It is hard to believe that Samoans, related to Hawaiians and other Polynesians, were at one time seafarers crossing great distances. Today the tradition is kept alive by annual long boat races and the sound of the coxswain’s, posini, drums. Here a crew ends its daily practice in Apia harbor as they prepare for Independence Day, June 1-2, races.
Miss Samoa is more than a pretty talented young woman. For Samoans she is an icon, which they greatly respect. This year’s Miss Samoa is Jolivette Ete; a chemical engineer, pianist, poster girl, and athlete. During her reign she is assigned to the Samoan Tourist Authority where Jim Metz, a third year extended Peace Corps Volunteer, is also assigned and who helped arrange a meeting with her.
Jolevette is easily recognized, even with a wrist wrapped in an Ace bandage for playing touch ruby. She is a strong believer in the Samoan Challenge and would like to be its Spokesperson, providing she gets approval from the Tourist Authority. It is not often you can find such a committed spokesperson.
By the way, she bought lunch, some say out of pity.
For me, riding public transportation, regardless of where, gives a better pulse of local people than any other single thing. In Samoa, the buses are privately owned and most have wooden carriages, continually refurbished over the years as they are refastened onto a Toyota diesel truck chassis. Switching from left to right-hand drive creates little problem, as a new entrance was cut out and reconstructed on the opposite side. It is this type of ingenuity, which characterizes living in a place like Samoa.
When I lived on Savaii, the bus schedules were synchronized to the comings and goings of the ferry. Although fewer in number, village people just didn’t use them as often, preferring to stay in their own locale.
Here in Apia and on the island of Upolu the number of buses is considerably greater as well as the percentage of people using them, especially commuting in from distant villages to work in Apia. The bus schedules are synchronized to certain allotted time slots at the main bus station located at the fruit market. There must be hundreds of buses constantly arriving and departing from the 10-15 bus spaces. Distant buses leave their villages early in the morning, with the bus and driver waiting the rest of the day to take passenger back on the return trip. Local buses, like mine, make several trips a day on what you might call a schedule.
But here as anyplace else, why take the bus when you have money for a car or taxi? Heaven forbid you walk. The result is ever increasing traffic jams. These new urban travelers miss sitting on the edge of your seat next to a fat Samoan, or people sitting on each other’s laps, as the “Bus Music” blasts away and the driver smokes away.
One of my buses, the one with blue hood and red windscreen, lined up at Apia market station
My most colorful bus with mini-lights blinking both inside and outside to the beat of the music
Waiting for the red roof bus on a rainy morningMay 24, 2011
The biggest challenge to Samoan Challenge III is getting the Peace Corps Volunteers, who are all primary school teachers, involved. They represent the outreach to the rural village segment of the Challenge and who are somewhat tainted by hard feelings regarding last year’s Challenge.
The teachers have a point about being asked to do an additional Village Based project at a time when they are in the classroom, tutoring, or preparing lessons. They are also not familiar with the workings of local village politics and church organizations. Likewise, the National Health Service and the Women in Business Development (WIBD) organization, who is sponsoring the event, are not comfortable with the fact that they cannot count on teachers during school hours, which is the time they conduct their village activities.
Against this backdrop, I presented my revised program to the newest group of Peace Corps teachers. My main message to them is the same as to the Samoans who participate, “Try”. I think they will and for that I am happy.
My WIBD boss, Tusitina Nu’uvali, also did a fine job describing her organization’s role in the Challenge. She sited 5,000 as an overall Challenge target, but did a reversal on me when she agreed under pressure that the Challenge would provide gifts to Peace Corps village participants. The next day I asked her if she realized what she had to commit doing. Her jaw dropped when asked, where are we going to get the money for maybe 2-3,000 prizes? In true Samoan fashion, how to pay for things comes later. It was good to get her public support.
The next task is how to get scales and materials out to 35 Peace Corps throughout the country. In true Samoan fashion, I shall be concerned about that later.
My eating has definitely changed from when I lived with a host family on Savaii. Grocery stores surround the office building where I work with the fruit market across the street. There is also time for me to prepare meals without the hungry eyes of village children. It is just me.
Still I miss a lot of the traditional Samoan foods. The young Samoan girls in the office have no idea how to prepare the many dishes I was able to buy from village women trying to earn a little extra money. There are a few stalls at the fruit market where I can buy some traditional foods. The women can see me coming from a mile away.
This is what I prepared today:
Yellow Fin Tuna Steak. Purchased at the fish market, a four mile bike ride, as a five pound slab which is enough to make 12 meals. Cooked in a little certified organic coconut oil. Raw in the middle.
Papaya Salsa. Made with local papaya, fresh green spring onions, garlic, salt, coconut oil, salt, vinegar, lemon juice, hot local chili peppers.
Stir-fry green beans and Samoan Roma tomatoes with onions and garlic.
Breakfast is usually oak meal with honey or toast, or leftovers from the night before.
I haven’t weighed myself yet, but I may be a candidate for my own Samoan Challenge.
Tuna steak, stirfry veggies, and papaya salsa
Misiluki bananas and Keke Saina
