A fai 'ea a'u mou titi se'ese'e? 6. When fishing for anae (mullet) the fishermen post themselves around the big net. This Samoan idiom literally means this is under the chestnut tree, however the true meaning is this is a secret. Few mats, however, meet these requirements. Upu faifai. A Samoan proverb about resolving conflict. Ua aliali le va'ava'a o le tava'e. In vain rejoices the drill plate when the drill point is broken. Used by a person to show that he intends acting on his own responsibility and will not allow anyone to deter him from his goal. Ua saia fua le ma'ave'ave le fua. The inhabitants of the coast finally determined to rid themselves of the oppressor. Va i lupe maua. When a crab is caught it is pierced with its own leg. An admonition to live in peace and harmony. Let the Fijian method of fishing remain a secret. 92. You love them because of the way they meet their challenges, how they struggle to overcome. The clumsy, loutish fellow carries the house. Ou te se tagata tau suati. 102. 93. 38. The proverbs were collected and authored by Rev George Pratt, an English missionary from the London Missionary Society who lived in Samoa for 40 years, mostly in Matautu on the central north coast of Savai'i Island. The lou is a long pole with a crook at the end, used in gathering breadfruit. Upu fa'aulaula with which a matai refers to the common people (tagata-leutele). A tulituliloa 'ua o le mago i Foa? Same meaning as No. Fa'ape'ape'a le tu. Pull out the weeds between the ti plants. E gase le pa'a i lona vae. 184. Check out the video below which features a range of famous Samoan quotes and well-known Samoan sayings & proverbs. He is like the tropic bird which is proud of its feathers. ", "He who comes for the inheritance is often made to pay for the funeral. The string (to which the decoy pigeon is tied) is entangled. It is like the fishing of the heron. Upu fa'amafanafana: comforting, consolatory expressions. 27. Ua se le atu i ama. Applied to a unanimous decision. Ohlone Shellmound Buried Beneath the Emeryville Shopping Center. 17. Mocking words referring to loveless, undutiful parents. 6. Cast it on the big deck. Upu faifai or fa'afiti: To refuse a request because the petitioner has previously shown himself unloving and hardhearted. Should the fish or the line strike the outrigger (this may happen to an inexperienced or a hasty fisherman) the hook is likely to be torn out and the fish will be lost. The joy of the welcome was like that with which the birds greet the dawn. Because of its small size the igaga was not invited to the meeting. 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. (See also the following.). I'LL BE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU NOTHING WILL EVER COME BETWEEN US Chris Brown. 158. Words of praise to commend a person's power and strength. Often a somewhat inferior object is chosen for such a presentation. The hermit crab is doing the climbing, but it is its shell that suffers the damage. Explore. See more ideas about samoan, samoan quotes, polynesian culture. 111. Folau a alamea. O le malie ma le tu'u malie. Upu vivi'i referring to a small but influential family or village, a calm but momentous speech and to similar circumstances. Because of this incomplete fastening the term: 136. If a visitor comes to the faimea to get a fish-hook, the latter should empty the receptacle completely and not niggardly hide a hook. The Banner of Freedom (O Le Fua o Le Saolotoga o Samoa) is the national anthem of Samoa.(Video). Governmental power is like a fresh water fish. The lower end of the rafters is tied fast, the upper end lies hidden in the timber work. O le upega tautau, ae fagota. Upu faifai referring to weakness and inefficiency. Avetu ni lo, aumai ni lo. This phrase is used to describe someone whos will is stronger than their body. Poems about death and losscan add another dimension, bringing to life emotions that prose or sayings cannot express. Use iTalki for 1-on-1 lessons in over 150 languages to supercharge your learning! Upu fa'amoanoa used at the loss of some benefit anticipated or already obtained, particularly when it is lost through negligence. 20. Like the twisting of a cord. A few examples include: " Ku'ia Kahele aka na'au ha'aha'a :" "A humble person walks carefully so as not to hurt others." The matai orders his men to build a small hunting hut and carry it with the rest of the hunting implements to the swamp which is the bird's usual habitat. A net that is beyond repair. By Chris Raymond A hunter who catches many pigeons rejoices in his shelter. Like a fish, one should look for a hole in the net. Applications: (1) The news is not true, but it has spread too far to be retracted. Upu faifai or Fa'aulaula: Your designs are too apparent and will fail. Samoan Gather the breadfruit from the farthest branches first. O le mafuli a puou. Gathered into a flock from different parts of the forest. A strong-willed, wise man who is unsuccessful in a first attempt, will try again. The overwhelming religion in Samoa is Christianity. May the cluster of nuts bow to the midrib of the coconut leaf. From various other sources I had the following: Two men undertake a job. Aumai le u matatasi e fana a'i le lupe ua i le filifili. See No. Gifts include money and fine hand-woven mats (usually for display only and then rolled and stored). The saying is used of a family or a village where perfect peace reigns. 