WelCom July 2018:
Mika Teofilo
The account as follows, is merely a summary of the kava ceremony, which is the heart and centre of Samoan Culture. Of course, it cannot include all the features and ramifications of our Samoan Customs. But, if it is not as full as it could be, it is better to use what is here, than to have to start afresh.
To commemorate the Samoan Language Week, the Archdiocese of Wellington Samoan Chaplaincy Youth Groups put up items and Samoan cultural dances on Saturday evening 1 June, at the Naenae Community Hall. It was a celebration and coming together as a community. It was also a chance for the young people as Samoans born in New Zealand to experience and enjoy being part of this celebration.
The spirit of this is to remind us again of the vital importance of our Culture. From earliest times, our Culture was our religion; before Christianity, our Culture united us.
It came to our ancestors from God, to preserve our Samoan people in love, peace and unity. We can safely say, then, that our Samoan Culture was a prophecy, a foretelling, a foretaste, of the Christian way of life.
Today, our traditional Samoan religion is married to the religion of Christ. From this unique marriage, our Christian Samoa has been born. The spirit enlivening our nation – family is love, peace and unity. This is, most especially, signified in our Kava Ceremony.
Kava Ceremony – a unique marriage of traditional Samoan religion and Christ. Photo: Supplied