Kapiolani
Community College Horizons 2003
Kapiolani
Community College
Horizons 2003
I chose to write my field study on the Samoan ‘Ava Ceremony
because I am Samoan and find it exciting to share what this sacred ceremony
means to the Samoan people. In the olden days of Samoa there were two main reasons
why the matai, chief of the village, would hold such a sacred ceremony: To welcome
guests (foreign visitors and those from other villages) to their village, and
to celebrate the day when one becomes a matai (chief). In modern times, chiefs
offer the ceremony for other reasons like weddings, presenting a new church
to the village or at a meeting of chiefs.
To become a matai, you have to show that you can be father to everyone, a leader,
a decision maker, a commander, a caretaker, a respectable person, a teacher,
a problem-solver and a good role model. You must also be blood related to a
matai; you must be able to speak the language, demonstrate knowledge of the
culture very well, and be very religious. For instance, the ranking system is
very important. You must know who the matai are and what rank belongs to which
matai, something only the matai themselves and special officials know. As for
the ranking system, there are High Chiefs, High Talking Chiefs, Paramount Chiefs
and many more. The High Talking Chief always speaks for the High Chief that
he is assigned to. The Paramount Chief is considered the governor of the whole
village and has rank over the high chief and the high talking chief. The paramount
chief must know all the matai from all the different villages on all the islands
of Samoa.
There is a legend about the two sons of the high chief Tagaloa from the island
of Manu’a. One son’s name was ‘Avaali’i, and the other
Sa’oali’i. ‘avaoli’i died and at his grave sprung up
plant. When Sa’aali’i visited the brother’s grave and saw
that plant, he called the plant ’o le ‘a’ano a ali’i,
which means, “the flesh of my brother ‘Avaali’i.”
‘Avaali’i came to Sa’aali’i in spirit form and told
him that this plant was a fierce and violent plant that can only be served to
those who are closest to the gods, such as the matai. ‘avaoli’i
also told his brother that he had been chosen to dig up the plant, spread it
all around Samoa and tell the message behind it. That is how the ‘ava
plant came to be (Simanu, 233-234).
The ‘ava ceremony is known as ole saofa ‘iga ma atua, meaning a
gathering or assembly among the gods. The ‘ava ceremony is very sacred
(Simanu, 234). Certain steps must be followed when performing the ‘ava
ceremony. These very sacred steps can be very confusing and the style of language
used by the chief can only be understood by the chiefs and specially chosen
and trained officials participating in the ceremony. Each step also has certain
terms which assist in running the ceremony smoothly. I can only give a briefexplanation
of each step, for each step is described in a style that only special officials
and the matai can explain in detail. That is why only the matai and certain
officials are allowed to participate in the ceremony. Everyone else is either
watching from behind the scenes or preparing a feast for after the ceremony
if you are part of the family who is hosting the ceremony.
‘Ava ceremonies mark special occasions, such as weddings, deaths, or official
proceedings, Let’s say that High Chief Thomas has a daughter who has been
having a secret love affair with High Chief Hefner’s son and as time goes
by, the secret is no longer a secret and the two want to become husband and
wife. Therefore, High Chief Hefner and all the chiefs from his village must
come to High Chief Thomas’s village to discuss the wedding plans. In the
Samoan culture, it is the woman’s side of the family that hosts the ceremony
as well as the whole wedding itself. After the wedding is done, the new wife
goes to live with the husband’s family, or if they are from a different
village, she will go to live with the husband in his village. The custom is
a “patrilocal” style of residence. Therefore, the female gives up
everything from carrying her father’s name to even having to change religions,
if two different religions are involved. My mother followed that part of the
custom. My mom was born a Mormon, but when she married my dad she converted
to Catholism. and is still a practicing strong Catholic.
Now, High Chief Hefner arrives at Chief Thomas’s village and gives a chant
announcing that the visiting village has arrived and so let the ceremony begin.
Every village has its own special chant for whenever visiting another village.
