Cast our minds back to the South Pacific Games of 2007, where the Samoa Archery Federation competed with 7 archers, and with just these 7 won a total of 9 medals. The Samoan Observer reported that “it became the talk of the archery world” for Samoa, it’s newest member to Archery, topping the Oceania region beating Tahiti, Fiji, PNG and other longstanding members of the sport.
Our very own Managing Director, Zita Martel was a part of this famous team, winning a silver medal and two bronze medals in this tournament. Here she is receiving her silver medal alongside our Hon. Prime Minister who also received a silver medal.
We farewell Zita again in a weeks time, as journeys across the Pacific alongside a team of 11 Samoan Archers, to represent Samoa at the South Pacific Games in New Caledonia. The archery tournament kicks off 6-9 Sept. Check out the schedule online, and if you parler français then you can read more on the official site, or if you don’t, you can always like the games on facebook!
Once again The Vanya Taule’alo Gallery is having an amazing exhibtion of three well known Pacific artists. If you are visiting our lovely islands between the 21st of July and the 21st of August 2011, then this is one of our recommended ‘must do’ stops.
Featured artist, Fatu Feu’u, born in Samoa, has lived and built his art career in New Zealand and is one of the leading Pacific artists in the region. His exciting and dramatic works in this show show hope for the future of Samoa after the Tsunami in Samoa in 2009. Isabelle Staron-Tutugoro lives between New Caledonia and New Zealand and her wonderful paintings and prints reflect on aspects of family and hope for the future. Vanya’s new works based on her response to the Tsunami of 29/09/2009 have taken a long time to develop as it is such an emotional theme. She uses real objects collected from Tsunami sites vshe visited on 30/09/2009 and incorporates them into mutlimedia works.
Last year the Hotel Insel Fehmarn pulled off it’s first food fair, featuring a wide range of ethnic foods, wine and entertainment. Taking place on the large open field in front of the hotel, the atmosphere was jovial, with tourists and local people coming together to enjoy good food and relaxation. We’re letting you know that they are doing it again this year – and we think it’s great!
Adele Kruse, Owner and Director of Inself Fehmarn writes “Commonality for all ethnic groups is found in cuisine and in Samoa this infusion of tastes is embraced with enthusiasm leading to a unique Samoan experience in the celebration of culture in cuisine. True to tradition, the essence of Samoan hospitality is crowned with food giving way to this Food and Wine Fair unfolding a vibrant and diverse community that is Samoa today. Sample European, Asian, East Indian and Pacific cuisine in an outing full of cultural entertainment and children’s activities that will please the entire family!”
Featuring food and organisation from: Insel Fehmarn Hotel, Le Well, Peleiupu Restaurant, Paddles Restaurant, Tifai Moana Restaurant, Rain Forest Restaurant, Susan’s Filipino Catering, Tamari’s Fijian Food, Corey Keil of Radio Samoa.
It’s just over a year ago that co-owner of Polynesian Xplorer, received her malu (tattoo) in public from the celebrated master tattooist, Tufuga Ta Tatau Su’a Sulu’ape Petelo. As many young women in Samoa are reviving this ancient custom, you could question – what’s so special about that? But few agree to experience this painful and transformative ritual in public, under the gaze of thousands of strangers in a foreign land.
In the summer of 2010, China hosted The Shanghai Expo. Samoa, along with its neighbours in the South Pacific, featured the destination in the South Pacific Pavilion. The Samoan exhibit featured a traditional fale and “animated” their exhibit with singers, dancers, rugby celebrities and Zita. Throughout the weeks leading up to Samoa National Day on August 1, the Samoan fale became a sacred space for an ancient ritual (the tatau) that demonstrated how seriously Samoans view their relationship with “mother earth.”
In western cultures, a body tattoo is an object of adornment; in Samoa it is a sacred covenant between the bearer and the earth and community that support him or her.
Zita has described the meaning of the event in her own words:
The generic word for tattoo in Samoan is tatau. The Pe-a (tattoo for men) or malu (tattoo for women) is not only an eloquent form of living art and a record of ancient navigation and traditional culture, it is also a Samoan’s spiritual connection to Mother Earth through the physical pain and personal sacrifice experienced in the act of being tattooed.
The symbolism depicted on a tatau or malu represents a covenant between a Samoan and his or her way of life. It is “O Mea Sina”. It is sacred.
The word malu means protect, shelter, security. Malu also means house. The woman is therefore seen in Samoan culture as the protector and shelter of of the children, the family, and the village. She is the giver of bloodlines.
The symbols of the malu etched on the woman reflect the many roles of the woman in Samoan society. The malu is applied starting from the knees and working up to and finishing at the top of the thighs.
I (Anna Pollock – Polynesian Xplorer’s Digital Advisor) was privileged to witness Zita receiving her malu so let me explain what that act of sacrifice actually entailed. For four hours, Zita lay on a mat above a hardwood floor, while three skilled men worked expertly to adorn her thighs, upper legs and knees with a range of traditional symbols representing Zita’s environment, family connections and love of the ocean. That’s one way of describing it. Another is to say that for four hours she endured torture as the sharp teeth of the various instruments etched her skin, muscle, sinew and bone to leave this indelible testimony to her covenant.
