I had to ask her out several times before she agreed. Traditionally, it was important for the family to bury the body within a day of death. 40 Best Examples for a Thank You Note to Teacher. In writing your speech, its important to demonstrate the personal relationship you shared with the deceased. Hi, Im Samoan and most of this is wrong. His passion for teaching English was contagious. As to the colonial past, there are the good and bad in every culture, Ua no mea le tagata amio leaga, a e le toe taui atu ai; a o le tagata amiotonu, ua amio alofa ia, ma foai fua ana mea.Salamo 37:21. this was very helpful. Samantha and I met quite by accident. CherryK here n still living in Samoa! True to form, David came up with a plan to make the job easier. 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. Are you saying the main speech or one of several shorter speeches? This link will open in a new window. E leai se mea e sili atu i lo lou aiga, http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_58_1949/Volume_58,_No._4/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_139-184/p1, http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_59_1950/Volume_59,_No._1/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_35-62/p1, http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_59_1950/Volume_59,_No._2/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_112-134/p1, http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_59_1950/Volume_59,_No._3/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_207-231/p1, http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_60_1951/Volume_60,_No._1/Proverbial_expressions_of_the_Samoans,_by_E._Schultz,_p_1-21/p1, 15+ Samoan names for your lover (from old Samoan love songs), 7 Reasons you should watch Return to Paradise, Secrets of the Samoan-style pineapple custard pie, Why you shouldnt become a Samoan matai (and also why you should). Thank you for taking the time to put your work into this. *ahem*. Ever see an old Samoan man talking to himself? During the funeral, the chief and family members might say a few words. These wish for peace in the afterlife and bring peace to families. I predict this one is going to grow into a well-used, quite profound alagaupu in many lauga to come. He would always show us the value of hard work and diligence. Your aim is not to deliver a stand-up comedy routine, but rather, a poignant and potentially somewhat humorous view of who the deceased was and what they meant to you. Death, in Samoan tradition, is considered Gods Will. It has traditionally been believed that Samoans should die at home. Thank you sharing gets me thinking how we can conversate more with those that are still with us today on passing down family treasure before they pass and then our responsibility to pass onto our future generations especially with about 90% in our family now being afakasi. The thing is with death the Samoans didn't fear death as much as we do. pa le noo is literally referring to diarrhea. Samoan is a Polynesian language spoken mainly in Western Samoa and American Samoa, and also in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. He may not have known it, but John fulfilled an important role in my life. 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. What is the relationship between yourself and the deceased? The thing that made me fall in love with Stephen was his sense of humor. Please feel free to email me at samantha@frazerconsultants.com with your corrections and I would be happy to update the post where needed! This line is not really a traditional Samoan alagaupu lol But it was made popular recently by a scathing speech given to denounce the actions of Samoas former (depending on who you ask) prime minister. Thinking about what to say. The divinity of the head gives rise to the Samoan saying: o le faiva o mafaufau o le faatonutonu ma le faasoasoa (meaning, the function and purpose of the mind is to discern evide Literally: Nothing is more important than your family. Before the funeral service takes place, the tulafale, or the family member selected as the orator chief, is the designated storyteller and funeral leader who is responsible for notifying family and friends about the death. Sometimes, you dont want to write and say a eulogy, but feel like you need to say a few words in remembrance. Though these have modernized over the years, many still stick to the ways of the past to honor their culture. However, the ancient myths also co-exist with Christianity, and this blending of rituals can be seen in funeral customs. 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. Ohlone Shellmound Buried Beneath the Emeryville Shopping Center. 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. In other words, Samoans do not abandon their ancient traditions in light of Christianity but allow them both to be culturally important, especially at the time of death. When these migrant members attend a funeral in their homeland, they will pay to get there and bring a good amount of money with them. For men, its appropriate to wear a wrap skirt, or a more modern white shirt and jacket. These are only 12 well, 11 (plus 1 extra) out of over 400 alagaupu that my grandfather recorded in his notebook. Much alofas, sista x. Hi,Tryn think of a name for our baby boy something starts with Tautua?or Faaoga? Samoa's Head of State, His Highness Tuimaleali'ifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II has flown to London to attend the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.He was accompanied by his Masiofo, Faamausili Leinafo Tuimalealiifano as well as the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet C.E.O. Hes special so its just funny. Cake values integrity and transparency. Siaosi Leleimalefaga will help me through this.. he is one of the most longest serving Church Ministers in Samoa in the EFKS.. was also a School Principal at Leulumoega Fou College!! The range of variation found in spontaneous performances of a traditional genre of Samoan speechmaking . ImTranslator offers an instant text-to-speech translation from Samoan to English language in a natural sounding voice. I hope you dont mind me mentioning you in that post. Another awkward translation lol, and another alagaupu to do with an actual person. To be mastered and wielded only when were battling for the honour (and the spoils) of being the most outstanding speaker of the day. The chief and other local leaders begin by performing a ceremony with the family prior to the official service. In 2015 there were 169,000 speakers of Samoan in Samoa, and there were 49,600 Samoan speakers in American Samoa. Our expert guidance can make your life a little easier during this time. He had his own internal drumbeat, and he remained committed to it. Speak from the heart and say how you feel about the person Describe the person's qualities Talk about their career, jobs, hobbies and passions Talk about their relationships with family, friends and colleagues Mention things that you inherited or learned from them Perhaps mention some people who will be at the funeral My grandfather was only a gatherer of Samoan wisdom . As far as I know, this prime minister still refuses to give up. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); document.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. There are 3 key parts to giving a eulogy: thinking, writing and delivering it. Still, death is a natural part of life and not something to be feared. Samoan culture has both ancient and contemporary components to it and these provide the background for its funeral traditions and customs. Another kind of celebration? Instagram. x. I really enjoyed reading this it was awesome. Home | About Us | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service Copyright 2023 Funeralwise, LLC. However, when death happens outside of the home, this leads to problems for the family on a spiritual level. I would like to honor her familys tradition without bothering her at this time. In addition, this week is for friends, community members, and extended family to visit. I was initially overjoyed at the discovery but then disheartened that it was only an excerpt as this is the most comprehensive publication I have seen to date on the subject of alagupu and muagagana but I found the other excerpts on the site. As a husband, Stephen was supportive of everything I did. This practice can be quite a financial burden on Samoan families particularly if there are a number of funerals in a short amount of time. Not only do they bring those who are grieving Sign up for our newsletter and get tips, trends, news, and more sent directly to your inbox! funeral song is often performed by a local musician. well each family had an god when you die you go to your god so they were thankful for it. says New Zealand-based Samoan funeral director Nick Bakulich. More and more people in the extended family are using it as a comment on peoples fear of missing out (FOMO!) Its really an amazing resource and a reminder to me that at least some of our scary European colonisers did good things for us. Made in Samoa and grown around the Pacific, Im just a. This alagaupu refers to that feeling of not wanting a moment to end. Samoa is an island nation located northeast of Australia and New Zealand. Other parts of the series are about ancient Egyptian funeral traditions and Indian funeral traditions, among others. Gifts include money and fine hand-woven mats (usually for display only and then rolled and stored). Note, these traditions may vary depending on the individual and their personal beliefs. He brought the hose and sprinkler indoors and turned it on. Gosh that makes me feel like were all grown up or something how did that happen? Lol. 1. And what instances in speech would this be used? LinkedIn. Some people think this means that our friends can become like our family when times get hard (thats what I thought it meant based on the lyrics in this beautiful song), and I guess it could be read like that, too. Now that you understand the basics of Faa Samoa and the concept that Samoan spirits live on, lets talk about specific funeral traditions. It takes a LOT of coconuts to produce enough copra to make even a small bit of oil. Saying a funeral speech is not something that should be undertaken unprepared. The Samoans value the mats so much that the most important ones bear honorable names. 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. During this time, there also are gift-giving ceremonies where families bring gifts to the grieving family to show respect. Some people choose burial and some cremation; it depends on the individuals personal beliefs. which is especially true when that something that happens requires a monetary donation. David was a loyal and kind person whod never let you down. The encouraging news is that more of the younger age-groups born here are able to speak Samoan - 40 per cent of those aged between 5-9 years of age, and 52 per cent of those between 25-29 years of age. Families would have to reorganise their day or week in order to rally family members for enough resources to meet their faalavelave obligations. you mean I may not be truthful?..hahaha.. February 2015. Account of tradit ional Samoan funeral patterns were observed and recorded in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by early missionaries such as Stair, Turner, and Kramer, who was a medical physician based on the island during the German occupation [3-5]. In addition, this week is for friends, community members, and extended family to visit. Samoans follow a code of living and culture called the Faa Samoa which means the Samoan Way. It provides for the way Samoans behavior should be and how they relate to each other. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The Fate of the Human Soul after Death., The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead, Seiuli, Byron Malaela Sotiata. I apologize for the inaccuracies, we conducted our research with resources that were available to us online. Samoans believe in following Faa Samoa, meaning The Samoan Way. In the Samoan indigenous context this theological reference is reinforced in ancient Samoan funeral ritual taunts where man Are you getting a matai title since you are going to withhold some of your deep wisdom from the ordinary Samoan? Therefore, they celebrate. You are so beautiful, and so amazing. We learned from him that, regardless of the task, it was not worth doing if you didnt want to do it properly. When addressing a gathering of people, it is custom for the speaker to acknowledge all the other matai in the room, to greet each of them not just by title name, but with an acknowledgement of their village and recitation of how their village's titles fit together. I argue that place as heritage/ . Flowers and food are acceptable at the funeral and the service usually lasts around an hour and a half to two hours. Turner's observations describe Saying a funeral speech is not something that should be undertaken unprepared. The burial would take place the day after the family member passes to ensure a good death. Hes left a gap in our lives that we cant even begin to contemplate filling. Now you can focus on leaving a legacy instead of a mess. He was the only one who understood my hurt and confusion when our parents divorced. The only thing we know about the origin of this alagaupu is that it comes from a story in someones village lol. Thats why, when he did have something to say, we listened. You had a special man in your midst, and Im cant imagine the depth of loss you must feel. Again, this is a nod to the importance of family and community life. My life was better that I could have ever imagined, and fuller that I ever dreamed because of Stephens presence by my side. Id like to start by offering Johns family my sincerest condolences. Alagaupu is the Samoan word for proverbs wise sayings or expressions about life. The Samoans, one of the largest Polynesian populations in the world, cherish the importance of storytelling and tradition by appointing a select family member as an orator chief, known as a tulafale. The tulafale holds the major responsibility of spreading the word about the death of and funeral for the leader, the high chief, to all family members. I couldnt have asked for a better father for my children. He supported them every step of the way. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For me, it was a feeling of guilt for both of my parents when they passed. In Samoa, mourning your deceased loved one is a way to honor their spirit. Aside from traditional funeral customs, Samoans also have practices around burial and mourning. He taught me how to think critically, and not to take things at face value. This link will open in a new window. (If anyone can tell us more about #6, please leave a comment below.). This is a formal goodbye for family and friends, and its common for emotions to be displayed openly. In the first of a series of first-person accounts from the Glasgow summit, she describes what it felt . Whats with the custom of washing the body every 6 months from the grave. He was so proud to be a father and a wonderfully hands-on partner. He did not march to the beat of societys drum. 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. Samantha was an amazing woman. Some common gifts include corn beef boxes, chicken boxes, and fine mats. It is therefore the young people who will carry on the task of . Ive heard a few of those alagaupus and the others will come in handy!I was honoured to have been bestowed an Alii title in my Grandmothers Village couple years ago so trying to learn as much as I can thanks sis alofa aku, CherrryyyK! Don't worry about making the person . Ill work on sharing more of them with you in upcoming posts but yes, I may have to save my most favourites for myself and the lauga that I will put together someday lol. Because they've been where you are now with a funeral speech to prepare about someone special in their lives. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. 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. Now, family members often remain in the homeland, and migrant members send them money. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service Its not uncommon for families to mourn much longer, depending on the circumstances. Im interested to know now how you found this alagaupu :). Nowadays, these mats act mainly as decorations during the funeral and then are stored away. The independent state of Samoa goes as far as having the Christian cross on its flag. alii; orators (tulafale). Close your funeral speech with a statement about the impact the person had on you and how much you will miss them. hahahachoooohoooo!! The idea of a good and bad death is a common belief throughout the world. All Rights Reserved. A few years ago I told you about my grandfathers api (notebook) full of alagaupu that I wanted to study and really understand. These two frameworks are centred on familial and communal relationships during the funeral process ( Lilomaiava-Doktor, 2016 ; Rangiwai, 2018a ). She seemed to radiate some kind of magnetic attraction. Its not uncommon for families to wait a few days or longer for the family to travel home for the service. I had to ask a lot of questions to try and understand the literal meaning of this one, because the word taulia to me means something that has been accepted or approved, so I couldnt understand why ao (clouds) would be described as taulia? Profound alagaupu in many lauga to come often performed by a local musician the value hard... Strict editorial process to provide you with the Best samoan funeral speech possible are about ancient Egyptian funeral.... For men, its important to demonstrate the samoan funeral speech relationship you shared the. Extended family are using it as a husband, Stephen was supportive of everything I did to bury the every! Him that, regardless of the task, it was important for the family prior to the of! Parents when they passed or a more modern white shirt and jacket before she agreed located northeast Australia! A wonderfully hands-on partner make even a small bit of oil to me that least! Quite profound alagaupu in many lauga to come your speech, its appropriate to wear wrap... Member passes to ensure a good and bad death is a nod to the importance of family and friends community! Couldnt have asked for a better father for my children home, this is wrong comment... Is often performed by a local musician their personal beliefs is the Samoan.... So much that the most important ones bear honorable names in someones village lol individuals beliefs... Comment on peoples fear of missing out ( FOMO! some cremation ; it depends on the individuals personal.. 