Once Chief Hefner is done with the chant announcing his arrival, it is customary
that Chief Thomas welcomes Chief Hefner into his village, thus starting the
stages of the ceremony: (Simanu 239-241).
THE CEREMONY
1. SAOFAFA‘I ALI‘I O LE MALAGA I LE MAOTA
The visitors are allowed to enter the village and are greeted by the hosting
village. They are seated in a semi-circle facing the hosting village’s
semi-circle of Chiefs. As far as seating arrangements, every village has its
own way of seating the chiefs, but it is always customary to seat according
to the rank of the chief. The high ranking chief always enters from the front
of the semi-circle and the lower ranking chiefs enter behind the high ranking
chief or chiefs.
The hosting village, already seated in their semi-circle because they are hosts,
have the taupou seated in the middle of the semi-circle in front of the tanoa
(‘ava bowl). The taupou is the village virgin, usually the daughter of
the high talking chief. The taupou plays a major role in this ceremony. She
is trained to mix the ‘ava the proper way, for any mistakes will result
in total embarrassment to the chiefs and the hosting village as well. The taupou
must be a virgin, for virgins are considered “pure” and this sacred
ceremony should be “pure” and sacred.
The ‘ava bowl has four to six legs. One of the legs will always be wider
than the others, thus marking the proper way of placing the bowl in front of
the taupou. The wide leg must face the taupou. Inside the tanoa the fou or coconut
fibers are placed. The fou will be used by the taupou to squeeze the ‘ava
root into a drink. The taupou should not wear any jewelry, no flower in her
hair or ear, no chewing gum. She is not allowed to speak nor smile throughout
the whole ceremony. The taupou is to show her “purity” throughout
the whole ceremony and nothing else. She is seated between two males adorned
with the traditional pe’a, the tattoo from the waist to the knees.
The male seated to the left of the taupou is called the tautu‘ava, and
is assigned to serve the ‘ava to the chiefs. The male seated to the right
is called the sui‘ava and is assigned to assist the taupou in mixing the
‘ava. The sui‘ava does not actually mix the ‘ava but makes
sure the right amount of water is added and that the ‘ava is diluted and
strained properly. Seated next to the sui’ava is the tufa‘ava or
also named “fo’asoa’ava.” The Tufa’ava is in charge
of chanting out to the tautu’ava, letting him know when and which chief
should receive the next cup of ‘ava. Located four to six feet behind the
Taupou, kneeling on one knee is the tafou. The tafou is in charge of catching
the fau and ringing out the old squeezed ‘ava and returning the fresh
fau back to the Taupou. The Tautu‘ava, Sui‘ava, Tufa’ava and
the Tafau are chosen from a group of young men in the village. This group of
men is referred to as the aumaga. The aumaga are being trained to participate
in the ‘ava ceremony, usually at the time they reach manhood and have
received their pe’a. The young men assigned to these special duties are
considered to have the most experience in the ceremony among all the rest of
the aumaga men and are in line to become a matai if the individual qualifies
in the future. However, the aumaga men do not have any ranking status what so
ever.
2. GASOLO MAI MATAI O LE NU’U MA TUGASE
The village chiefs are called to bring the ‘ava root. If the visiting
village brings their own ‘ava, then that ‘ava will be presented
to the hosting village as a gift and will be kept in front of the tulafale,
the high talking chief who will be doing most of the talking throughout the
ceremony. The ‘ava root brought by the visiting village will not be used
in the ceremony at all; it is only a gift to the hosting village. It is not
customary for visitors to bring the ‘ava, but sometimes a chief will bring
their ‘ava to show off that they can grow a good piece of ‘ava plant.
3. SAO LE ‘AUMAGA I TUAFALE
All the remaining aumaga men are called to come forth and have a seat behind
the semi-circle. (Remaining aumaga men are the men other than the tautu’ava,
sui‘ava, tufa’ava and the tafau.) They must sit in the back behind
of the tafau and are only used to do all the last minute errands for the tafau,
tautu‘ava or the tui‘ava. They are not allowed to step before the
tafau. If there is anything that the tautu’ava or the sui’ava needs,
it is the duty of the tafau to obtain it from the remaining aumaga men; and
then the tafau, and only can the tafau, make any kind of contact with the tautu’ava
or the sui’ava.
