So, while I am doing some work, I am listing to music and this Samoan's song came on "Afai Ua e Musu" by the "Five Star" band--one of my wife favored songs. The song uses an old Samoan's proverb "E fasia o le gata, ae pupula mai ona mata." It’s the proverbial dialogically lovers' conversation that filled with raw emotions (only Polynesians can understand), basically the proverb is saying “If you do not love me anymore, be honest with me, I can handle it" sure!
However, if you have experienced Samoan's relationship, in fact, Tongan's or Samoan's--this is not the case. Hence, when break-up happens, pandemonium of the ultimate emotional tumult that often turned violent is to be expected. If you’re like me and you grew up with a western/Christian sort of mentality, you picture a snake and think of something that is sinister, conniving and evil. That’s probably why this proverb won’t immediately make sense to some. But the proverb is trying to convey here is that the Samoan or the Tongan is matured enough to take the high road and leave his or her true nature behind and just let her or him go.
Pre-European and Pre-Christian, our ancestors had this idea that snakes, unlike just about every other animal, will not defend itself when it’s about to be killed. Instead, it just gives its killer this passively defiant pride eyes. I find this very witty as the Polynesian culture managed to find the good in, even the one who portrait the very image of Satan. The snake is getting killed, however he will not attack but just look at you.
Talofa
