The destruction of the fa’asamoa

Dear Editor,

This period of Samoan history can be summed up with the old Samoan proverb. E gase le Pa’a i lona vae. 

The destruction of the Fa’aSamoa by its leaders. In catching a crab the fisherman breaks off a leg and pokes it through a joint into its soft body killing it.

Samoa’s leaders are in love with the Fa’atupe, so their greed can be taken advantage of to pass laws to break the sacred covenant between matai and aiga. 

The same unconstitutional law being used destroys the last respect and authority of the matai. 

Having surrendered ownership of all his land to the H.R.P.P state by registering it under the Land Titles Registration Act 2008, he has given up control of the land and must jump like a slave to the orders of government. 

How can any of his aiga respect him for destroying all aiga land rights gifted from our ancestors? 

Like a slave he will work all the days of his life to pay the government taxes for land that was a free gift and birthright. 

The Church and government are merciless if their taxes are not paid. 

Soon many Sa’o will join their aiga homeless walking the tracks looking for places to sleep, begging for work trading their labour.

Always demanding to be served, the leaders come to the gatherings of aiga. 

O le mitimiti a matamea. Like matamea they arrive to take not to give or bless.They are a burden not a blessing. 

Tavai manu uli. Give water to the blackbirds. Must the aiga, tagata lautele, give all they have while they are being betrayed.

In the many years that will follow when the last of our bloodlines remember that they are Samoan, they will remember the families who betrayed our people through this proverb.

E gase le Pa’a i lona vae.

 

Maua Faleauto 

Samoa Observer

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