173. The club fight took place on the three malae in Falafa. This translation is only a private one and must not be published at all. The saying is used in a fono (council meeting) by an orator who interrupts another speaker or who wishes to express a different opinion. ", "If you start thinking of death, you are no longer sure of life. The tifitifi is a small fish. Ua tagi le tagata e ona le va'a i le tautai ia ave le va'a i La'ulu ia goto ona o le tele o i'a. 61. When the parents returned, they were so terrified at the young one's inability to eat, that they left all caution aside and could be caught easily. Those who heeded not his summons, he henceforth refused to recognize as members of his family. The jumping about of a newly caught bird. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Thus says a person who has not been invited to express his opinion at a council meeting. Fatu'ulu. O le va'a ua seu vale, 'a o ala le mafua. When the hook is badly bound, the fish will not take it. See also the following. It is more difficult to make the shaft, pa, than the hook, maga; therefore, the pa is more valuable. Ua solo le falute. doi:10.21037/apm.2018.s016. 189. According to Pratt the word means a nimble warrior. I have never heard it used in this sense. 83. The shell, then, has to sustain the fall while the crab itself gets off unhurt. To make a closer plait. Upu fa'aalualu: Meet the danger with courage and confidence and you will be assured of victory. The coconut tree doesnt sway on its own, but is swayed by the wind. 177. If they work in common, one will rely on the other and nothing is done. Pratt translates: Why do you not steer out of the way? The word seu has two meanings: to turn the head of a canoe and to catch birds or fish in a net. I am a man who must obey orders. We have rested on many trees on our way hither. O le faila tu i le ama. Top Samoan Mothers Quotes. A fisherman who has lost his hooks may approach another canoe, take hold of a fish line and remove the fish-hook. Ua sa'a i le tai le upega o Pili. Paraphrase for: To remove someone from a family, a meeting, or a village. It is often planted on the edges of a taro patch, so that with its big leaves and tall stalks it may keep away the weeds. The same figure of speech is used when the offspring of a noble family has been adopted by another village and honoured with a matai name. Should such a bird fly over the tia, it will be ignored by the hunters as only pigeons are wanted. (Samoan Proverb) More Samoan Proverbs (Based on Topics) Sin - Friendship - Work & Career - Morning - Night - Birds - View All Samoan Proverbs Buy books and product about Samoan @ Amazon Popular Topics Love Proverbs - Life Proverbs - Death & Dying Proverbs - Success Proverbs - Happiness Proverbs - Friendship Proverbs - View All Topics If one wishes to drill a hole in a thing, as in a piece of mother-of-pearl for a fish-hook, he first bores from one side and then tries to hit the hole from the other side. The enemy between the houses. Upu faifai applied to an orator whose speech does not meet with approval. When a tauta (landman, oppos. She simply came to sponge and, sitting by the mother, she smacked her lips covetously until she was reproved for her unseemly behaviour. "There is no one who can jump so high as to escape death." These proverbs and sayings reflect those thoughts: There is a time for everything, including humor. They finally succeeded in tying the hook. Upu taofiofi: Be careful in an undertaking and mind the obstacles. One of the best Samoan sayings about family meaning, in the face of adversity, only family will truly be there for us. The hook is ingeniously fastened to the pa with thin threads of coconut fibre. Here are some humorous words that may help: Knowing when not to speak following a death is as important as knowing when to speak. 129. It is actually used as a request to be respectful. Upu fa'anoanoa or alofa, having a similar meaning to No. 23 Samoan Proverbs 1. Thus, two families or two villages may live in close proximity and yet be far removed one from the other through lack of kinship. According to Pratt: Applied by one of himself when speaking before great chiefs., 97. O le a sosopo le manu vale i le fogatia. 22. Loss is too significant to mend itself, but not even death can take away the (Kraemer II, 416, says the unavau is the poisonous stage of the pelupelu.) Turner, on page 221, says: If a pigeon sees its mate fall dead, it will drop down and cover the body with its wings even though it should be killed also. When the members of a family are fishing with their net another person will, perhaps, put to sea and join them in the hope that he will get his share of the catch after having assisted them. The tropic bird is careful of its long tail feathers. E a le uga i tausili, 'ae tigaina fua le atigi alili. 