What happens at a Samoan wedding?
Performers are either hired or part of the family and perform dances such as the Taualuga and Siva while guests enjoy their feast. The bride also performs a dance for her new husband called the Hulu, as a symbol of love and respect to their marriage.
What do you wear to a Samoan wedding?
1. A Wedding Dress From the In-Laws. It’s traditionally a sign of respect to the groom’s family that the bride wears one of her in-laws’ dresses to the ceremony. Some of the female guests will wear a muumuus which is a loose and brightly coloured dress with a tropical Samoan floral pattern.
What is the Samoan money dance called?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The Taualuga is a traditional Samoan dance, considered the apex of Samoan performance art forms and the centerpiece of the Culture of Samoa.
What is Samoan culture like?
The traditional culture of Samoa is a communal way of life based on Fa’a Samoa, the unique socio-political culture. In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. Elders in the family are greatly respected and hold the highest status, and this may be seen at a traditional Sunday umu (normal oven).
What are Samoan families like?
Samoans tend to live in proximity with multiple generations of family, wherein parents, their married children and grandchildren all live together in separate houses in one land area. Samoans abroad may live in smaller households. They will maintain family ties with family in Samoa in various ways, such as remittances.
Can foreigners get married in Samoa?
A call to the Office of Vital Statistics by Samoa News elicited the following: To get a marriage license, you must have a valid Immigration ID, unless you are an American Samoa National or US citizen. As a foreigner, you must also obtain a letter from your sponsor approving the marriage.
Why do Samoans put lipstick on their cheeks?
In Samoa performers smear malala (charcoal from the umu) on their cheeks. In New Zealand, Samoan dancers use lipstick instead of charcoal to decorate their cheeks. To add emphasis to their dance movements, many Pacific peoples carry objects from daily life or make lighter versions especially for this purpose.
What is a Samoan dress called?
The puletasi (Samoa) or puletaha (Tonga) is a traditional item of clothing worn by Samoan, Tongan, and Fijian women and girls. Today, puletasi is used as female full dress. It is most commonly worn to church and formal cultural events.
What are some of the customs and traditions in Samoa?
Some of the unique traditions practiced in Samoa and in other Pacific island countries, such as Tongo or the Soloman islands, include special tattooing rituals, fire dances, and ‘ava ceremonies. The wearing of lavalavas and weaving are important parts of their culture as well.
What are some Samoan traditions?
Samoan traditions and customs are passed down through poems, stories, and genealogies from Elder to Elder and from Elder to family [12]. Other common Samoan traditions are symbolic tattoos, dancing, singing, playing music, big celebrations, and being religious [11].
What is the traditional clothing of Samoa?
The puletasi is a traditional dress for Samoan women. It consists of a matching tunic and full-length skirt with Samoan designs. The dress is usually worn to cultural and formal events. The lava-lava is another traditional garment that is basically a single rectangular cloth worn as a skirt.
What is Samoan lifestyle?
Samoan people are very traditional and respect elders in the family. They have an ancient social structure. Some of the aspects of Samoan culture are: Faith, family, and music. A communal way of living, wherein all activities are performed in groups.