As illustrated in the first video, receiving a malu was, as with all things Samoan, a community affair. Zita was never left alone; initially accompanied by another tattoo recipient – Roger Warren, an internationally recognized Rugby player, who was receiving the male tattoo; and a respected elder Lei Lua and various Samoan musicians and performers who soothed her passage with gentle Samoan songs and chants. In the afternoon, the Honourable Prime Minister of Samoa and his wife plus the Chinese official delegation and media came by and the act was viewed by hundreds of the curious and somewhat perplexed Chinese visitors that streamed past the fale.
At no point did this event descend into a marketing spectacle – that fale had become a sacred space, a setting for a rite of passage that was also a statement of profound connection linking all Samoans’ present to their homeland and extending an act of selfless welcome to their visitors.
After four, painful hours, the work was complete and Zita’s bare legs had been transformed into a work of art that will permanently broadcast her unique identity and relationship to Mother Earth in a way that will evoke curiosity and respect in all who meet her – a living lesson; etched in flesh that gives a whole new meaning to the statement “be the change you wish to see in the world.”
After a quiet period of rest and reflection,a ceremony of blessing – the “Samaga o le Malu” could commence, starting with a prayer of thanks and song. The Tufuga Ta Tatau (master tattooist) Sulu’ape murmered a prayer while cracking an egg on Zita’s head symbolising her rebirth into a new woman of the earth. Then a lotion of lega-tumeric mixed with coconut oil was applied to Zita’s body starting with the Malu. Finally it was Zita’s turn to celebrate her passage and proudly reveal the Malu to her admiring community in dance as shared in the following video.
We were so very fortunate to have tourism icon, Anna Pollock, with us for three months at Polynesian Xplorer. Our time with her on our island home was all too short, and we farewelled Anna last week, in true Polynesian Xplorer Samoan style, with loads and loads of yummy local food provided by our team – a suckling pig from Fa’atupu’s piggery cooked in the traditional umu at Zita’s place by the 3M’s (Mika, Malaki, Mulifusi), taro from Malaki and Mika’s plantations, delicious Samoan free range chicken from our ‘meet n greet ladies’, Britta and Asalele, tasty fresh fish curry made by Nanise’s hubby, Sia, Fiona and Talise’s local delectable delights, plentiful wine by the Martels, and of course loads of belly ache laughs at the home of Zita and Francois at Tulaele.
It was no easy task keeping the celebration a surprise – Anna being so keenly organised – she had already arranged her own goodbye gift for us, turning up to the office in the middle of the day with chocolate cake, and wondering where everybody was. Zita used her skills of persuasion and whisked Anna away for a last day of adventuring on the south coast. Once they were out the door, the team also exited the office, rustled up the food, made ourselves fabulous and got ready to suprise Anna.
Nanise, Zita, Anna
Meanwhile, the sun has gone down and Anna is bewildered that Zita is still driving around on the south coast, showing her tombs of her ancestors in the dusk, while waiting for the phone call from the Team!
They arrived back home to a dark and empty house – we hit the lights and gave Anna a really good surprise! It was a real joy planning Anna’s farewell simply because we love this wonderful petite English lady who fitted right into our Team at Polynesian Xplorer, has become part of our Samoan family, and who opened our eyes to so many possibilities and opportunities.
We already miss Anna Pollock’s amazing perception and infectious personality, and we all look forward to welcoming her back to Samoa one day soon.
Response from Anna
One of the advantages of being a Digital Advisor (having problems with being called an “icon” though!) is that I get to add to the blog too! You overwhelmed me with your lovely surprise last week and surprised me by blogging about this last night!
Thank you for making my stay in Samoa one of the happiest times of my life!. I came as a visitor and left as family! And this is how I see many of your clients experiencing the warmth and intelligent hospitality of the Polynesian Xplorer team – genuinely cared for and inspired about Samoa.
For more pictures of the day and the team, see the slideshow!
Not seen Nu’utele Island from this perspective before? Neither had we – until we headed out to the very Eastern most point of Upolu Island, and visited Taufua Beach Fale’s Mountain View Fales. Situated high on the hillside, with stunning views out over Nu’utele and Namu’a Islands, these fales offer a quiet escape from the Beachfront.
There are a few points to note about these rooms. Firstly, they are a 5 minute drive from the beach, and the main ‘beach fales’ establishment. Your hosts offer free anytime transfers up and down the mountain, however keep in mind that if you want to walk, it’s quite a hike. Secondly, all meals are taken down at the restaurant, and so you need to time your day to be there at these times. There is a pool being built up here on the hill, which you will eventually be able to lounge in and ponder the vast Pacific, but right now, it is very much under construction.
A fantastic initiative of the Savaii Samoa Tourism Association (SSTA) launched today – the opening of their Information Booth at the Mulifanua Wharf. SSTA have been working on this initiative over the last year, with the aim of providing a comfortable waiting area, cleaner lavatory facilities and a well stocked information booth for travellers waiting to board the ferry to the lovely Savaii Island.
The ceremony was short and sweet, with the Prime Minister speaking and opening the booth. Our lovely airport office team leader, Britta Yeng-Tung is seen here chatting with the Honorable Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi.
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