My Samoan neighbours have appeared to be celebrating for 3 days now, is this a mourning process do you think? Only by dying at home and being buried the day after death with the spirit avoid misfortune. That meant that she had very little time to herself. There were three Samoan 'experts' there representing different organizations and they were having an argument as to what the proper cultural protocol was for atonement [i.e. Pule is not inherited automatically. In fact, right now, thats the place I wish I was more than anything else. Because open caskets are common at the funeral, this is still the most common choice in Samoa today. But the God of the Christian is God Creator. Finally, dont use a funeral speech as an opportunity to settle old scores or tell others about unfinished business between yourself and the deceased. However, this Court, more than any other in Samoa, has a duty to assess its processes for achieving justice by way of acknowledging at least the possible value of exploring indigenous dispute resolution or customary law models, such as pae ma auli, to its work as an indigenous Court concerned with indigenous claims. We seemed to have a knack for pushing each others buttons, sometimes with some amusing consequences, sometimes not. Guests give the grieving family monetary gifts or hand-woven mats in a ceremonial exchange of gifts called faalavelave. Samoan Death Rituals in a New Zealand Context.. When using the term va alongside the term tuaoi, in the manner noted above, I am not suggesting that they are synonyms. Its that mutual love and respect that makes me know Jennifer was the best friend I could ever have had. Punishment of these breaches was oso ma le lau, i.e. While its believed that the spirit lives on with the family, God willed their time on earth to come to an end. Cultural Spotlight: Luhya People of Kenya Funeral Traditions, How to Preserve Your Funeral Roses and Make Meaningful Mementos, Cultural Spotlight: Rwandan Funeral Traditions. In fact, I know he would have preferred to spend his weekend resting and relaxing. Case 2: 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. That is, in 1907, 1925, 1972, 1978 and 1997 five different genealogies were submitted by the same party in support of their respective claims. The thoughts of David Ipinia, a Native American Indian Yurok Artist, were shared with me by a dear friend, Fr. Thank you! Before the advancement of mortuary science there, the deceased was buried the day after death. In this setting the young person was in fact able to speak and speak on the familys behalf. Finally, to help you with your task of writing your funeral speech, we have some printable templates as a guide to write eulogies for adults and for children. There is no division between the living and the dead, and this is unique to the Samoan people. SAOFA'I CEREMONY - GETTING A SAMOAN MATAI TITLE Samoan Matai titles ( suafa, literally "formal name") are bestowed upon family members during a cultural ceremony called a saofa'i . But there is a word for law, which is tulafono. Before moving into Samoan customary law proper we must gain an historical appreciation for the changing tuaoi. But our Funeral roses are some of the most common flowers to give and receive when a loved one dies. Head of State of Samoa (Samoan Proverb) Let the crab take counsel with its leg. This link will open in a new window. 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. 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. Public Lecture Address Note, these traditions may vary depending on the individual and their personal beliefs. Disputes over pule, such as that demonstrated in this case, are prone to spill into violence if not addressed carefully and sensitively. Losing my sister is so heartbreaking. Speak from the heart and say how you feel about the person, 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, Mention a couple of funny stories if appropriate, Keep it real and don't be afraid of mentioning their less good points - you don't have to put them on a pedestal, Thank people for coming to the funeral and for their support. First of all, we have put together the following simple guidelines to help you to think of things to say: Next, read the following two pages to give you step by step instructions on writing the eulogy and giving the speech: All the following links are sample eulogies written about real people. He was right by my side working so hard to help me, even though Im sure the last thing he felt like doing was revamping the patio. There are no lessons about 'The Art of Mothering' we can only do our best and hope that we do it well. In my Samoan oral culture knowledge on any subject, philosophical or otherwise was, more often than not, embodied in proverbs or muagagana . advice. Our children were the center of Samanthas world. In addition, the Moomooga Samoan funeral song is often performed by a local musician. We can customize your employment package precisely to fit your needs. In this guide, well find out. The strife caused disharmony for twenty years. In this sense, laws emerge from the coming together and the synthesising of wisdom from the heads of a fono. His passion for teaching English was contagious. The right of life as conditional is illustrated here. She had such an infectious zest for life that she could always find the humor or a silver lining of any situation, regardless of the gravity. Samoa's higher language, however, is founded on poetry, history, legends and myths. One of my fondest memories of my mother is watching her sit down and relax after a long day. 