4. SUFI ‘AVA O LE USU
The tulafale calls out for the ‘ava roots to be brought fourth for the
faife’au, the high priest, to look at and bless the ‘ava.
5. A AMI ‘AVA O IPU MA AO ‘AVA O LE USU E SE TULAFALE TAULE ‘ALE’A
The high chief calls to bring forth the Ipu ‘ava and to collect all the
‘ava roots that were brought to the ceremony. (Ipu ‘ava is the ‘ava
cup)
6. FOLAFOLA E LE FUATAUALA A LE MALAGA ‘AVA O LE USU
The High Chief of the hosting village now addresses each chief who brought ‘ava
root to the ceremony.
7. PULE SE ‘AVA MO LE TANOA
This is the time when all the chiefs have to agree on whose ‘ava root
to use as the drink for the ceremony. This point of the ceremony is referred
to as the “Battle of the best ‘ava root.” You may hear some
loud shouting and arguing but that is all a part of this section of the ceremony.
In this part of the ceremony a lot of the high language is heard. The chief
who can out speak all the other chiefs in the ceremony will have the opportunity
to use his ‘ava root in the actual ceremony.
8. TU’I LE ‘AVA E LE ‘AUMAGA
The chosen ‘ava root is now taken to the back to the aumaga men to pound
and prepare the ‘ava root for mixing by the taupou.
9. SAU LE TEINE PALU ‘AVA
The taupou is called upon to get ready for the mixing of the ‘ava root.
10. FAI LE LAUGA FA’ATAU A TULAFALE O LE NU’U
The tulafale gives a speech, but the speech is unknown because of the high level
language used. Only the matai and the aumaga can use and understand it..
11. LAUGA LE TULATOA
The tulatoa or the orator of the ceremony gives a speech.
12. ‘AMATA ONA PALU LE ‘AVA MA TA LE FAU
Now the taupou actually starts the mixing. She washes her hands at the beginning
of the ceremony. She sits straight up with her legs folded and palms of her
hands at the rim of the tanoa at all times. When the grated ‘ava arrives
in the tanoa, the taupou takes the fau, covers the ‘ava and places the
palms of her hands on top of the fibers with her thumbs located at the bottom
of fibers. She will stay like that until the tulafale gives the signal to start
mixing, and she will only start after the sui’ava pours his first ipu
‘ava of water. The taupou then gathers some of the ‘ava in the fau,
making sure none of the ‘ava falls out when raising the fau. After securing
the ‘ava in the fau, she then proceeds to raise the filled fau up high
so that the chiefs can view the liquid dropping from the fau, making sure none
of the liquid travels down her arm and drips from her elbows. She then takes
the fau filled with ‘ava and squeezes three times, and three times only,
making sure no liquid is dripping outside of the tanoa or down her arm. She
then wipes the rim of the tanoa one time to the left and one time to the right
and then very quickly, she tosses the filled fau over her right shoulder to
the back where the tafau is patiently waiting to catch the filled fau. The tafau
must make sure not to drop or miss catching the fau. The fau must never touch
the floor for the fau will be considered contaminated and the tafau will bescolded
in front of all the high chiefs, sent out of the ceremony and replaced with
another awaiting aumoga.
The tafou then swings the fau to the left and right of himself wringing all
of the used ‘ava scrapings and thus making a clean fresh fau for the taupou.
The tafau then hands the fresh fau back to the taupouover her right shoulder
into her awaiting right hand. The taupou has to be staring straight ahead making
sure not to look back at the tafau. The taupou and the tafau repeat this procedure
three times and by then the taupou has to make sure she uses all of the ‘ava
scrapings and that no scrapsleft in the tanoa.
