When I was asked to give an address today I enquired about my audience. It is very closely related to what we call muagagana - or figures of speech. Moreover, they can operate simultaneously. Salutations to the earth! This sleep (i.e. 2022-2023 School Year . Losing my sister is so heartbreaking. These issues of belonging (of faasinomaga and va fealoaloai), of knowing boundaries (or tuaoi), and of knowing how to search for meaning in having these boundaries (for having tofa saili) are central to understanding the contours, substance and impact of tulafono or Samoan (custom) law, then and today. NEW BONUS - Also receive a copy of our short eBook - '99 Ways to Spot a Great Grief Counselor'. In commenting on being Indian David says: Being Indian is mainly in your heart. Loss is hard. Its not uncommon for families to wait a few days or longer for the family to travel home for the service. Friends remember 7-Eleven store clerk killed in SoCal crime spree. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. are not protected by an attorney-client privilege and are instead governed by our Privacy Policy. Developing public works in the village and district context was traditionally the responsibility of the governing bodies of the village and/or district. The second case raises the point about the significance of authentic genealogical record for claiming legitimate rights to title. Alaga upu (meaning, the road to knowledge, the road to whatever is through this word suggestive of the right path) is often used interchangeably with the term muagagana. 05/21/2022. Ua le sei seu faaalo A funeral procession for one of the children who died of measles in Samoa in 2019. Let Cake help with a free consultation. As a husband, Stephen was supportive of everything I did. Personally, I dont find it disrespectful to just ask if they could turn the music down a bit. He encouraged them to keep going. He would always show us the value of hard work and diligence. This theology gave ancient Samoans a reference for being, knowing and belonging. Quite apart from the challenge of speaking in front of people while in a highly charged emotional state, the task of actually writing the funeral speech can be overwhelming. National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. This warrants final words of respect. Tulafono when read alongside muagagana in this way can only be interpreted as products, not of and/or from a culture of rigid calculation and unfeeling application, but of a culture that privileges the dignity and sacredness of humans, their weaknesses and strengths, and their right to live in a manner and form, within their customs, rules and laws that do justice to them as living beings, as creations and children of God. We hope they will give you some ideas for writing your own moving tribute. 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. The traditional living quarters, or fale (houses), contain no walls and up to 20 people may sleep on the ground in the same fale. Before 1903 the judicial functions of the Lands and Titles Court were exercised through pule and through the process of pae ma auli (or mediation ). young or untitled children) in matters of importance. Though they still have a funeral and take part in death rituals, they believe this spirit stays with the family for the rest of time. Learn how self-hypnosis can help you cope with grief at any time of the day or night. In ancient Samoa, the saying: E le se Atua fau tagata (God is not God Creator) o le Atua usu gafa (God is God Progenitor) le Atua o le mau a Samoa (the God of Samoa), thus holds. This link will open in a new window. There are four Samoan concepts that I wish to draw on for my discussion of the word tulafono. This extension of the meaning of tautua to include tautua ai taumalele and osi aiga has qualitatively increased the numbers of those eligible to receive a title. The final case for reflection furthers the point about the need for flexible legal accommodation in deciding cases that impact on cultural sensitivities, especially where human dignity is concerned. She never met a stranger: everyone was always immediately a potential new friend. To understand the meaning of a difficult word or phrase, you'd have to know the story behind it. Thank you for being with us today, to celebrate the life of a remarkable woman, my mother Ellen. While its hard to believe, nobody really dies in Samoa. Ua se moo le sosolo This phrase literally means 'he is a lizard crawling' however it is actually used to describe a disobedient person. Tulouna le lagi tuafa! Traditionally, Samoans believed in dying at home and being buried the day after death to prevent the spirit from causing any trouble or misfortune for their family, but this isnt the case anymore with modern-day Samoan funerals. Quite apart from the challenge of speaking in front of people while in a highly charged emotional state, the task of actually writing the funeral speech can be overwhelming. The role of the high chief (tofa) is to look ahead and divine the implications in the long term and to intervene on behalf of the long view, mercy and compassion. Case 3: The strife caused disharmony for twenty years. Tulouna le lagi tuaiva! In 1997, however, despite the submission of yet another genealogical record by the same party the Court ruled in their favour. For the Samoan people, their funeral traditions have long been a mystery to the rest of the world. None of these rules or laws, however, was meant to be fixed or rigid. The lands of Samoa are believed to be the lands designated by God for the people of Samoa. is an important part of Samoan custom. Salutations to the fifth heaven! For caregivers and bereaved individuals who would like to contribute to our understanding of caregiving and bereavement, this is a way to make a difference. Lesley Postle and Anna Baglione