Samoan proverbs
Overview
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
where oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
, poetry, metaphors and subtelty in language art forms are held in high esteem as a form of communication in ceremony and ritual of fa'a Samoa
Fa'a Samoa
Fa'a Samoa means literally The Samoan Way which describes the socio-political and cultural way of life for the people of the Samoan Islands....
. The importance of oratory is reflected in Samoa's indigenous chiefly system, fa'a Matai
Fa'amatai
Fa'amatai is the chiefly system of Samoa, central to the organization of Samoan society.It is the traditional indigenous form of governance in the Samoa Islands, comprising American Samoa and the Independent State of Samoa...
, where titleholders are either ali'i or orator (tulafale) status.
These Samoan proverbs are taken from the first Samoan dictionary, A grammar and dictionary of the Samoan language, with English and Samoan vocabulary, first published in 1862.
Quotations
Fa'amatagi
Translation: From the direction of the wind.
Ua pona I vao, ‘ae liai’iina I ala.
Translation: The fault was committed in the bush, but it is now talked about on the highway.
E lele le toloa, ae ma'au i le vai.
Translation: (Toloa is a duck). A duck would fly all over, but will always return to the water.
O le ala i le pule o le tautua
Translation: A way to success is to serve.
Aua ne'i galo Afia i si ona vao
Translation: Never forget the ever-waiting Afia in the forest
Afai e te iloa a'u i Si'ulepa, ou te iloa fo'i oe i Togamau
Translation: If you remember me in Si'ulepa, I will also remember you in Togamau