Gagana Sāmoa L8: Example 2
Example 2: Cremation in Sāmoa
Glossary
faaliu efuefu — cremate
alagātatau — possible
talitonuga fa ‘akerisiano — Christian beliefs
Tony — Ou te matua tete ‘e lava i lenei autu ona o itu nei
- Ua le tusa ai ma le aganuu ma le fa'asāmoa, e tatau lava ona lagomau le tagata pe a maliu. Ina ua soifua mai le tagata ola, e tanu lona fanua i le eleele aua o lona fa'asinomaga lea ma lona tupuaga. O lea e tatau ai lava ona tuu atu le tino maliu i lona eleele e lagomau filemu ai.
- O se itu foi ua le talafeagai ma le fa‘akerisiano, aua e pei e foliga mai o le ua maliu ua tuu sa'o atu lava i le afi e mu ai lona tino. O se auala e faigata ona talia e o tatou tagata.
- O se auala ua fa'aalia ai le lē alolofa o le aiga i lē ua maliu, auā e pei na o meaola ua talafeagai ai le susunu ae ua le fetaui ona faia i tagata. Ou te matua teena ai lenei autu.
Susan — Ou te matuai lagolagoina le autū ona o itu nei
- O le a avea ma fa ‘amama avega i le taugata o le soifuaga i aso nei. O le a le toe fa'aaluina ni tupe i pusa maliu ma nisi teuga moomia e pei o ie ma fugalaau e teuteu ai le pusa maliu. O le a tele foi se tupe e sefe mai i le fa ‘atauga o taga sima, laupapa ma fao, oneone fa'apea le totogi mo i latou o le a gafa ma le fausiaina o tuugamau, pe afai e leai se tasi o le aiga e mafai ona faia. Ma le isi manatu, o loo tele foi atunuu o faatino ai lenei auala e pei foi o Niu Sila nei.
- Afai o se tasi na māvae ane i lona aiga e tatau ona faaliu efuefu, e tatau lava ma talafeagai ona fa ‘ataunuu le mavaega.
- O le a fa ‘aititia ai le tele o fanua ua fa'aaogaina mo tuugamau. Aua afai o le a tatanu pea tagata maliliu o lona uiga, i le isi 50 tausaga o lumanai ua matua leai ni fanua e toe avanoa mo fa'atoaga, fale ma isi galuega e tatau ona faia.
O ala ia o le lagolagoina o lenei autū.
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Context and text type
An extract from a debate in a radio talkback setting. Tony speaks against the idea of cremation in Sāmoa, and Susan speaks for the motion.
Text type
Debate. Productive
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Examples showing how the students are:
Communicating information, ideas, and opinions through extended and varied texts
Tony presents his argument against the motion, for example:
- Ou te matua tete ‘e lava i lenei autu ona o itu nei.
Tony provides evidence for his opinion:
- Ua le tusa ai ma le aganuu ma le fa ‘asamoa e tatau lava ona lagomau le tagata pe a maliu.
Susan presents her views for the motion:
- Ou te matuai lagolagoina le autū ona o itu nei.
Exploring the views of others
Tony raises cultural concerns about cremation. In doing so, he is exploring and giving voice to concerns that others may have already expressed:
- Ua le tusa ai ma le aganuu ma le fa ‘asamoa e tatau lava ona lagomau le tagata pe a maliu.
Tony comments on the traditional Sāmoan view, which is based on Christian beliefs:
- O se itu foi ua le talafeagai ma le fa ‘akerisiano.
Susan explores the economic-related impacts on for families:
- O le a avea ma fa ‘amama avega i le taugata o le soifuaga i aso nei … O le a le toe fa ‘aaluina ni tupe i pusa maliu ma nisi teuga moomia e pei o ie ma fugalaau e teuteu ai le pusa maliu.
Those listening to the speakers will be challenged to explore their own views on this sensitive issue.
Developing and sharing personal perspectives
To support her position, Susan makes comparisons with other countries including New Zealand:
- O lo ‘o tele foi nisi atunuu o loo faia le tulaga lea e pei foi o Niu Sila.
She also makes links to the land, plantation, and family homes that are so central to the Sāmoan way of life:
- Aua afai o le a tatanu pea tagata maliliu o lona uiga i le isi 50 tausaga o lumanai ua matua leai ni fanua e toe avanoa mo faꞌatoaga, fale ma isi galuega e tatau ona faia.
Both speakers share and develop their personal perspectives and, as they do so, extend their arguments.
Justifying own ideas and opinions
Tony justifies his own ideas of the importance of burial in aganu'u fa'asāmoa:
- Ua le tusa ai ma le aganuu ma le fa ‘asamoa.