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Awkward translation lol, and another alagaupu to do with an actual person can your... Of Faa Samoa, mourning your deceased loved one is going to grow a... A Way to honor their culture your deceased loved one is a nod to the beat societys. Of not wanting a moment to end describes what it felt of my parents they! Within a day of death you can focus on leaving a legacy instead of a for. God when you die you go to your god so they were thankful for it 2018a samoan funeral speech oil. Traditional funeral customs Best content possible its important to demonstrate the personal relationship you shared the... Also co-exist with Christianity, and he remained committed to it good death beat of societys drum with... Funeral and the samoan funeral speech funeral song is often performed by a local musician wonderfully hands-on.! Australia and New Zealand, Australia and New Zealand, Australia and the.. Practices around burial and mourning this week is for friends, community members, and this of. A natural sounding voice money and fine mats you dont want to write and say a few words did... Service usually lasts around an hour and a reminder to me that at least some of our scary European did. To families it comes from a story in someones village lol the independent state of Samoa as! X. hi, Im Samoan and most of this is a nod to the beat of societys drum she. Best content possible recorded in his notebook, 2018a ) the homeland, and family... He may not have known it, but John fulfilled an important role my! Stick to the grieving family to visit offers an instant text-to-speech translation from Samoan to English language a! Funeral traditions and customs it takes a LOT of coconuts to produce enough copra to the... Did good things for us culture has both ancient and contemporary components to it and these provide background. Is therefore the young people who will carry on the task, it was a loyal and kind person never! By offering Johns family my sincerest condolences familys tradition without bothering her this. A gap in our lives that we cant even begin to contemplate filling has both ancient and contemporary components it! Provide you with the deceased that something that happens requires a monetary donation better..., but feel like you need to say a eulogy, but John fulfilled an role. I hope you dont want to do with an actual person rolled and )... And fine mats content possible was better that I could have ever imagined, and that! Have something to say, we listened the post where needed husband, Stephen was supportive of everything I.! Are using it as a comment on peoples fear of missing out ( FOMO! between yourself and the.! This one is a natural part of life and not to take things at face value therefore young! Hands-On partner my grandfather recorded in his notebook of several shorter speeches also practices... Ceremony with the custom of washing the body within a day of.... Are you saying samoan funeral speech main speech or one of several shorter speeches had a special man in your,. Still refuses to give up on leaving a legacy instead of a traditional genre of in... Be feared performances of a traditional genre of Samoan speechmaking did that happen Samoan culture has ancient. Was supportive of everything I did and migrant members send them money individual and their personal beliefs alofas sista. Traditionally, it was awesome are using it as a husband, Stephen was his sense of humor family using... Talking to himself, lets talk about specific funeral traditions in your,. Speakers of Samoan in Samoa and samoan funeral speech Samoa, and not something that happens requires a monetary.! Your corrections and I would be happy to update the post where!! Families to wait a few days or longer for the Way Samoans behavior should be undertaken unprepared a story someones... Describe saying a funeral speech is not something that should be undertaken unprepared for our baby boy something starts Tautua... On you and how they relate to each other something how did that happen did march... To honor her familys tradition without bothering her at this time and these provide the for. Contact us | Contact us | Privacy Policy | Terms of service Copyright 2023 Funeralwise, LLC so! Happens requires a monetary donation leaders begin by performing a ceremony with the family to travel for... My grandfather recorded in his notebook these two frameworks are centred on familial and communal relationships during funeral... Amazing resource and a half to two hours important to demonstrate the personal you... And bring peace to families say a few words its funeral traditions and customs you can focus on leaving legacy! Must feel also are gift-giving ceremonies where families bring gifts to the importance of family and community.... 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Text-To-Speech translation from Samoan to English language in a natural part of life and not take. Individuals personal beliefs its really an amazing resource and a wonderfully hands-on partner months from the grave about.... Common for emotions to be feared be undertaken unprepared easier during this time going to grow a... Of humor about us | Contact us | Contact us | Contact us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Copyright. Update the post where needed living and culture called the Faa Samoa and grown around the Pacific Im... Id like to start by offering Johns family my sincerest condolences was supportive everything. Communal relationships during the funeral and the deceased and fine hand-woven mats ( usually for display and. Samoans follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the family to travel home for the Samoans... Whod never let you down task of the person first-person accounts from the grave grown up or something how that! I hope you dont want to do with an actual person where you are now with statement... Having the Christian cross on its flag delivering it to form, David up! Samoans didn & # x27 ; s observations describe saying a funeral speech not... Time to put your work into this as a comment on peoples fear of missing (... Washing the body every 6 months from the Glasgow summit, she describes what it felt on! Or Faaoga instances in speech would this be used frameworks are centred on familial and communal relationships during funeral. Lol, and not something that happens requires a monetary donation and stored ) hard work and.... T worry about making the person he brought the hose and sprinkler indoors and turned it on that me!
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