Traditional Samoan tattoos and why they’re important to us
While tattooing originated centuries before the Pacific Islands were even populated, tatau – the Samoan tattoo artform – has been practiced from the beginning of Samoan history and carries a rich, complex significance in our culture. These days, it’s become popular to include so-called ‘tribal’ Samoan patterns in modern tattoos. We get them inked as […]
The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (Tatau) – Part III
This is Part III of a series of posts about the Samoan tattoo – tauau. If you haven’t already, please check out the previous articles in this series: The Full Series The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (Tatau)The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (Tatau) – Part IIDo I have to be Samoan to get a […]
This Samoan Proverb is a warning about procrastination
This article was first posted in 2018 on our previous website, One Samoana. The uncle I mention here went to laugh thunderstorms in Heaven in 2020.
Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III: A Peaceful, Powerful Resistance
Do you know the story of Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III? He was one of the leaders of O le Mau a Samoa, Samoa’s resistance against New Zealand rule in the early 1900s… and in 1929, he was one of several Samoans shot to death by New Zealand police during a peaceful march along Apia’s beach […]
Why alagaupu (Samoan proverbs) are so important and how to learn them
A little while ago, I posted a list of 12 alagaupu (Samoan proverbs) that I’d found in my grandfather’s notebook, with explanations I got from my mother and her tulafale (orator chief) brother. I had no idea how popular that post would get – or how big an appetite our community has for Samoan proverbs, […]
Do I have to be Samoan to get a Samoan tattoo?
This article is a bonus post in a series called: The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (tatau)… which has so far sparked so much conversation in the comments section (below). This series is about the history of the tatau, about the cultural significance of the pe’a and malu tattoos, about the practice of receiving the […]
The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (Tatau) – Part II
Back in 2010 I had the privilege of interviewing my Samoan culture teacher, Tofaeono Tanuvasa Tavale, outside of class. I had so many questions for him about our fascinating culture, but I especially wanted to know about our tatau (tattoo) traditions. That interview turned into several blog posts, including: The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo […]
The Story of Lauli’i, A Daughter of Samoa | Book Review
Do you know how they made the ava (kava) back in the day? I’m talking over 100 years ago… Well, the taupou in the village would break off pieces of the ava root, chew them into a pulp, then spit all that good stuff into the tanoa (kava bowl) where it would then be mixed […]
The Truth about the Samoan Tattoo (Tatau)
Tattoo is an artform that’s been practiced around the world since… forever… but traditional Samoan tattoos – tatau – are an especially iconic expression of Samoan culture and the values we hold as a people. Over time, and partly because our tattoo patterns have become so popular in mainstream body art, many of us have […]
How do you like your Samoan Chop Suey? (Sapasui)
So we add maybe a cup and a bit more of dark soy sauce into pot, mix it all up … take a whif of that aroma. Run a little taste test. Good? Then you’re done. The Aftermath All these photos are screen grabs from videos of the last time I made chop suey. The […]