Runaway holiday breaks in Savaii is now an established form of escape for the working population in Apia.
Some do it on short spurts, like with the long Easter weekend. Most prefer to hold off until the end of the year.
A vacation break for most is not about strenuous recreational activities like playing sports, hill climbing or hiking in the bushes to appreciate nature.
Samoan’s do not go for sun tanning on the beach as well - they turn into charcoals.
The long drive on the bigger island is about the only taxing chore they are willing to put up with if they do wish to be alone by themselves.
But then again the roads are so much better than Apia, they would wish the car could be put on autopilot on some of the long stretches.
Apart from the risk of a pig bolting onto the road, the drive along the villages and long stretches of native forests is quite relaxing really.
There is hardly any traffic once you roll past Tuasivi on the drive north or Palauli if you are heading south from the Salelologa entry port.
While you take in the sights of the lazy life in the villages and the breeze of refreshing air, free of the pollution found in the busy urban life of Apia, it is easy for the mind to wander.
Beckoning for attention are distant hills and the panorama of lush green growth extending all the way to the tip of the mountains.
The natural appearance of untouched landscape takes the mind back to other places like New Zealand.
This is the land where more than a thousand Samoans leave the villages every year, under the quota system, to start a new life.
For those who have made a full day’s trip by bus from Auckland to Wellington or vice versa for the first time, they are greeted to a far different sight from the greenery of Savaii.
Almost every turn the bus takes, in the rural out backs, the rolling hills are either grazed under by sheep or munched up by cattle.
If there is any forest to be seen it is man made – the trees were planted as part of the country’s timber industry.
The ‘little towns’ encountered along the way are fully developed townships, bigger and with more bustle than Apia.
Most of these settlements too are hundreds of miles from the coastal front, unlike the concentration of villages and people in Samoa close to the sea.
When the mind eventually wanders back to the sights of Savai’i, it starts to take on a very different perspective.
The mind starts to protest against so much land area left untended. It wonders about how so many young people wanders aimlessly from the villages into Apia and getting into trouble with the law.
The seemingly unstoppable exodus of the village population into the slum areas of Auckland and Wellington, gives the brain a real workout.
But what puzzles the mind most is the growing number of families in Savaii, starting to build expensive ‘palagi’ homes in the most far flung villages on the island, like Tufutafoe, Neiafu and Falealupo to name a few.
Obviously the money is coming from ‘sons and daughters’ who left Samoa to raise families in New Zealand, Australia and where ever else in the world they have settled.
Some of the houses are built with designs more suited to the colder climates of New Zealand, but they act as tell tales of where the money came from.
Seeing all that, the mind wonders why Samoans living in New Zealand work a lot harder than those in their home villages?
What is the secret? Why don’t they work like that in Samoa?
In the case of Samoans in Samoa, why can’t they work like the ones who are sending money home to build a better family house?
The wanderings of the mind, for a working holiday maker, can be endless. With free time to ponder, the brain becomes a network of tangents that after a while the answers it comes up with is downright incriminating, but is unfortunately hard to dispute.
The Matai System takes the brunt of the fire.
We give in too much to praising our culture of chiefs and orators as our proud identity.
Our pride however overlooks how this is the same culture that fosters a sub culture called dependency.
The big chief sits in his big house, waiting on his big extended family to provide him with a big feed.
When the family is unable to meet the demands of the chief, and not just to feed him, but other obligations like the church and other traditional responsibilities, they start looking elsewhere for relief.
The attractions of a land where milk and honey flows, grow stronger and stronger everyday until the opportunity finally presents itself and they are away.
But you can run but you cannot hide. Your love of family left behind and knowledge of what they are going through will eat away at your conscience.
Remittances will bear that out.
So by the time you are on your way back from the big island, the mind has already determined why the natural beauty of our lush green environment, will remain safe for a long time, from the axes and chainsaws of development Samoa badly needs.
As long as our big chiefs allow this dependency mentality to remain, the village exodus will continue.
As long as remittances continue, so too will the dependency culture.
The more the dependency culture thrives, the more the villages will rely on funerals, church dedications, chiefly bestowals and general elections as a livelihood. Forget the land.
If the government raise the hourly rate to atleast $4 tala or abit more then most of us will stay in Samoa and work hard to built nice palagi house and take care of our family there intead of moving to other countries...and i think thats why most of the people move to other countries to pursue there families future.... coz they get better pay in those countries than our own...who will like to wake up early in the morning catch the bus to go to work in Apia...work for 40 hours a week and u only get less than $150 biweekly..sure ain't me...
re written by emo,
March 24, 2008
Big chiefs waiting for the extended families to serve them big feeds as stated, is no longer the reality in the villages. Truth is, the children of a chief are expected to look after their father or mother who is holding the title. Church dedications, and matai titles bestowals as well as Govt. elections don't occur every month to be true. A death in the village doesn't occur every week 52 weeks a year either. Therefore is wrong to say that the livelihood of a village depends on such occasions because of the dependency culture which is encouraged by remittances as people move overseas away from the expectations of the chiefs. The samoan saying these days, "ua tagi ifo lava le matua ia i lana fanau". Gone are the days when the "sao" (high chief of an extended family) demanded things from his family. These days, the sao title is bestowed with the understanding that "the recipient" is the best person who can serve the family. His/her inheriting the title is decided by all the descendants not by the previous title holder. Hence though highly respected by his people, he/she understands his/her role is to serve the interest of the family and not acting as a big boss.
