By Paul Garrison
Samoan is the oldest Polynesian culture. Its beginnings date back roughly three millennia. A modern genetic study of over 1,100 present-day Samoans estimates that the original community that populated the island only had between 800 and 3,000 people.
The first Europeans came to Samoa in the 18th century, just a decade before George Washington was born.
This encounter brought with it the blessing and curse seen around the world described succinctly as colonialism.
“Let’s be clear about the tension force that you mention,” Andrew Aumavae said on the upcoming Father’s Day Episode of The SDSU Football Podcast.
“That tension force is mainly for most marginalized communities when migrating to the states. It’s directly connected to colonization and the idea that in order to fit into the American way, you have to shed a piece of your whole, you’re authentic self.
…The funny thing is no one tells you can be both and that your cultural assets are valuable in making that transition.”
As a marginalized community, even on their own island, Samoan ingenuity has carved out ways to keep their ancient lifestyle alive.
Each generation is taught the virtues of Fa’a Samoa. Translated as the “Samoan way,” it is a catchphrase that captures the essence, expectation, and experience of these amazing people.
Samoan courage, intelligence, and creativity can be clearly seen in the thousands of ways they have adapted to the changes brought on by colonization while also keeping their cultural distinctiveness.
They have thrived as businessmen, artists, educators, and in every walk of life. Most famously, Samoans have excelled in athletics, especially football. In 2010, CBS News estimated that a boy born to Samoan parents has a 56 times greater chance of making it to the NFL than any other boy in the US.
Fa’a Samoa
There is a saying in American sports, “play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back.” It is used to convey the idea that the best players are those that compete for the good of the team and not their personal glory.
Samoans embody this ethos in everything they do. In football, though, they have turned the saying on its ears.
Part of Fa’a Samoa is that every action taken by an individual reflects completely on his or her family. By playing for the name on the back of the jersey, Samoans sacrifice for the name on the front.
“Fa’a Samoa is essentially a way of life…,” SDSU tight end coach Savai’i Eselu explained to EVT.
“It’s truly a way of life where everything you do will be reflected back on your last name. Everything I do will reflect back to the Eselu family.
Everything Troy (Polamalu) did will reflect back on the Polamalu family. It’s not even just in the Samoan culture.
Just the Polynesian culture in general, you talk about the Lakalaka’s, you talk about the Fiaseu’s, you talk about all the Poly’s that we have on our squad, it all goes back to the family.”
Like all lifestyles, there is danger and beauty when living out this culture. If someone rejects it and lives selfishly, they can take advantage of the rest, who are intent on a different way.
When everyone embraces it, there is beauty and a hidden power that defies concrete definition.
Safety in this community lies in surrounding oneself with authentic followers of Fa’a Samoa and rooting out the pretenders.
This task of separating the gold from the dross is easy for those inside the culture, but it is nearly impossible to do with those outside. A shortcut for many Polynesians, when faced with the unfamiliar, is to trust the Polynesians already living in the situation.
A perfect example of this is the recruitment of Aztec QB Liu Aumavae. Liu and his family only considered schools with at least one Polynesian on their coaching staff.
The Aumavaes trusted everything Eselu told them about SDSU because any falsehood would reflect not just on Eselu but on everyone who has that name.
“Oh, yeah, definitely,” Aumavae responded when asked if Eselu’s presence on SDSU’s staff was important in the recruiting process.
“As a family, we sat down, and we had three non-negotiables. One of them was fit.
“When we talk about fit, we’re talking about social fit, educational fit, demographic (fit), so do we see our kind. … So, having Savai’i (Eselu) on (the staff) was huge … having those guys on there gave me a sense of familiarity.
“I knew someone who’s going to be there, who is going to take care of the kid. … that comfort in knowing there’s someone there who looks like me, talks like me, and has the same experiences as me and the same values.
“All we were looking for was community. People who shared the same values and thought processes. That was huge for us.”