January 28.

 

Talofa!

Our flight was to be a long one with a stop in Tahiti. The Tail Wind Gods were with us, and we were able to fly non-stop…we also crossed the International Date Line during the flight and I’m never quite sure what day is what and where!

We stayed at the Aggie Grey, which had quite the reputation back in the day. Now it’s a very nice resort with still a very good bar.

 

 

Samoa is very much like Hawaii and I felt right at home! The people are so nice and welcoming and, although our visit was too short, we really enjoyed it!

Samoa has about 200,000 people and their language is one of the oldest Polynesian languages and is closely related to Hawaiian, Tahitian, Maori and Tongan. They have an adult literacy rate of 99%…pretty impressive. Education is compulsory from ages 5 to 14.  Some scholars speculate Samoans originated  from the East Indies, the Malay Peninsula or the Philippines.  Samoans however, say that Samoans are from Samoa!  They believe themselves to be the cradle of Polynesian culture and a race of people that the God Tagaloa created while he was creating the earth.  Works for me.

When the missionaries came in the early 19^th century, there were wholesale conversions. Christianity, it seems, and old Samoan beliefs had a lot in common.  The Samoan God, Nafanua, had predicted the coming of a new religion, which would be stronger and more powerful than the old gods. The Samoan way, Fa’a Samoa, remains the dominant force in Samoan life and politics. The family unit is all-important, and everyone shares everything. The chief of the family, the Matai, assumes the responsibility for family lands and assets. Our guide spoke about his own experience with so much emotion. Cultural pride has been a common thread throughout our trip so far.

The traditional Samoan pe’a (body Tattoo) takes many weeks to complete and is very painful, and it used to be a prerequisite for a man to receive the title of chief. Some believe that the pe’a is a way for young Samoan men to honor their heritage and show respect for their culture. They lost me at the very painful part. Our guide did not have a pe’a!

One of the highlights was the visit to the Robert Louis Stevenson home, now a museum. It is called Vailima. Upon arrival we were greeted with a Kava Ceremony. We drank Kava, talked story and then went into the Museum. Interestingly, his mother had the best room! He died there at the young age of 44 on December 3, 1894. Robert Louis Stevenson loved Samoa and its people and they loved him back. He learned their language and they gave him a Samoan name, Tusitala, which means teller of tales. He and his wife are buried above Vailima on Mount Vaea.

 

 

 

 

 

Next stop Australia for the Great Barrier Reef!