User:Mparker18/sandbox

The Matai
Matai, otherwise know at the head of the family and extended family, is a very important figure in the Samoan culture. There are many aspects that go into fully understanding the term Matai, such as how one is elected and what their role is.

The election of a Matai is a lengthy process that can last up to several weeks and is often a highly competitive race. In this race different branches from each family put forth a male candidate, accompanied by reasons why he would be a good candidate. These reasons range from the candidate’s wisdom to wealth, including highly praised values such as negotiating, ritual knowledge, politics and economics. However, if the son of a matai meets these requirements, he is typically given a major edge in the race. Another advantage the son of a matai or any man any the matai’s household is given is being able to observe and help the matai starting from a young age. Most men considered for the Matai position are at least 40 years old, meaning many young candidates don’t even stand a chance. One strategy that can be used by any males aspiring to become a matai is to choose to live in a household that has no other males, or to move to his wife’s household if there are no males in her family's household either.

The election of a matai is under the guidance of another matai who is related to the family, allowing for a fair election. Once a new matai is chosen, a feast is thrown for the family, followed by a bigger feast for the whole village at a later date. At the larger feast, the matai is expected to give a traditional inaugural speech, displaying his abilities to speak publicly, his wisdom and retelling of Samoan myths. Throughout this speech he is watched by village council, as well as all the other matai’s in the village. Once the matai has proved himself to the other matai’s by giving the traditional address, he is called on to serve the community as a whole. The newly elected matai is expected to host a village wide feast where he is tasked with providing food for the meal, as well as getting the other matais gifts.

Once this task is completed the newly elected matai is officially considered the matai of his household and will hold the position for the rest of his life, should he lead correctly. In certain cases where a matai is deemed cruel or ineffective, the title is stripped and a new matai is elected. However, a more often occurrence is the current matai becoming elderly or ill and requesting that a new matai be elected in order for there to be a more stable and effective leadership in place.

The role of a matai is a very large and important one. He is expected to provide leadership in all aspects of family life. He encourages warm family relations, offers advice, directs religious participation, and oversees disputes. As well as watching over the family land and representing the family in village affairs. Overall, a matai must have different demeanor than everyone else, especially other males in the family. Matai's are also in charge of economic situations. For example a matai must manage the amount of food his family brings in and must stores one away for when times are hard. The matai’s job as a leader is one that is very important in Samoan culture and helps the overall structure stay in place..

The Aumaga
While chiefs, talking chiefs and matais all have a title, there are men in the village that are untitled. These men are placed in a group titled the aumaga. These men are the labor core of the community as they perform most the hard labor. The aumaga are tasked with building houses, repairing roads, planting and harvesting the garden, fishing and cutting coconut meat and selling it. The aumaga also have ceremonial responsibilities, such as helping the chief in ritual cooking and serving the food at ceremonies. They also serve as informal keepers of peace, interacting with each other as a large group of friends. They often play cards, cricket or gather for dances and parties with each other. The Aumaga are under control of a relative of the chief, called the manaia, who helps organize the aumaga and plan their activities. Despite not always being the true son of the chief, the manaia is still referred to as son by the chief.

Coming of Age in Samoa by Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead, an American anthropologist, is famous for her ethnography turned novel titled Coming of Age in Samoa. This ethnography contains a lot of useful and interesting information on the Samoan people, specifically young kids. This ethnography has information on problems adolescents in Samoa face and the approaches to understanding these problems. She then moves on to a typical day in Samoa, stating "The life of the day begins at Dawn". Soon after Mead's focus shifts to the education of Samoan children, discussing punishments used against them, education, their role as a young child in society and much more. Mead then shifts her attention to Samoan households and all they entail. She starts the chapter by separating households from villages by stating "A Samoan village is made up of some thirty to forty households, each of which is presided over by a head man called a matai". She then goes on to describe what a household is and all that goes on in a household. The next major topic Mead focuses on is Samoan social structures and rules, stating that "Until a child is six or seven at least she associates very little with her contemporaries." Eventually she makes her way to marriage, stating "The women are completely dependent upon their husbands for their status in this village group". Mead then moves on to sexual relations in Samoan culture, giving an example of a difference between a chief and an average family, stating "Where parents of lower rank complacently ignore their daughters' experiments, the high chief guards his daughter's virginity as he guards the honor of his name". Mead eventually ends the 297 page ethnography with the topics of education in America compared to Samoan education. Overall, Margaret Mead's ethnography Coming of Age in Samoa serves as an example of what life in the Samoan culture is like.