The tufa‘ava then gives a signal to the taupou to raise the fau three
times for the chiefs to inspect the droppings to see if the drink is ready for
drinking. The tufa‘ava then gives the signal that the ‘ava is good.
From there, all the chiefs will give three claps signifying that the ‘ava
is ready. The taupou then squeezes the fau for the last three times, and then
she lays the fau on the right side of the tanoa rim. This also signals to the
tafau that he can rest now that the ‘ava is ready.
13. LAUGA LE FUA’AUALA
The visiting village high chief gives a speech thanking the hosting chiefs and
the taupou for a good job at mixing the ‘ava after the mixing is done.
14. FA’ASO A LE AGATONU; ‘AMATA I SE SOLO ‘AVA
The chant given by the tufa‘ava starting the distribution of the ‘ava.
15. TULA’ I MAI LE TAUTU ‘AVA
The tautu’ava is now signaled to stand up and begin the distribution of
the ‘ava drink. The tautu’ava does three scoops of the drink with
his right hand and with the left hand behind his back. The fourth scoop is raised
up to the sky making sure he is standing in front of the tanoa to show all chiefs
the First Ipu ‘ava. The tautu’ava waits for the chant from the tufa’ava
letting him know whom to serve the first Ipu ‘ava to.
The tautu’ava and the tufa’ava have to work together making sure
they distribute the Ipu ‘ava in the right order and that the Ipu ‘ava
is delivered in the proper way. The tufa’ava has to know which chief is
of higher rank so that he chants in the correct order. When the tautu‘ava
receives the chant, he then has to know how to serve the Ipu ‘ava. The
high chiefs are served Ipu ‘ava with both hands on the cup raising the
cup high at forehead level and hands forehead level and hands the Ipu ‘ava
to the high chief from theinner palm of his right hand. That shows that the
chief is a “high chief.” Any chief below the high chief is served
in the same way but with the left hand behind the back. The Ipu ‘ava is
then handed to the chief coming from the tautu’ava’s forehead making
sure the chief receives the cup from the inner palm of the tautu’ava’s
hand.
When receiving the cup back from high chief and a chief below him, the tautu’ava
must not turn his back to the chief. He must walk backwards back to the tanoa
only then can he turn around to refill the Ipu ‘ava. When serving the
Ipu ‘ava to a talking chief, the cup is served by the back of the hand
coming from the chest level of the tautu’‘ava. When receiving the
cup back from the talking chief, the tautu’ava can turn his back and walk
back to the tanoa. The taupou at this point has to sit straight up with her
hands on the rim of the tanoa. No one is allowed to get up and leave the ceremony
at this time until the ceremony is done.
16. FAI SE SOLO E MOTO AI LE ‘AVA A LE FA’ASOA ‘AVA
The tufa’ava announces the ceremony is nearing the end and that the last
cup will be served soon.
17. MUAO MA TA’APE LE ‘AUMAGA
The aumaga men sitting in the back are dismissed from the ceremony.
18. FOLAFOLA FONO O LE ‘AVA
Announcing that the ceremony is done.
19. TA’APE LE USU
The hosting villagers are dismissed.
20. SAUNI MAI LE MALU TAEAO
The hosting village gets the big feast ready.
21. MUA’I TA’I MAI SE SUA A LE TAMALI’I O LE MALAGA
The visiting village gets served a big feast.
22. SAU LE SI’I LAULAU O LE TAUMAFATAGA
After the big feast then everyone just relaxes. But this is when Chief Thomas
and the chiefs below him talk about the wedding plans. This is a long process
that sometimes goes on for two to four hours. The ceremony is rarely practiced
here in Hawai‘i but when it is, it’s usually a fast version unless
someone really important like the Governor of Samoa were to visita church here,
in which case it would be done in traditional style. In Samoa the ‘ava
ceremony is practiced whenever there is an official gathering of the chiefs.
And it is always practiced in the traditional way. The ceremony is a culture
that is still going strong, a culture that is still run by a “Matai”
or chief system. The way of a Samoan is to always have respect, respect for
your elders and high respect to the ones closest to God.
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