(most Tuesdays)

Fiafia

Fiafia literally means happy. At a fiafia night the participants will dress in a variety of colourful outfits and you will be told stories through dance and song. Fiafias traditionally were held to celebrate a special event such as welcoming a travel party to their village, wedding or house dedication. In recent years, there is an annual festival where people from around Samoa come to the capital city of Apia and compete in song and dance. There is a strong national pride in the stories that are told through this traditional art form of Samoa.  Most often the celebration is commenced with the "Ava Ceremony" or also known as kava in Fiji....we might be prejudice but we find most people agree ava is better. This welcoming ceremony is their way of honouring your visit to their home .You will most likely see the sa sa (a group of dancers synchronized to the rhythm of a wooden drum), siva (a dance by women which tells a story),  and the traditional taualuga (the final dance of the evening). Fiafias are a wonderful way to experience a Samoan celebration! It is the original Luau. Just a few small tips.... always try to attend these evenings wearing a 'Lava lava' or sarong, and when seated if unable to sit comfortably with your legs crossed ensure that they are not pointed into the middle of the room but say off to the side!

Cameras are always welcome but as in travelling anywhere it is always polite to ask.

So join in and absorb yourselves with a culture over 3,000 yrs old and you'll soon know why we call it the highlight of the week.