PhD look into online grief support groups to see if they are beneficial and to find out how we can make the most of them in our journey through grief. He showed me the value of questioning that which was placed before me as fact. ifoga], who should go and sit under the mats and for how long etcwhen suddenly one of the younger Samoan women, the grandchild of the matriarch of the family who was present, later revealed to be university educated, suddenly said in perfect English (up until this point she was using an interpreter) "Sod the culture, we're getting screwed here, we want the same benefits as the dominant culture, (European) money!!!!" We [indigenous peoples] are in a state of imbalance that has lessons to teach especially in how we as Indigenous fail in our imagination about the emerging traditions in and of ourselves. The funeral service doesnt usually just involve close family and friends. This highlights the critical nature of the problem and the need for urgent solutions, in particular solutions capable of encompassing the lessons of history and the indigenous reference. Relationship Grief - How to Overcome the Loss of Someone Close to You, The Influence of Time on Grief Thoughts on Grieving a Partner. They are highly valued and guarded like precious jewels. Even as a baby, she showed an exceptional amount of determination. I move now to a brief discussion of the relationship between tuaoi and tulafono. To touch the head of a chief is a serious breach of tapu because the head, as suggested, is the residence of divine discernment and so should not be tampered with. Any information provided on this website is general in nature and is not applicable to any specific person. Salutations to the knowable! In the ancient Samoan Mau the ultimate head is the Absolute, God or Tagaloaalagi. Im not sure if either of us wouldve made it without the other. I was furious at the time. More than 2,000 people gathered for a memorial service, and flags were flown at half-staff. Talk with your funeral director or event planner to see what rituals they can adapt for a live stream. Fono, as noted earlier, means a formal meeting of village and/or district. Check out our lovely range of memorial jewelry for any lost loved one. However, in modern-day Samoa, this isnt always possible. Here are some examples of a funeral speech that celebrates the deceaseds life but at the same time expresses the grief of the speaker. Salutations to the darkness and the void! God in the Samoan indigenous reference is God Progenitor. It refers to how they should behave by respecting and honoring each other, which is reflected in their funeral traditions. Sales from our pages result in a small commission to us which helps us to continue our work supporting the grieving. As I have noted before : Harmony in the mind involves finding unity in the messages conveyed by the senses. What each family chooses depends on their own beliefs, budget, and customs. Fanua meaning land and fanua meaning placenta frame and define Samoan rights and access to land. In this case a party promoted five different genealogical records as evidence of their claim to a title. Your soul has moved on, and your family mourns this loss. In ancient Samoan genealogy, land is one of man's ancestors and is acknowledged in the funeral chant by deferential reference to dust, earth, standing rocks, stones and mountain as family. Tulouna le lagi tuatolu! When she was about ten years old, she got into my makeup drawer and went completely overboard. There are no lessons about 'The Art of Mothering' we can only do our best and hope that we do it well. Aga-i-fanua is a rule or law which specifically applies to a family or a village and its origins in history and genealogy. Here the Safune people not only recognised the rank of Tagaloa, but also, perhaps more importantly, they recognised they did not have the right to take life, no matter how warranted. As part of Government policy each village was entitled to have an access road to their plantations constructed at no expense to them. People give the family ceremonial gifts known as faalavelave. 35 hours/week. Shed always be knitting or sewing or making something that we needed. Tulouna le maua! Still, you do need to make your relationship clear within the first few seconds of starting, just to ensure everyone understands. Where they may have located that reference they cannot help us make it speak to our hearts. That doesnt mean that raising us was easy, nor always enjoyable. Thank you for taking the time to put your work into this. Because open caskets are common at the funeral, this is still the most common choice in Samoa today. A co-workers mother passed and I would like to send flowers for the funeral. by Jenny Goldade | Feb 24, 2017 | Cultural Spotlight, For Families. I couldnt have asked for a better father for my children. The lives of our children and their achievements gave Stephen an enormous amount of satisfaction. Thank you! The idea of a good and bad death is a common belief throughout the world. I am happy to report that the second way forward comes from the Samoan Chief Justice and the President of the Lands and Titles Court who are committed to supporting the following: (a) regular review of Land and Titles Court decisions through internal seminars; (b) litigant access to lawyers; (c) free access to information in Land and Titles Court records; (d) publication in official Samoan law reports of decisions of the Land and Titles Court; and (e) the establishment of a Law School in Samoa to provide academic support for the judicial and administrative work necessary to progress towards a Lands and Titles Court that can do justice to the aspirations of the very peoples it seeks to serve. For example: fatu is the Samoan word for rock and heart. 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