While in Samoa, our small groups sat down and wrote our own psalms, re-invented songs, and poems to describe the beauty (and humor) we saw in the places and people around us. Here they are!
By Marcel, Rebecca, Lizzy, NateBlessed are all who fear Lea tua,
Who walk leisurely in his ways.
You will eat the palosami of your labour;
High yields of taro will be yours
Your wife will be like a fruitful
Coconut tree within your fale
Your sons will grow like Mile-a-minute
Vines around your fala.
Thus is the man blessed who fears
The Lord.
May the Lord bless all from America
To Samoa all the days of your life.
May you see the prosperity of Sava’ii
And may you live to see your children’s children, your sister’s children, your brother’s children, and your 2nd cousin’s children.
Alofa be upon Faga.
Samoan Spectrum
By Sara, Jess, Caleb, Stephanie E.Early morning is orange and pink
The blazing eye of the sun opens over the horizon and pierces the clouds
while its watery twin sinks into the mirror of the sea
At midmorning I break my fast and the yolk of my egg is the sun of my plate
The sky is as light blue and fresh as a newborn’s eyes
A chaos of color plays in midday dancing along with the childrens’ games
Schools of fish play tag among the coral and school children with their uniforms like colorful scales
Chase each other down the street
Then I am surrounded by the everlasting green of the afternoon
The niu proudly wave their fronds reaching for the inviting water
Samoans skillfully weave their fronds pulling and braiding their strands which will hold the popo
Shadows drip from the trees and pool out across the sand
In the growing cool, dogs awaken, stretch and begin to investigate their territory
As the night descends warm breezes carry warm harmonies into the open windows of a well lit fale
And through the hall and out the door the night of Samoa itself opens up revealing its secret stash of stars
As each light goes out the deep blue begins to cradle me and gently rock me to sleep.
Sleeping Along (to the tune of “Swinging Along”)
By Leslie, Jonathan, KatSleeping along the ocean shore
Falling asleep under a roof that’s thatched
Tagging along on Warren’s tours
Under the tropical sun
Weaving baskets, cracking coconuts, eating pork-slaw, taro and rice
Can’t get enough of Samoa!
The Proverbs 31 Samoan Woman
By Audra, Hayley, GretchenA Samoan wife who can find?
She is far more precious than many fine mats
The heart of her husband trusts in her
And he will have no lack of children
She seeks tapa and lava lava
And works with strong hands
She is like the outrigger canoe
She gathers the food around her
She rises before the rooster crows
And provides food for her matai
She puts her hand to the weaving
And her hands hold the tuaniu
She opens her fale to the palagi
And gives to the neighbor with a failed taro crop
She is not afraid of rain for her fale-hold
For all her fale-hold are protected with palm leaves
Her husband is known in the meeting fale
When he sits among the chiefs of the land
Her children rise up and call her blessed
Her husband also and he praises her
By Courtnay, Kate, Stephanie K., Kaitlyn
To the tune of Kokomo:Safua and Faga, oh I wanna wear a
lava lava and t-shirt always covered in dirt
The ocean is salty and the beach is lovely
Ooooo I wanna take you down to Savaii
We'll get there slow and then we'll take it even slower
That's where we wanna be
Up in Savaii
Clouds and sand the coral cut my hand
Roaches on my face
Roosters crow but it isn't dawn
We'll be falling asleep to the screaming of the fighting pigs
Up in Savaii
Kids are everywhere
They touch your stuff and they pull your hair
Yell pelagi and stare,
But they're so cute we don't give a care
Up in Savaii
Moon and stars I want some chocolate bars
Nobody knows
of a village called Faga
Now if you wanna go
To get away from it all
Come to Savaii
