Samoa

This has been a week of introductions, organizing, and lesson planning.  Ron conducted the first ITEP class on disabilities for staff and Karla assisted young people needing help with applications to attend BYU-Hawaii. 

Since some questions have arisen about Savai'i, we thought we'd post some geographic and historical information about this island in Samoa.  It is the largest area and highest island of the Samoan islands.  It is fifth largest in Polynesia, behind the two main islands of New Zealand and the Hawaiian islands of Hawaii and Maui.  In Savai'i, Mt. Silisili (see-lee-see-lee) is about 6,096 feet high.  Savai'i is mountainous, fertile, and surrounded by coral reefs.  There are also caves, blowholes, rainforests, and waterfalls.  Annual rainfall where we live is about 180 inches; considerably more at Mt. Silisili. Savai'i is the largest shield volcano in the South Pacific with recent eruptions in the early 1900s.  It is dotted with more than 100 volcanic craters and contains most of Samoa's native species of flora.

The ferry terminal is in the village of Salelologna, the main entry point to the island; it is on the east end nearer to where we live.  A paved road serves as the one main highway, connecting villages, and circling the outside perimeter of the island so everywhere you drive you see ocean. 

Villages are organized into districts.  Within villages are ties of kinship, history, land, and chief titles.  An extended family can have a number of chiefs with different chief titles.  Men and women in Samoa have equal rights to chief titles which are bestowed by consensus of the extended family.  Women play an important role contributing to family decisions as well as village governance.  "Chiefs" are respected with a high regard in every aspect of their living, even in church and social relationships.

Behind the coastal villages are the plantations with crops of taro, cocoa, yams, fruits and vegetables.  Families are supported by plantation crops and fishing.  A brother told us that the daily dinner for most families is meat and taro.  A friend is coming over tomorrow to show me how to prepare taro.  She cooks it in coconut milk and onion so we are anxious to try it.   We buy irradiated milk in cartons from the shelf.  Eggs may or may not be refrigerated.

Amazing that the food channel had a show about the fruit bats in Samoa that weigh five to ten pounds and are supposedly a delectable meal.  Well, they aren't on our agenda.

School terms run from February 1^st through mid-December.  The National University of Samoa is located on the island of Apia or Upolu.  Savai'i has 9 secondary schools and 48 primary schools.  Most parents prefer and try to afford to send children to church schools as opposed to government run schools.  As was explained to us, the government pays a meager wage and some teachers in government schools don't feel inclined to put forth their best.  For example, our church school pays substantially more than what a government teacher earns.

As far as fruits and vegetables, the fruit is plentiful in their season.  We had a neighbor pick and bring us six lemons that are the size of grapefruit.  There are mangos, papayas, bananas, coconuts, and pineapple.  The most common vegetables are cabbage, carrots, eggplants, bok choy, cucumbers, grape size tomatoes, onions and occasionally very long string beans.  Generally, we do a bleach wash and rinse vegetables with our filtered water just to be on the safe side.

Animal life is interesting as chickens and pigs tend to roam. We've seen the cutest chicks and piglets. Horses and cows are usually tied up to a tree in the front yard.  They ride the horses to their plantations.  We've had a few kitties nearby.  As mentioned before, the dogs are feral, not pets.

When you live here, life is good.  We enjoy going to the fish market and the open air market.  Thank goodness English is known by most.  Hope this gives a glimpse of Savai'i.