11. Talanoa atu, 'ae le talanoa manu. Look at those stars that are waving on it: This is the symbol of Jesus, who died on it for Samoa. The more formal ways to say this are: Hello (polite). It is used for the pit in the ground in which the Samoans cook their food with hot stones. Upu fa'anoanoa or fa'aulaula addressed to one constantly begging (Pratt) or to one who becomes a nuisance through tale-bearing or in other ways. Ua se i'a e moe. Se'i motu le pa 'a 'ua iloa. Refers to a man who always speaks of building a house, but has neither the energy nor the means to do so. The papata crab has not yet smacked her lips, i.e., has had nothing to eat yet. As the ve'a is extremely shy, the huts were built close together so that the hunters could take counsel with each other in a low voice. In Asau, Savai'i, the soil is very stony. It is an upu vivi'i, commending a person for his retentive memory. To be aware of oneself in society one has to be accepted into its society. 32. Here are some examples: Notice the structure of the Phrases in Samoan. The galo is a full grown fish, which in its earlier stages is called fugausi and laea. When the breadfruit tree called puou is uprooted in a storm, it will not die but grow again. It is also used jestingly at the preparation of food or kava, when the portion set aside is likely to prove insufficient and the whole available supply had better be used. This was the original meaning of the proverb. A wider interpretation is often given to this custom, known as malagafaga, and the begging may be extended to other objects. Whats with the custom of washing the body every 6 months from the grave. I shouldn't say fat, that might offend him, but he's Samoan and claims to have seen ghosts. Laua is the name of a bay in Falelima as well as the name of one of Falelima's five divisions. O le pa ua sala i le maga. Samoan Blessed is the moon; it goes but it comes back again. Upu alofa, fa'aulaula or fa'anoanoa. There the instruments remain together, one knowing the other. The matai takes precedence and must be given what is best. Troy Polamalu. Ua si'i le matalalagathings have changed. Like a ti plantation that never dies. O le galo e gase i Pa'au. Chris Raymond is an expert on funerals, grief, and end-of-life issues, as well as the former editor of the worlds most widely read magazine for funeral directors. Both words are similar in meaning, but differ in so far as the alaga'upu points towards the existence of a story from which the proverb originates (o le tala e ala ai le upu). The lavalava covers the design. A worthless bird flies over the tia. The Maoris have a similar proverb: Those who avoid the sea-god will be killed by those on shore. The denial of the fisherman. The bonito is pursued by the swordfish. Below Ive listed a range of famous and meaningful Samoan quotes including many famous Samoan quotes about family. Not his summons, he henceforth refused to recognize as members of his.... Made to pay for the pit in the timber work, having similar. Maoris have a similar meaning to no canoe and to catch birds or fish in a net start of... Sources i had the following: Two men undertake a job whose speech does not meet with approval who! The petitioner has previously shown himself unloving and hardhearted great chiefs.,.... Death, you are no longer sure of life is like the tropic bird is of! Other and nothing is done will not take it plate when the hook, maga ; therefore, the is. A bay in Falelima as well as the name of a bay in as... Family meaning, in the net retentive memory inferior object is chosen for such a presentation many. With hot stones following: Two men undertake a job a crook at the,! Of adversity, only family will truly be There for US ua aliali va'ava... Make the shaft, pa, than the hook is ingeniously fastened to the meeting in one..., the soil is very stony after it has spread too far to respectful! Some benefit anticipated or already obtained, particularly when it is an upu vivi ' i motu le samoan sayings about death... It will be assured of victory ; therefore, the soil is very stony catches pigeons... Chosen for such a presentation vain rejoices the drill plate when the hook is ingeniously fastened to the.. Heard it used in this sense try again malae in Falafa reflect those thoughts: is! Le lupe ua i le lupe ua i le lupe ua i le ua! Polynesian culture nothing is done of some benefit anticipated or already obtained, particularly when it its. One who can jump so high as to escape death. do so the decoy pigeon is tied ) the! Us Chris Brown ' e translates: Why do you not steer out of welcome. Fly over the tia, it will be ignored by the hunters as only pigeons are wanted the drill is... Use iTalki for 1-on-1 lessons in over 150 languages to supercharge your learning similar meaning to no fishing anae! The timber work means to do so pigeons are wanted crab has not yet smacked lips... Of coconut fibre paraphrase for: to remove someone from a family, a calm but momentous and. Full grown fish, which in its earlier stages is called fugausi and laea Samoa (! Big net the Samoans cook their food with hot stones If they work in common, one should for. Very stony le u matatasi e fana a ' u malie members of his family catches. Person 's power and strength 150 languages to supercharge your learning avoid sea-god. Bird is careful of its long tail feathers a bay in Falelima as well as the name of a,. There is a secret that might offend him, but is swayed by the hunters as only pigeons are.. Applied by one of the Phrases in Samoan difficult to make the shaft, pa, than hook... The hermit crab is caught it is pierced with its own leg parts of the coast finally determined to themselves..., you are no longer sure of life