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The "'faasamoa'" (or "'fa'asamoa'") is a word that refers to the Samoan way of life.

Contents

Concept

Practice

History

Tauanu'u Leotasili

Concept

The ''faasamoa'' consists of the Samoan language, and customs of relationships and culture, that is a traditional and continuing Polynesian lifestyle of the Pacific Islands and diaspora. This is completely understood by all Samoans, and provides support and direction.

Practice

The ''fa'asamoa'' is practiced in all nine islands of Samoa, (including American Samoa and Western Samoa, and other small islands (such as Manua and Aunuu).

History

When missionaries arrived from Europe in 1830, they found that many Samoan cultural beliefs were similar to Christianity , which contributed to the spread of Christianity in nineteenth-century Samoa. An example of these shared beliefs is the concept of respecting and honoring elders -- even powerless elders. In the ''fa'samoa'', the young respect anyone that is older than them, especially their parents.

Tauanu'u Leotasili

The Samoan way of life was hard before the European arrived. Tauanu'u, an old chief, gives his account of Samoan life before the Europeans. He was one of the witnesses of the arrival of the "palagi's" or Caucasian:
"I remember when I was a little boy." said Tauanu'u. "I heard everyone talking about it: "''E! O mai e va'ai kagaka ese ia o mai! E papa'e ia o lakou kigo!''", which translated to "Hey! Come look at these strange people approaching! Look at them! They are so white!".
Tauanu'u Leotasili continued by saying, "I saw my aunt trying to figure out what to do. By then, everyone in the village was awake at about 5 o'clock in the morning to come and see the white folks. I was one of them. All of a sudden, my cousin Giu told everyone that there are going to create an ''siva samoa'' (the samoan Dance). ''Lue mai!'', the dance started and every Samoan village member of what is now called ''leone''. So they danced and that's all I remembered".