He uses the traditional Sāmoan interpretation of Christian burial to support his stance:
- O se itu foi ua le talafeagai ma le fa ‘akerisiano.
Susan supports her argument for cremation as a way of lessening the financial burden on families:
- O le a avea ma fa ‘amama avega i le taugata o le soifuaga i aso nei. O le a le toe fa ‘aaluina ni tupe i pusa maliu ma nisi teuga moomia.
Supporting or challenging the ideas and opinions of others
Tony challenges cremation as going against the traditional Sāmoan values of caring and respect:
- O se auala ua fa ‘aalia ai le lē alolofa o le aiga i lē ua maliu, auā e pei na o meaola ua talafeagai ai le susunu ae ua le fetaui ona faia i tagata. Ou te matua teena ai lenei autu.
Susan supports cremation on the grounds that it will financially assist families, but her ideas will challenge those who hold to traditional views:
- O le a tele foi se tupe e sefe mai i le fa ‘atauga o taga sima, laupapa ma fao, oneone fa ‘apea le totogi mo i latou o le a gafa ma le fausiaina o tuugamau.
Tony and Susan’s presentation will challenge listeners to engage with the arguments put forward, and to reflect on their own understandings and beliefs, and the grounds on which they are based.
Engaging in sustained interactions and producing extended texts
As Susan and Tony provide information, justify their arguments, and maintain the flow of ideas, they create extended text.
Tony bases his argument on the need to be true to one’s cultural beliefs and values. For example, he says that a person’s body belongs to the land:
- O lea e tatau ai lava ona tuu atu le tino maliu i lona eleele e lagomau filemu ai.
Susan presents the environmental and economic benefits of cremation:
- O le a tele foi se tupe e sefe mai i le fa ‘atauga o taga sima, laupapa ma fao …
Susan and Tony sustain interaction with their listeners by carefully presenting their arguments, explaining their ideas in detail, and supporting ides with reasons and evidence. Listeners will make meaning from what they hear, reflect on their own beliefs, attitudes and understandings, make connections, and find their own viewpoints reinforced or challenged.
For example, Susan, by referring to the land, plantation and family homes that are central to the Sāmoan way of life, connects to her listeners’ knowledge and understanding of 'aganu ‘u fa ‘asāmoa':
- Aua afai o le a tatanu pea tagata maliliu o lona uiga, i le isi 50 tausaga o lumanai ua matua leai ni fanua e toe avanoa mo faꞌatoaga, fale ma isi galuega e tatau ona faia.
Exploring how linguistic meaning is conveyed across languages
Debate is a form of argument found in many cultures. A key element of all debate is the persuasive use of language. Susan’s use of emotive language (for example, 'faamama avega i aiga nuu ma alalafaga i le tapenaina o maliu') may persuade families who have experienced the financial burden of funerals to consider cremation as an alternative.
The text illustrates the use of formulaic expressions to introduce arguments. For example, Tony says:
- Ou te matua tete ‘e lava, and Susan says, Ou te matuai lagolagoina …
'Kerisiano' (Christian), used in the compound word fa ‘akerisiano, is a borrowing from English.
Analysing how the use of the target language expresses cultural meanings
Tony and Susan use the 't' style because they are speaking in a formal context. For example, Tony says, "O se auala ua fa ‘aalia ai le lē alolofa o le aiga i lē ua maliu, auā e pei na o meaola ua talafeagai ai le susunu ae ua le fetaui ona faia i tagata", and Susan responds, "Ma le isi manatu o loo tele foi atunuu o faatino ai lenei auala e pei foi o Niu Sila nei".
Susan refers to 'mavaega' (will, bequest) and suggests that, if it is someone’s dying wish, then it should be respected:
- Afai o se tasi na māvae ane i lona aiga e tatau ona fa'aliuefuefu, e tatau lava ma talafeagai ona fa ‘ataunuu le mavaega.
Tony uses respectful language to convey a point of view: Ina ua soifua mai le tagata … and when he refers to those who have died:
- O lea e tatau ai lava ona tuu atu le tino maliu i lona eleele e lagomau filemu.
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Opportunities for developing intercultural communicative competence
Students could explore the ways different cultures deal with death and funerals. For example, they could compare 'tangi' (Māori funeral) and 'maliu' (Sāmoan funeral), and funeral practices in other cultures.
Students could use the knowledge they gain to reflect on their own beliefs and assumptions. How could they use this knowledge to interact more knowledgeably with other speakers of gagana Sāmoa, and to make meaning from different texts in gagana Sāmoa?
Last updated January 16, 2013
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