Really? written by Faiumu,
March 24, 2008
One of the reasons why many people head to NZ (and other countries) is so they can send money back to their home villages for their parents and their families. If they could've gone to Apia and earnt the same wage as NZ, and live in the flash houses in Vailima, Faleata, and Ululoloa Heights, I'm sure they wouldn't have left Samoa.
However, the Apia businesses are almost a closed market. The business families already there are entrenched and if you're not related to them, you're not going to get a job. The greatest independent employers are either Yazaki or the govt ministries. However, neither Yazaki or the ministries are going to pay the same rate as NZ.
Samoa suffers because it does not have many natural resources to export, and its agricultural resources are at the mercy of cyclones, unfertile soils (for cattle), and pesticide diseases (for crops). The lucky Fijians have sugarcane and vast forests to export. Nauru had phosphate (until it ran out). Hawaii had the lot.
All Samoa has to export is its people (who bring back remittances) and the tourism industry (which is only now starting to grow).
If only there was oil near Samoa! The money would start rolling in then All we'd have to do is defend ourselves from the American Army
Why the Exodus? Answer is Obvious-- Why the Inaction of the private sector and government to raise standardsis the real truth.. written by question,
March 24, 2008
How do you raise the standards of wage, or leadership, citizenry, influx of capital into the coutry, invation of idea's, technology, protection of investors, process within government, political stability, and many other issues that make things a little harder of the average investor to invest.
It is till the Investor has the incentive, is their job creation, taxes or stability within the country. My Two Cents
There are some fundamental misunderstandings here, written by estv,
March 26, 2008
oThe system of the matai has never been as monarchical as has been presented in this article. Ask any matai, they cannot act arbitrarily. In fact matai titles are traditionally bestowed upon those who have proven themselves as good orators well versed in the faasamoa AND their service to the family.
To be a matai is not only a great privilege but many times, a heavy burden, as he or she, is a leader in the community and looked upon to keep the traditions and ways that keep our identity, our spirit, and ur story, alive. Online blogs, or articles, or even books, are not up to the job. Such culture is lacking on our modern, media-savvy world. And more often than not, the new ways, just so happen to coincide with an euro-ethno-centric view of the world that is neither conducive nor beneficial to the any positive "development" or the kinds of changes that most loving human beings want to see in the world.
Speaking of that gosh-darn world, I have often myself wondered why our people have left their paradise for the crime ridden slums of my native sf-bay area(U.S.)- (for ex. 2 of the 20 or so san francisco homicides since jan. 08 were young samoan men, the latter died at the hands of other samoans-loving human beings are also dying) - the same can be said for natives leaving their slice of paradise all over the world.
The plain truth, they need tupe, scrilla, dough, "dolla-dolla bills yall" (its a song, and yes, im a little old on the slang). In Am. Samoa, the job market includes little more than an exciting career in canning (and smelling like) fish, or joining the U.S. military, where the biggest payout goes to your family...after you die (no disrespect to all the poly's in the military, hoo-ah).
One could say, "well why dont they just develop more jobs over there", well, they cant for economical reasons that would overwhelm the servers. Western type industrial development is a venomous mistress, a perfect backdrop for colonization. AND cars cant run on sand...so off people go to the nearest developed country,
Bottom-line, in a world where even our little corner of the pacific is subject to the ups and downs of the world financial market, leaving isn't a choice, its a vital need. Remittances represent moollah that could not possibly have been obtained at home. Those native to the homeland don't lack work ethic, an argument suited for imperial jack-offs, they lack the opportunity to fulfill basic needs in todays currency based economy.
I am not saying that its not stupid to skip a few utility bills just to impress the lotu when your great grandmas, cousins, sister from the other daddy's, brother-in-law dies. What I am saying is that such spending is not causing dependency upon remittances, globalization in its current from, driven by only the most influential in the world, lies at the root of this issue. It is a worldwide matter by nature.
I say, the best hope our people have is to first provide our young people with the highest quality education possible, whatever the cost to the government. Any advancement, must start with ideas, integrating the outside and inside perspective. Renewable energy sources in solar or lava generated heat, or even current generated, synthesis of local remedies for more effective medications, political philosophy that can help to form constitutions and ease international tensions, artistic and musical development equaling the complexity of Michelangelo or the genius of bach, geographical discoveries shocking the science community etc.
It all starts with ideas, not "forgetting the land", but coming from it, Forging a path into the future, bypassing the scars of hasty and greedy industrialization such as the world has never seen. God gave us the propensity to create, not on top of the dust, but from it.
I have long believed that our people are destined for greatness, our unique God given culture is special and we've got a lot to offer.