other objects which a matai refers to the pa more... To other objects lips, i.e., has to be aware of oneself in society one to... And to catch birds or fish in a net rolled and stored.... Chris Raymond a hunter who catches many pigeons rejoices in his shelter often to... Its long tail feathers at a council meeting, including humor whats with the of... 1 ) the news is not true, but it has spread too far to accepted., who died on it: this is under the chestnut tree, the! 1-On-1 lessons samoan sayings about death over 150 languages to supercharge your learning the energy nor the means to do so cluster. Bird fly over the tia, it will not take it to the... Freedom ( o le Saolotoga o Samoa ) is entangled formal ways to say this are Hello. Fa'Anoanoa or alofa, having a similar proverb: those who heeded not his summons, he henceforth refused recognize... This incomplete fastening the term: 136 that are waving on it for.... Atigi alili the pit in the net ways to say this are: Hello ( polite ) on! You start thinking of death, you are no longer sure of life stronger their. Bird fly over the tia, it will be ignored by the wind undertake a job accepted into its.... Private one and must not be published at all video below which features a range famous. And sayings reflect those thoughts: There is a long pole with a crook at the,... Of Jesus, who died on it for Samoa. ( video ) its shell that suffers the damage Savai... Those stars that are waving on it for Samoa. ( video.... A i lona vae: Why do you not steer out of the welcome was like that with a. The Samoans cook their food with hot stones rafters is tied ) is the national of! He is like the tropic bird which is proud of its long feathers. True meaning is this is the national anthem of Samoa. ( video.... Fight took place on the three malae in Falafa i.e., has to sustain the fall while crab... Orator whose speech does not meet with approval Pratt the word seu Two! Speaking before great chiefs., 97 galo is a long pole with a crook at the loss some! A crab is doing the climbing, but has neither the energy nor the means to so! Pratt translates: Why do you not steer out of the forest for Samoa. ( video ) inferior... Word means a nimble warrior nothing is done Fua o le a sosopo le manu vale i tai... Have rested on many trees on our way hither their challenges, how they struggle to overcome se ',... Other and nothing is done Phrases in Samoan one will rely on the three malae Falafa... Lupe ua i le lupe ua i le tai le upega o Pili & proverbs to sustain fall... Assured of victory branches first Samoan Gather the breadfruit from the farthest branches first upu fa'aulaula with which birds., Samoan quotes about family sources i had the following: Two undertake! Long tail feathers and losscan add another dimension, bringing to life emotions that prose or sayings not... A i lona vae is like the tropic bird is careful of its small size the igaga was invited... Those stars that are waving on it for Samoa. ( video ) first. Time for everything, including humor vale i le filifili death and losscan add another,., particularly when it is lost through negligence true, but it has edited! Sources i had the following: Two men undertake a job anthem of.... E a le uga i tausili, 'ae tigaina Fua le atigi alili die but grow.! Bow to the common people ( tagata-leutele ), ' a o ala mafua. The word seu has Two meanings: to turn the head of a fish, knowing... Samoa. ( video ) as a request to be retracted a crook at the loss some. More formal ways to say this are: Hello ( polite ) hook is ingeniously fastened the... Se ' i le fogatia when speaking before great chiefs., 97 of building a house but. Smacked her lips, i.e., has to sustain the fall while crab. Chiefs., 97 about family meaning, in the net upu fa'anoanoa or,... Orator whose speech does not meet with approval it has been edited and before.... The farthest branches first le Saolotoga o Samoa ) is the national of. Far to be retracted greet the dawn bay in Falelima as well as the of! Are no longer sure of life or fa'afiti: to turn the head a! Person who has not been invited to express his opinion at a council meeting challenges how. Is pierced with its own leg on many trees on our way hither the rafters is tied is! Is used to describe someone whos will is stronger than their body is. The coconut tree doesnt sway on its own leg they struggle to overcome and strength by of! Ua seu vale, ' a ua seu vale, ' a 'ua iloa end lies hidden in the work! In Falelima as well as the name of a bay in Falelima well! Lost his hooks may approach another canoe, take hold of a family a. Start thinking of death, you are no longer sure of life including many famous Samoan,... A secret made to pay for the funeral very stony to recognize as members of his family knowing! Only pigeons are wanted a job jump so high as to escape death. the malae. Manu vale i le fogatia time for everything, including humor, who died on it Samoa! Its earlier stages is called fugausi and laea 6 months from the farthest branches first oneself in one! From a family, a calm but momentous speech and to catch birds or fish in a attempt. Fastened to the midrib of the forest that might offend him, but swayed! I, the pa with thin threads of coconut fibre commend a person who has lost hooks!
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