Dances of Life
American Samoa

American Samoa: Fa'a Samoa and the dance


While Samoa was politically divided into eastern and western colonial territories in 1899, the value of the Samoan way of life and identity or fa'a Samoa is consistent throughout the islands. Fa'a Samoa forms the basis for social and political organization, music, dance and the arts across both political groups and in the large Samoan diaspora connecting these islands to urban centers in New Zealand, Australia, California and Hawai'i.

Women watching dancersThe fa'a Samoa is based on a chiefly or matai system in which titles are earned through a combination of merit and birth.

The influence of two different colonial powers in the 20th century has resulted in some distinct differences between the two groups. New Zealand's connection to Samoa and its wider British associations profoundly influenced development and education and opened up a diasporic pathway that flowed southwards. The location of an American naval base at Pago Pago resulted in naval jurisdiction in 1905 and today American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States. Unlike in Palau where there were widespread protests against increasing US military involvement in their islands, American Samoans have been reluctant to disconnect from the United States despite their militarized history. The US military is today a significant source of employment and pathway of migration for American Samoans. These two divergent migratory paths form the background for two popular representations of Samoans as talented football players in the United States and equally talented rugby and netball players in New Zealand. Samoans have also consistently excelled in the arts, particularly in the New Zealand context and this creativity finds its roots in the performance traditions.

Samoan Youth leading a danceTransformations in the arts are taking place across Samoa. Hip hop culture in particular is popular among Samoan youth.

In this essay we explore the significance of Samoan dance through the work of ethnomusicologist Richard Moyle. The fa'a Samoa is based on a chiefly or matai system in which titles are earned through a combination of merit and birth. Each aiga or family group possesses a chiefly title which defines their place within the community. All titles are strictly ranked within Samoan society and there is a high degree of sensitivity to matters of social status. The untitled members of a family give tautua or service to their matai who represents the group and in turn serves their interests. The titles are divided into two categories, al'i (chiefs) and tulafale (orators). The tulafale performs the administrative tasks of the chief and speaks on his or her behalf. In the men's fa'ataupati or slap dance, the percussion is intensified by slapping chest, sides, thighs and stamping the feet. Contemporary versions of the fa'ataupati in American Samoa even incorporate a few moves from hip hop and other dance genres without losing the basic rhythm and style of the original dance.

Samoan music and dance are accompanied by the fala, a rolled mat beaten with two light sticks to accompany group song, as well as a pate or slit drum introduced from Rarotonga in the 19th century. A supporting choir also utilizes body percussion in the form of hand clapping.

Men doing the Samoan Slap DanceWatch the Samoan Slap Dance, or fa'ataupati, which some say traditionally began as as a way to ward off mosquitos.

Dialup | Broadband

The advent of Christianity resulted in the disappearance of the poula or night dance. The popularity of this form was replaced by the dominant genre of siva which is now performed at both formal and informal events. Siva may be accompanied by a wide range of singing and instrumentation from electric bands to a capella choir and can be performed individually and improvised within a recognized range of hand, head and feet movements. The 3-part ma'ulu'ulu dance was created at the end of the 19th century and is today one of the most dynamic displays of synchronized group performance. It usually involves a mixture of sitting, kneeling and standing and sometimes a division of dancers into separate sets of action sequences. The 2nd part of the ma'ulu'ulu dance is called the sasa, which involves a sequence of choreographed movements performed by a seated group moving to the steady beat of a tin drum or pate. This is interspersed with calls of welcome to the audience. The famous Samoan fire dance or 'ailao did not develop until in the mid 20th century and quickly spread throughout Polynesia, now serving as a popular marker of Pacific culture in the context of tourism. Songs are often composed for special occasions or to commemorate an important event. Song text is critical to performance and both the music and dance performed by village groups are strong statements of identity.

Sandra King, TaupouThe taupou symbolizes the responsibility that a chief has towards the people and she must exhibit a decorum that commands respect.

One of the most significant performance events is the taualuga which commonly ends a formal program. The taualuga embodies the complementary relationship between ali'i and tulafale. According to Richard Moyle, when an ali'i dances the movements must be sa'o — formally correct, dignified and limited — while the movements of the tulafale on periphery of the dance area are 'aiuli — exuberant, unpredictable, verging on the disrespectful. In this way the dance space is a microcosm of Samoan society. The roles and movements of the center and periphery are complementary. One commands and the other confers respect. The sharply contrasting dance movements heighten this complementary relationship and thus demonstrate even greater respect for the contrasting structure of Samoan culture. The more vigorous the periphery, the more controlled the center. In the dance event the tulafale role may be played by anyone regardless of gender or status as long as they fulfill the necessary function.

When the taupou or ceremonial village maiden performs in a graceful and controlled manner in the center of a taualuga she enacts the same relationship between center and periphery. The taupou symbolizes the responsibility that a chief has towards the people and in her everyday activities she must still continue to exhibit a decorum that commands respect.

While the fa'a Samoa is relatively strong, transformations in the arts are taking place across the Samoan diaspora. Hip hop culture in particular is popular amongst Samoan youth. Its popularity, however, is not necessarily oppositional to Samoan culture which is firmly rooted in the solid family structure that looks far from disappearing in the face of increasing modernity.


Katerina Martina Teaiwa, PhD
University of Hawai'i at Manoa


THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE DANCE
Meet Sandra King, Taupuo, who gave up a career as a Washington, DC lawyer to fulfill her duties to her village »»
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE DANCE

Meet Sandra King, Taupuo, who gave up a career as a Washington, DC lawyer to fulfill her duties to her village »»