The theme for this year's Samoan Language Week has been penned "Strengthen the posts of your house, for all to thrive." But what exactly does this mean? In Gagana Samoa and in English, an exploration....
O le vaiaso lenei o se vaiaso ua atofaina e faatāua ai le aganuu faapea le gagana fa'asamoa. O le manatu autū o le vaiaso nei ua fa'aupuina e le Matāgaluega mo Tagata Pasefika e fa'apea, "Poupou le lotoifale, ola manuia le anofale". A'o le a le uiga tonu o lenei fa'amatalaga? O le a foi se ituaiga manatu o lo'o aga'i atu iai?
This week is a week where people prioritise Samoan culture and language. The theme for this year's Samoan Language Week has been penned "Strengthen the posts of your house, for all to thrive." But what exactly does this mean? Where is this phrase getting at?
A'o lei aga'i atu se fuafuaga ma ni tapenapenaga i ou tafatafā-fale, e ao lava ona mua'i taga'i toto'a ma le māe'ae'a lelei i le fausaga o le fale, ina ia lē gata ina malosi, malu ma matagofie i le va'aiga lautele, ae ia ato'atoa le faatotofaina o lona lotoifale; ma ia mautinoa le fa'amalieina o soo se mana'oga faale-soifua mālōlōina.
Before you set out to make and settle into your home, you first have to take a deep look at how the house is built; not only does it have to be strong and stable, safe and also aesthetically pleasing, it also needs to serve a purpose to the household, making it suitable to cater to whatever the needs of the family.
I le fausiaina o se maota Samoa, e lua lava ona vaega autū tāua, o le Fa'avae ma le Fale-a-luga; ae o le fesoota'iga o lea Faavae mautū ma le Fale-a-luga malosi, o Pou; ma o ia foi pou, ua faatulagaina i vaega e lua - Pou-tū ma Poulalo (poo Atu-a-lalo). Ona o ia faatulagaga, ua avea ai le fausaga o le fale Samoa ma ona vaega ta'itasi, o se fa'aata lelei e faamanino ai fa'atāua ma faamuamua e ao ona mata'itūina pea auā le faamaopoopoina ma le saga faamautūina pea o mafutaga fiafia mo totino uma o se aiga.
When it comes to a traditional Samoan house, there are two main parts, the foundation and the roofing; but the connection between a stable foundation and a strong roofing, is the posts. Because of this, we can use a traditional 'Fale Samoa' as a metaphor to further emphasise observing the importance and significance of our culture, for the progression and development and happiness of a family.
Samoa Language Week 2021 poster Photo: Ministry of Pacific Peoples
O se tasi o pou tāua mo se aiga Samoa, o le Gagana. Mo le 'ausia o mana'oga lelei uma faale-mafutaga i totonu o se aiga Samoa, e ao ai lava ona ave le faamua i le faatāuaina o le Gagana Samoa, auā le atina'eina o sootaga femalamalamaa'i - e fanau mai ai le fefaasoaa'i ma le fe'oe'oea'i, e lausiusi a'e ai le ola felagolagoma'i ma le nofo fealofani. I le saga u'una'ia pea o le mafuta fetausia'i ma le fefaamalumalua'i i le va-nonofo ai o aiga, e tu mati'e ai lava le fuaitau, "E tupu le faatuatua i le taulogologo", me a lē toe taumateina ai le tāua o le Gagana Samoa, o se tasi o poutū i le mafutaga faale-aiga Samoa. O le gagana foi lea e faaleoina ai upu ta'iala, upu faale'ei'au, upu faamanatu ma upu faamalosi'au, auā le sologa lelei ma le to'amalie o mafutaga faale-aiga; tainane le tausisia pea o le va-tapu'ia a le feavata'i o totino uma o le mafutaga. 'O le gagana (upu), e a'oa'o ai, a'oa'i ai, e faatonu ma faapoto ai'.
One important post for any Samoan family, is that of language. To better reach a mutual understanding in a family, there must be an emphasis on Samoan Language, to provide compassion and empathy - which in turn brings about open communication, interdependence and mutual reliance. To facilitate a setting where care and protection is given and received in a family, one must take heed of the saying, 'E tupu le faatuatua i le taulogologo' (Faith is birthed from awareness). Language is also the medium through which guidance, assistance, prompts, and advice is conveyed, which results in peaceful conduct and contentment in a family dynamic. 'O le gagana, e a'oa'o ai, a'oa'i ai, e faatonu ma faapoto ai' (Language can teach, discipline, guide and make one wise).