If you've managed to read this mess than good on ya,
"you may say that Im a dreamer..." In which case, you'd be absolutely right.
Peace and God be with us all.
estv
thanks written by honolulu,
March 26, 2008
Thanks for your views estv..much appreciation,,have a good day..honolulu
amen to that Pio! written by fotuosamoa,
March 26, 2008
About time we face the music, we give far too much high accord to the faasamoa and to the matais that supposedly uphold peace. I agree with Pio about his views on the matais when he stated: "We give in too much to praising our culture of chiefs and orators as our proud identity." Amen to that. We are quick to boast of our matai system and our proud culture, yet, that pride is driving samoans abroad to poverty and crime, while the lazy matais sit on their wide backsides and demand contributions to faalavelaves and everything else that does not involve the wellbeing of his own children and immediate family. The faasamoa worked beautifully at a time when we were living in a cashless society, when if we had no ie samoa to give, we sent the taulealea to help out, or send the catch of the day for the faalavelave. Now, a faalavelave is seen in financial terms, a matai title, $2000.00 a le fale tama, a maliu-50 pusa apas a le matai, 200 mo le teu tusi a le faifeau,...it never ends. sadly, we are not moving with the times- rather, we are burdening our people, and we are alienating those who cannot afford. At the rate we are going, the faasamoa has no place in the future. (oh yeah, and i know im gonna get burned for saying all that but sorry thats the sad reality, wake up and smell the cocoa palagi).
Have we just realised this?.......... written by Emile Grey,
March 26, 2008
In approximately 4 weeks my wife, myself and my family leave for Samoa from New Zealand to stay for 6 months. It's going to be a cultural experience I want to offer my wife and children with a difference a very big difference! My mother suggested I don't stay in the village because of the system this article is being critical about however at the same time due to my work in New Zealand It was also suggested that I receive a title. The title would be for one reason and one reason alone....so other Samoans would listen to me. As an educationalist and semi academic it is very difficult for Samoan people to listen and move on ideas and suggestions unless they come from a title holder or otherwise. You could call this a dependency, but you can also call it "A manipulative system" that depends on a class structure no different to that of dictatorships to maintain the wealth and power of a few while others are conned into believing it's all about service?
When we arrive we will be spending 5 nights at a hotel while I establish a property to rent. We will be visiting aiga from both sides of the family and will also attempt the tourist thing......ha ha but that truth is I wouldn't expose my children to the true Samoan system as it would undermine their intelligence, their freedom and their rights!! Just establishing what the criteria for my wife and children’s entree criteria into Samoa was a sign of how Samoa really works! No one could tell me any facts!! What is on the immigration website to what is told by the Samoan Consulate and High Commission are all different so we will just have to wait till we arrive in Samoa!!
The point being this we need new leaders a new system that offers people what they need and not what they want. We need it to be transparent. Or with most of the Government overseas...we could overtake the current Government and hand them their notices when they arrive back :-)
I am the Chairperson of our local school here in Stoke Nelson and have worked with Youth at risk for over 12 years developing and facilitating my own programs fulltime in the Secondary sector. I have had managerial experience and have been on a number of Government boards to name a few. So what are the chances of an untitled person gaining a 6 month contract in Samoa? Any answers would be great.!!
I second estv written by Faiumu,
March 26, 2008
Totally agree with estv regarding the faamatai system.
A title belongs to the extended family. The sa'o is basically 'elected' by the family (all branches of the family from across Samoa and even from senior members of the family overseas). The larger the family, the more branches and people to satisfy before an agreement has been reached. Nothing is exclusively hereditary in Samoa. If there are disagreements between branches, either the title is left vacant in the interests of family unity until such a time as an agreement has been reached (or one branch backs down), or it goes to the land and titles court. This is not a bad thing. The 2000 American presidential elections had to be decided in that country's Supreme Court.
Many families nowadays split titles (usually junior-ranking titles to the main title). Most families are adapting to globalisation by recognising the economic contribution of overseas family members by awarding them matai titles. To maintain some form of cohesiveness, there is usually a leading title-holder who is usually based in Samoa who maintains the traditional affairs of the family in the village and within Samoa. Therefore, families are split their chiefs into two arms - the 'traditional' arm and the 'economic' arm. The 'traditional' arm includes the matai who are based in Samoa, who protect the interests of the family in their 'seat' on the village council which the title is attached to, here in Samoa. They have a very important job as it is they who are the direct everyday 'face' of the family in the village and it is they who are the direct everyday 'trustees' of family lands. The 'economic' arm are usually those matai based overseas (but also includes those who live in Apia and who own businesses), who are the financial backbone of the family for joint family-wide projects (usually faalavelave). These matai also have a very important job because without finances, the family projects are not really viable.
For good or bad, Families are recognising globalisation and adapting to it. Families know that they need the agreement of both arms to survive as viable social and economic units. Matai know that they need the cooperation of their families if they want anything to be done. They know that titles can be taken away from them if they make decisions without the authority of the family. Therefore, I think Samoa's system is safe because it will always adapt to changes. History shows this.
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All we'd have to do is defend ourselves from the American Army 
