The divas of Samoa

I’m beginning to settle into my Samoan home; the weather doesn’t seem as debilitating when I wake up in the morning in a pool of my own sweat, the language is becoming more familiar, and the people I’ve met have continued to make me feel welcome and willing. I felt it this afternoon when I was walking across campus listening to the marriage of distinct Pacific languages. I’m so at ease here, where island time is bleeding into me. The only thing that’s hard to fully embrace is the isolation from the rest of the world. I have access to internet once a week if that, especially now that other students are on campus, creating competition for computer and internet speed. But alas, it has helped me in a lot of ways to replace those lost hours of interneting with lots of volleyball (aka volley), conversations out on the common lawn, and Samoan dance lessons.

Vailima, the best Samoan beer

Last Thursday our pālagi (white kids) group ventured to a bar called Malie Mai in the city that prides itself on its fafafine performances. The fafafine are Samoa’s third gender. One can become a fafafine for a number of reasons, but they especially occupy a necessary space when families have many men but too few women. Samoans genuinely appreciate the important role women play in the family structure. With too few women, some young men adopt the role of fafafine. Ironically, they are completely integrated into this conservative Christian culture because fafafine were a part of Samoan culture before the missionaries arrived; they weren’t dismissed as counter to Biblical mindsets, but maintained their important social role. Of course, tourism has created another space for fafafine, especially in these bars where performances similar to drag shows attract pālagi because, for Westerners, gender is such a delicate and awkward concept such that it can become entertainment. The show was fun, but I’m not sure I need to indulge in as many pālagi tourist attractions much more while I’m here.

Fafafine at Malie Mai, the "divas of Samoa"

Friday was the day the other USP students arrived. We had been on campus almost a week with the company of other Pacific Islanders, but minimal Samoans. It was pleasant to finally meet some people from the island. Two girls, Amelia and Sitte, kindly befriended me and were able to open up some more private (and younger generational) parts of Samoa. The ‘ava ceremony that was a part of orientation was something they understood very differently than what was explained to me; the traditional nature of the ceremony is changing in the minds of this generation, such that these two girls didn’t understand or treasure everything that was presented during the ceremony. It’s expected, I guess, that traditions aren’t static and my anthropological brain is reminding me of the fluidity of time, space, globalization, and the generational shift.

Regardless, it was a cool day and I felt embraced yet again by more Pacific Islanders who are willing to show this pālagi how they do life. I’ve collected quite a few friends to help me celebrate my 21st birthday, let’s put it that way.

The office, aka home base

The weekend, unlike what I’m used to, is actually spent relaxing. Pacific Islanders take relaxation very seriously. Especially in the heat, there’s little else that you want to do but sleep and eat, which is what I did. Our other escape from the heat was spent at Sliding Rocks, or Papase'ea, which is a series of river waterfalls smooth enough to slide down. The ethereal beauty of this place is hard to capture in photos, but we did our best.

The descent

And so the rest of my week will be busy with more class than I can even fathom (Samoan language all morning and lectures all afternoon). I just got back from a dance lesson for a dance we’re meant to perform for the villagers of Lotofago next week during our homestays. Samoan dance is breathtakingly beautiful, incorporating hand movements and slow, flowing beats. I’m anxious and thrilled and primed for this homestay that will hopefully require me to use more Samoan than what’s been required of me so far. I’ll write more when I return from that even more isolated world.

I just love Sanaa.

My reality!