A o le agaga o le galulue pulupululima faatasi i le tau-atiina'eina o le lotoifale o le aiga Samoa, o le anofale sili lea ona manaomia, ma ia lē tū faamauga ai se to'atasi po o na'o se vaega o le 'au-aiga. E lē faaitiitia ai fo'i le faatāua o le tausisia pea o le va-fealoaloa'i i le saga faatupuina o le filemu. A o le faamanatu ma se tuualalo faatausi-aiga Samoa pe a lu'itauina e se totino o lou lotoifale, "O le tali filemu, e liliu'eseina ai le ita". I le ma lea, "Ai sē na te po mai i lou alafau taumatau, ia e liliu atu ia te ia le isi".
But the spirit of cooperation to advance a Samoan household is a post most vital, so that no one person or group is placed highly above the other. This is not to undermine the importance of the rankings of the people in the household, but to help facilitate peace. But a reminder for us when we come across troubled waters can be taken from the Bible, "A gentle answer turns away wrath", and "... but if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also".
Fale in the Samoa village. Photo: (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) / Flickr
O se tasi o anofale i le mafutaga faale-aiga Samoa, ua faaleoina faapea, "Ia fesili Mulimai ia Muamai", ma ua ōgatasi lelei lava lea ma le poloaiga faale-aiga o le Atua e faapea, "O le āva i mātua e faalevalevaina ai aso o le olaga ma mafutaga'. A o se tasi fo'i lea o tū ma āga o le anofale o mafutaga faale-aiga Samoa - O le fa'aaloalo. I le faatulagaina o mafutaga faale-aiga, e ta'iulu lava mātua i fanau, poo le matai i lona 'au-aiga. O fa'auluuluga fo'i ia o mafutaga, e latou te taua'aoina le ta'ita'iga ma le fa'afoega o le lautele o le aiga. Ona e afua mai mauga manuia o nuu, o fanau ma aiga, o i latou foi ia e taula'i uma i ai le vaai ma le faalogo a le lautele o le aiga.
Another important aspect of the Samoan family dynamic can be summarised with the saying, "ia fesili Mulimai ia Muamai" (Let those who came last seek guidance from those who came before), and it goes hand in hand with the sentiment that the respect one has for their elders will grant them many favourable years. This can be a definition for another post in a Fale Samoa: respect. Within the dynamic of a Samoan family, the parents and elders are the leaders of their children, similarly, Matai (village chiefs) are leaders of the extended family. The heads of these relationships are responsible for steering their family to success and prosperity, because as another Samoan saying goes, 'E afua mai mauga manuia o nuu' (prosperity and opulence flow from the mountaintops).
I le poupouina o tatou lotoifale, o se matāfaioi e lē tuutaimiina, ma e le gafataulimaina e se to'atasi. Ae moomia le pulupululima faatasi o le au-aiga i ona vaega taitasi uma, e aofia ai tinā ma tama'ita'i, o le aumaga, o tupulaga ma fanau lalovaoa. Ae mo le ato'atoa ma le mausalī o le poupouina o tatou lotoifale, e tatau lava i ta'ita'i ona tausolomua i le soifua ai ma olaina ai o upu ma tima'iga uma ua ia fofogaina atu. Ia 'alo 'alo mamao ma lenei, "Fai le mea out e fai atu ai, ae 'aua le mea lea ou te faia".
Strengthening the posts of our Fale is not a one-time job, nor is it a job for just one person. Instead, it takes many hands, hands of the entire household, with responsibilities extending to our mothers, our daughters, and our sons. But it is up to the leaders of the household to guide and pilot the household to happiness, wealth and prosperity, staying away from the ideology of 'Do as I say, not as I do."
I le fa'aaogāina o upu o le Gagana Samoa e poupou ai o tatou lotoifale, ia manatua, o se isi lenei o ta'iala e fua iai au tapenaga ma faaupuga lafo, "O upu e faasa'oina ai, o upu foi e faasesēina ai."
When using language as a means to strengthen the posts of your house, keep in mind this one last Samoan saying, "O upu e faasa'oina ai, o upu foi e faasesēina ai" (Words can guide you, but words can also misguide you).
Alofaaga fia momoli mo nai o'u tua'ā, aemaise le Afioga ia Fonotī Perenise Sitanilei mo le fa'asoa ma le alofa lē mavae.
Ia manuia le fa'amanatuina o le Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa!
Happy Samoan Language Week!