has provided. As the sun rises in the east, young men are paddling their canoes out in the lagoon to catch fish, while others have gone into the plantations to cultivate and harvest what is needed for the daily meals. The bounty of the ocean provides crayfish, snapper, masimasi, octopus, tuna and more, caught that morning and served that evening.
The plantations of bananas, taro, tropical fruits and vegetables picked that day add to the freshness of the meals. And with the freshness of all this bounty, it’s the flavours that have your taste buds wondering why it never tastes this good at home.
With this abundance of food, selection becomes the hardest decision to make. Breakfast could be on the beach dining on papaya, picked from the tree nearby or fresh bananas from the bunch dangling from the banana tree – how fresh is that!
If you’re at a hotel or resort the buffets are vast and plentiful leaving you pondering for choice. If you’re out in the villages dining with a family, you won’t see the microwave and stoves, for out the back is a cooking fale where the umu (earth oven of hot stones) is laid three times a day to cook the meals.
No oils used here, fishing is wrapped in banana leaves with freshly made coconut cream poured over, pork and chickens are cooked whole and tucked in the gaps are taro and green bananas ready for baking and octopus in coconut cream placed in half coconut shells. Then once the stones are red hot and the food placed on them, banana leaves are placed all over the food to seal in the heat and two hours later the umu is lifted, the piping hot food is served, no artificial flavours and additives used here.
All of the hotel and resorts offer traditional Samoan food, usually at their Fiafia nights, with traditional buffets and entertainment. Delicacies on the Samoan menu include palusami (young taro leaves baked in coconut cream) and oka, (raw fish in coconut cream), both are must try dishes on any holiday.
HISTORY: Samoans, along with Tongans and Fijians were the superpowers of the Pacific before the arrival of the Europeans and those connections amongst the three nations remain strong, till this day, through each nation’s royal lines. European whalers and traders started to arrive in the late 1700’s. By far the most important agents of change in Samoa were the western missionaries, converting the people from belief in Gods for the sun, earth, heavens and sea to the one God.
In 1899 after years of civil war, the islands of the Samoan archipelago were divided – the Germans taking the islands to the west and the Americans taking the islands to the east, now known as American Samoa.
After the outbreak of World War I, New Zealand captured Western Samoa from the small German company stationed on the islands and following the end of the war took administrative control on behalf of the United Nations from 1918 until independence on 1st January 1962. Western Samoa became the first Pacific nation to gain Independence.
From 1962 to 1997, the nation was known as Western Samoa, until it dropped the title ‘Western’ from its name to become the Independent State of Samoa.
You can find more information about Samoa at the
Samoa Tourism Authority Site
. They also provide essential recommendations on travel deals and accommodation to suit all budgets.
Other great titles by Lani Wendt Young:
The second book in the
TELESA
Series
.
Available at
Amazon
now
With Nafanua and the Covenant Sisterhood gone, Leila and Daniel are finally able to love without fear of retribution. Or are they? As a malicious telesa plots her revenge, a mysterious stranger arrives on the island. Fuelled by hate and running from a fiery past, he looks to Leila for answers and she must fight to contain the fury of fanua-afi while trying to protect all those she loves. It seems that this is a battle she must wage alone, for Daniel’s ocean birthright cannot be denied and he refuses to walk beside her. Are Leila and Daniel destined to be forever divided by the elements? When it comes to Water and Fire, daughter of earth and son of the ocean – who will endure? When water burns?
A companion book in the
TELESA
Series.
A short novel that shares Daniel’s story.
Available at
Amazon
now
Fall in love with your favorite character all over again as he tells his story, revealing his sensual, passionate side – as well as his angry (and often pretty funny!) side too. Read scenes that aren’t shown in the TELESA book and find out what makes Daniel the unforgettable #ChunkHunk star of this series.
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