Samoan Culture

Sapa Sui The best part of traveling to a new country or experiencing a new culture is the food! Or maybe that’s just me and my love for food. In Samoa, the traditional food that they eat directly resembles the landscape and culture of the country. Samoan meals are generally prepared in large quantities and families eat together. Fish, taro, and tropical fruit are the main staples of their diets. The most popular food dishes in Samoa are: Palusami - coconut milk and onions wrapped in taro leaves and steamed Fa’alifu Kalo - cooked taro with coconut cream sauce Faiai Eleni - fish, usually tuna or mackerel, with coconut cream. This is usually cooked and served in a coconut shell.   Sapa Sui - meat, usually beef, chicken, pork, or lamb, noodles, and stir fry vegetables. Falai Mamoe - stir-fried lamb with garlic onions and soy sauce. Vaisu - whole fish roasted over an open flame, then simmered in coconut cream. This is the most traditional dish in Samoa and is usually served with a s...

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/samoa/samoa-adventure-145753 Imagine this, hearing the waves crashing on the beach in the background, the birds singing in the huge blue wide-open sky. Massive palm trees line the beach with an endlessly green landscape in the background. Bright beautiful flowers peak out through the green and an ice-cold tropical cocktail sits in your hand. While it may be true that this is the scene in Samoa what this image doesn’t portray is the culture of the islands. Many people, when traveling to countries with other cultures, don’t consider how to immerse themselves in the culture of the country. If you are wanting to travel to Samoa, I would suggest that you learn a few words or phrases in Samoan, and non-verbal gestures to communicate properly. I would also suggest doing some research on the native religion and worldviews of the Samoan Culture. This blog will be discussing these obstacles in more detail. Before traveling to Samoa begin learning the language f...

Samoans place a high value on education, and it is very important that children in the country complete at least primary schooling. The country has a 98% literacy rate, and it is mandated by the government that children complete at least a full eight grades. There are three levels of education in Samoa, primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary education consists of grades one through eight. Primary schools are present in every village and are government run in tandem with religious organizations. Secondary education is grades nine through thirteen. These schools are located in districts, and students often have to travel from their home islands to the main islands every day to attend. Tertiary education consists of bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees.  There are also several trade programs that are classified as tertiary education. There are two main higher education institutions in Samoa, the College of Tropical Agriculture, and Trades Training College. https://www.samoago...

https://www.facebook.com/1550797885157597/photos/pb .100068744135866.-2207520000./1677380092499375/?type=3  Samoans have a very traditional approach to medicine and healing. They often use herbs and special healers to cure illnesses. There are four types of traditional healers in Samoan culture. Taulasea heals physiological illness. They heal social and physical disease through advice. They traditionally spoke with ancestors and ancient great leaders. The belief is that one’s mind, body, and social health are all connected. Samoans believe that when a social change happens to a person that person becomes possessed by an ancestor. This possession is called mai aitu or ghost sickness. The fofo is a massage healer. They manipulate the toala , or nectar of being. The fofogau is a bone setter, and falatosaga is a midwife. These healers use herbs and ancient ways to heal. These healers are usually women. Samoa was introduced to western medicine and illnesses when settlers first...