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. Salutations to the darkness and the void! In Samoan theology there are ten heavens. We laughed and cried together so many times. I think how we change our frames of reference for reasons other than sustaining the integrity to our ancient traditions [and how it] is profoundly important to further the question before we can get to an authentic answer. Tula means head; fono means formal meeting. In Samoa, mourning your deceased loved one is a way to honor their spirit. And even with the little me time she had, she never used it for herself. If you want to relate a situation or event that occurred in the deceaseds life, do so tastefully. The archipelago is a politically divided one. The Samoa Minister of Justice in discussions with me acknowledged the serious backlog problem and the far-reaching impacts of this. The logic then follows that if feagaiga is founded on vaevae manava, and suli is founded on birth, then both are founded on one and the same thing. God married and issued man and so man is a genealogical child of God. A good funeral speech starts with an introduction. To me he has found the soul of why we are engaging in this exercise, this exercise of tofa saili, for a jurisprudence that can do justice to the aims of the most indigenous of our Samoan courts our Land and Titles Court. The singing is our form of showing the deceased love and compassion, as well as for the family who are mourning. Cake values integrity and transparency. When the tyrannical Tagaloa was rowed out to open sea by his disaffected constituents in Safune and left to fare against nature and the elements, the Safune people were not prepared to tempt fate by taking the life of the anointed; rather Tagaloa was thrown to the mercy of the God/s. Thanks to him, I developed analytical skills that I continue to use today. Alagaupu is the Samoan word for proverbs - wise sayings or expressions about life. Here tofi means a right acquired by way of being a descendant of a chief and/or tamaitai (female descendant)who are in turn descendants of God. Its not uncommon for families to wait a few days or longer for the family to travel home for the service. This intimate relationship between God and man is sacred. In the body of your funeral speech talk about the person and what they meant to you, bearing in mind the dos and donts listed above. The reality of this theology of land is lost in the telling of the Samoan history of land today, the deciding of access to land and land ownership, and the resolving of land disputes. From this we see that the various tuaoi are in themselves multi-layered. In my experience there is a tendency by the Lands and Titles Court to resist traditional judicial review (i.e. The chant goes: Tulouna le lagi tuatasi! Tulafono are based on tuaoi. We went to different colleges after high school and the careers and lives we pursued after our studies were poles apart. We hope our funeral speech examples will inspire you to write a heartfelt eulogy to honour your loved one. Details: 2 Positions. As a designation from God each person has a right to their portion. This leads me to the final section of my talk, what I have called the Practical reference. Janet was an exemplary student. Ill never forget the look on my mothers face and the mischievous grin on Davids. Funeral rites and chants provide a vehicle for contemplation on the journey of life. He presided over family dinners with a quiet dignity that spoke of a patriarch who took that responsibility seriously. I walked into her office in error and there she was: the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. It speaks of an interruption to the family's usual schedule. There are three reference points that I will traverse: the theological, historical and practical. Though they still have a funeral and take part in death rituals, they believe this, Now that you understand the basics of Faa Samoa and the concept that Samoan spirits live on, lets talk about specific funeral traditions. Lagi as head could also be lagi as place of wisdom, balance and harmony. We, her children, were her pride and joy; she regarded us as the greatest accomplishment of her life. [2] The speech was supposed to have been delivered by Pericles, an eminent Athenian politician . The principle of tapu is a prime example of the existence of tuaoi. She didnt make it easy. the installation of someone to a title who resides outside the family household). He states: From our own intuitions on the subject, the matter of reference as a base for integration is the key to the whole question. She never met a stranger: everyone was