Samoan Culture

Keenan Schwalger Mrs. Kay pluck English 1010 10/19/10 Samoan husbandry plays a immense part in the pull rounds of those with Samoan heritage. Samoan assimilation is kept strong in a Samoan house confound by keeping the culture alive. This is make by keeping family unity, the art of conventional tattooing, and takeing conventional foods and preparedness traditional rooms. Family life in Samoan culture is huge. They value family truly a great deal. It is unity of the close to principal(prenominal) parts of their life. They virtuallyly live with their extended family all in angiotensin converting enzyme house in Samoa, or in truth near them here in the US.Traditionally the granny and Grandfather will live with one their children and sometimes if needed, so will a couple of the Aunts and Uncles. The idea of sending a parent or grandparent to live in nursing home is unheard of in Samoan, and most other Polynesian cultures. It is evaluate that they will take care of t heir family. Clarence Schwalger, a Samoan living in deification George Utah says that the entire Samoan culture is based around the family. It is not crotchety to see a extensive Samoan family living in one house. close to Polynesians, including Samoans work very bombastic families, with more(prenominal) than 5 children up to 10 or more.Family is so important that when they take hold a family reunion the entire family will fly from veritable(a) New Zealand scarce to be with the family for a week. It doesnt matter if they go into debt to go. It is that important to them. Some families can have a family reunion every 2 to 3 years. Any special make in the family can be an rationalize to get together. Baptism, blessings, weddings, and funerals are all important occasions that bring extended families together. be together as an extended family is what Samoans grapple best. The tattoo is a very important, symbolic and, respected part of the culture.It is known as the turni ng from a boy to a man. The Samoan tattoo is called the Pea, and starts on the bring low screen and run all the way down to the lower thigh. Many of the designs pay animals and have many another(prenominal) meanings. The triangles on the back resemble the Samoan temporary fox. The flying fox is actually a bat, and when it looks for food, it circles in flight. Samoans believe the circular flying represents the cycles of life. (Channell,18). In Samoa these tattoos are given to the chief of the family and he is the one who is fully tattooed.The tattooing is a very painful process and is done by taking pieces of sharpen bone and ink and taping the tattoo in with a mallet. The tattoo designs are beautiful designs consisting of many geometric shapes put together in a way they flows. The tattoo is much respected. Once started, it must be perfect or it will bring discredit upon the young man, and his family. After it is completed, the young mans gains sweet status among his people. With the receiving of his tattoo, he has now taken on the responsibly of being a man, and also to be an example and draw of his family. In Samoa, eating is a large part of the traditional culture.Almost all Polynesians eat in family groups and often invite others to articulation in their large meals. They virtually eer cook more than is needed just in case someone drops in for dinner. A Sunday feast called toonoi is hustling in a large formulation pots big enough to feed almost an army. In Samoa, traditional meals are cooked in an umu, which is an in ground cooking pit. nutrient is cleaned, and traditionally wrapped in banana leaves and put on the tops of rocks that have been heated. The food is then covered by more leaves, and the entire oven steams together for several(prenominal) hours.Hot rocks cook amazingly well, and are even used to cook meats as large as a pig. This type of cooking is very hard work, and is so tradition calls that the men do all the cooking. thithe r is an old saying that goes something like most people eat until they are full, notwithstanding Samoans eat until they are tired. This is evident by the largeness of the people. Samoans love to eat. The main diet in Samoa consists of chicken, fish and local fruits and vegetables. This is slowly starting to change however, with the introduction of unwavering food restaurants such as McDonalds.