….Papa Stui and Lealailepule having fun while on suspension from Parliament. Scrapping for coconut milk requires body strength Leala has a lot of and it’s all part of making and cooking the ‘umu luau’.
Cupping up the taro leaves to hold the coconut milk before wrapping it tight for cooking, needs a special touch and that is what Papa Stui has.
This is menial work assigned to ‘taulele’a’ or young, untitled men in service to the chiefs as required by the Samoan culture. Papa Stui and Leala are not just chiefs, they are big chiefs.
In the olden days, anytime big chiefs like these two are seen at the cooking house preparing the family food, ‘taulelea’ heads will roll and cooked in the hot ‘umu’, oven.
Luckily, these two wanted to see if they can still do a ‘umu luau’. From what we’re seeing here they’re ok.
A bit slow as they stumbled and fumbled along from the lack of practice but…they’re ….wellll…uuummm….ok.
Most important of all there were no sudden heart attacks. There’ll be a few people who will believe their prayers are answered if that had happened.