always immediately a potential new friend. is an important part of Samoan custom. Perhaps I should bring the Western reference into the Samoan indigenous reference. By and large these have been taken over today by Central Government. Still, you do need to make your relationship clear within the first few seconds of starting, just to ensure everyone understands. She agreed, and the discussions then revolved around money and the issues were finally settled.. They are principles, rules and regulations governed by recognition of the importance of both the mind and soul to the exercise of law-making. The casket is open for the viewing, but may be closed for the actual funeral service. Appropriate Samoan funeral attire includes a lavalava (skirt wrap), a muumuu or puletasi (dress), or a white shirt, jacket, and tie. We just understood each other. Aga-i-fanua is a rule or law which specifically applies to a family or a village and its origins in history and genealogy. Law-making occurs by way of engaging in a fono. Learn how self-hypnosis can help you cope with grief at any time of the day or night. This is how people pay respect. Please feel free to email me at samantha@frazerconsultants.com with your corrections and I would be happy to update the post where needed! Like during the pre-funeral rituals, they also may bring corn beef boxes, chicken boxes, and fine mats. Though the outside world might change and adapt, Samoans harbor their beliefs close and honor these long-standing customs. She would go through the things in my room and leave a mess. Official Speeches The nine messages of the funeral chant are as applicable to life as to death. Despite this, many of the concepts discussed remain vital to many Samoan end-of-life rituals, especially in diasporic locations. We hope our funeral speech examples will inspire you to write a heartfelt eulogy to honour your loved one. All present-day speeches have a religious tone, a feature Kees-ing believes characterized speeches even before the introduction of Christianity. Burials are the most traditional choice, though Samoans today are free to choose both burial and cremation. Tulouna le eleele! What we have are our proverbs or muagagana. Paul Ojibway, in recent correspondence. regular service and merit. Furthermore, at the village or district level, a key right in the theory of designation or tofi is the right to ritual or cultural specificity with regards to matai (chiefly) titles and land ownership. Knowing. The standard measure for entitlement to a title is through tautua, i.e. God Tagaloa resides in the tenth heaven. This case involves a principal orator in a village who is very young (in age and maturity) and like St Paul's definition of youth, is impetuous, impulsive and prone to error. Aga-nuu allows for a common reference across villages, districts and the nation. As for the loud music and drinking, I guess you could say its a form of celebration. David was a loyal and kind person whod never let you down. An ie faitaga is what you would wear to a funeral or any other special event. Where this kind of arbitration fails, i.e. As admitted in the beginning I know very little about jurisprudence, about philosophy, and about law. Tulouna le lagi tualua! Tulouna le mauga! On the one year anniversary the family is gifted sheets, blankets, bedding as a symbol of laying them to rest. Nofoasaefas act of defiance reflected his desire to be of higher status than Nafanua. In this sense, tulafono is arguably more about justice than law. He had his own internal drumbeat, and he remained committed to it. I raise four different cases for support on this point. We survived high school together. I belong to my nation and my nation belongs to me. However, in modern-day Samoa, this isnt always possible. Unlike in other cultures, black isnt always worn at funerals in Samoa. It is useful at this point to look closer into what tuaoi might be exactly. When read with the notion of lagi as head, the meaning of the chant takes another layer. My qualification is that I am a litigant. A public lecture or reading, especially delivered at a college or university. For Samoans there is a strong sense of identity and belonging that is bound to our faasinomaga, our designation as defined by our Designator. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service Saili, means search. This means that the Samoan Lands and Titles Court must become well familiar with the idiosyncrasies of Samoan life, its social, cultural and political imperatives, at the village, district, national and international levels, and know how to balance these. Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it? I begin with tuaoi and rights. Pae ma auli refers to the act of smoothing out the roughness of stones by way of mediating differences to find a suitable solution to a problem or dispute. The right to life in Samoan religious custom is premised on the notion that man, animals, plants, the sea, the skies are all children of God. of an actual attorney. K-12 caseload. Choose for yourself or buy as a sympathy gift.
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