Kaylara
February 10th, 2001, 12:55 AM
-- Posted by samoanshark on 7:00 pm on Dec. 31, 1969
Have you heard of the samoans superstitions?
Don't comb your hair in front of your mirror at night.
Don't sweep your floor at night.
Never carry an infant on your shoulders at night.
Never whistle at night.
Never yell at the waves.
.....
there's more.
I want to thank all of the people that welcomed me earlier this week. I was having a hard time with my computer... it is our server, here in American Samoa... constantly giving me problems... so if I don't get back to everyone right away ,please be patient. (another Samoan superstition...Never curse your computer! ... just kidding)...
Anyway, thank you for the welcome mat! I'm looking forward to sharing and learning! Blessed be, samoanshark
-- Posted by semele on 7:00 pm on Dec. 31, 1969
Welcome back!!!
So uh why don't we carry infants over the shoulder at night? Now I am worried as I spend a lot of time at work in the NICU transition room where I am always spoiling, er I mean tossing those little buggers over my shoulder and walking around. Tell us more about the origin of these superstitions, if you know. I have always been interested in this topic and how these things came to be.
Semele
-- Posted by samoanshark on 7:00 pm on Dec. 31, 1969
Semele,
(first off, your name, semele, could almost be Samoan)..
se... is sort of a slang word for "come on.. or... just referring to someone... and mele means Mary.
Back to the Samoan superstitions.
I came to Samoa from Los Angeles in 1963, when I was 9 years old.
I lived in a village called Nu'uuli (which means Black Village). Talk about culture shock. All of the families in the village shared one pipe (for water... to shower and collect buckets of drinking water). Luckily it was located at my uncle's house where my family had been placed.
I learned right away the do's and don't's of the samoan customs (superstituous customs) here.
Apparently, the Samoans believe that our ancestors spirits are forever walking around. Most of the Samoans bury their dead in their front yard. They believe that their dead family members' spirits will watch over their land and their family. Plus they can always go right out front and talk to them whenever they feel like it.
Many Samoans believe that some of the spirits don't like changes and new ways. The spirits expect you to do or not to do certain things, especially at night. Supposedly, the spirits believe you should be sleeping instead of cleaning or primping. Some Samoans say that if you comb your hair at night in front of the mirror a mean spirit will show his face in the mirror or another spirit that is against vanity might pull your hair. So, if you go to many Samoan houses you will see their mirrors covered at night with a sheet or cloth.
Carrying an infant on your shoulders at night is a big no-no. It is said that if you do that you might stumble over a rock or tree stump in the dark and the child/baby may fall and if it falls you will not find your baby. It is said that the spirits feel you have been careless with your baby and don't deserve her/him.
Sweeping your house at night is also similar to combing your hair at night. Supposedly, you should do your chores during the day and not disturb the spirits at night by making dust with your sweeping. They will break your broom or worse.
Whistling at night is taboo, too! I've heard people have had their mouths slapped by a spirit and one person's mouth stayed crooked from the slap. No loud noises in the village at night. Bad things will happen to you.
Yelling at the waves supposedly will anger the spirits of the ocean and cause larger waves (which of course surfers might like) but the Samoan people would rather not have waves. The Samoan people (most) prefer not to swim but just to wade in the water... usually for fishing or gathering makapisu (opihi..in Hawaiian) or (limpits - scientific term). They say if you scream loud while in front of the ocean you will anger the ocean spirits and they will send a big wave your way. I've seen it happen.
Many of these superstitions have been lost as the Western Civilization has rapidly changed our island...some good...some bad.
Well, I guess I've said enough for now. I hope you all find these superstitions interesting. blessed be, samoanshark
Have you heard of the samoans superstitions?
Don't comb your hair in front of your mirror at night.
Don't sweep your floor at night.
Never carry an infant on your shoulders at night.
Never whistle at night.
Never yell at the waves.
.....
there's more.
I want to thank all of the people that welcomed me earlier this week. I was having a hard time with my computer... it is our server, here in American Samoa... constantly giving me problems... so if I don't get back to everyone right away ,please be patient. (another Samoan superstition...Never curse your computer! ... just kidding)...
Anyway, thank you for the welcome mat! I'm looking forward to sharing and learning! Blessed be, samoanshark
-- Posted by semele on 7:00 pm on Dec. 31, 1969
Welcome back!!!
So uh why don't we carry infants over the shoulder at night? Now I am worried as I spend a lot of time at work in the NICU transition room where I am always spoiling, er I mean tossing those little buggers over my shoulder and walking around. Tell us more about the origin of these superstitions, if you know. I have always been interested in this topic and how these things came to be.
Semele
-- Posted by samoanshark on 7:00 pm on Dec. 31, 1969
Semele,
(first off, your name, semele, could almost be Samoan)..
se... is sort of a slang word for "come on.. or... just referring to someone... and mele means Mary.
Back to the Samoan superstitions.
I came to Samoa from Los Angeles in 1963, when I was 9 years old.
I lived in a village called Nu'uuli (which means Black Village). Talk about culture shock. All of the families in the village shared one pipe (for water... to shower and collect buckets of drinking water). Luckily it was located at my uncle's house where my family had been placed.
I learned right away the do's and don't's of the samoan customs (superstituous customs) here.
Apparently, the Samoans believe that our ancestors spirits are forever walking around. Most of the Samoans bury their dead in their front yard. They believe that their dead family members' spirits will watch over their land and their family. Plus they can always go right out front and talk to them whenever they feel like it.
Many Samoans believe that some of the spirits don't like changes and new ways. The spirits expect you to do or not to do certain things, especially at night. Supposedly, the spirits believe you should be sleeping instead of cleaning or primping. Some Samoans say that if you comb your hair at night in front of the mirror a mean spirit will show his face in the mirror or another spirit that is against vanity might pull your hair. So, if you go to many Samoan houses you will see their mirrors covered at night with a sheet or cloth.
Carrying an infant on your shoulders at night is a big no-no. It is said that if you do that you might stumble over a rock or tree stump in the dark and the child/baby may fall and if it falls you will not find your baby. It is said that the spirits feel you have been careless with your baby and don't deserve her/him.
Sweeping your house at night is also similar to combing your hair at night. Supposedly, you should do your chores during the day and not disturb the spirits at night by making dust with your sweeping. They will break your broom or worse.
Whistling at night is taboo, too! I've heard people have had their mouths slapped by a spirit and one person's mouth stayed crooked from the slap. No loud noises in the village at night. Bad things will happen to you.
Yelling at the waves supposedly will anger the spirits of the ocean and cause larger waves (which of course surfers might like) but the Samoan people would rather not have waves. The Samoan people (most) prefer not to swim but just to wade in the water... usually for fishing or gathering makapisu (opihi..in Hawaiian) or (limpits - scientific term). They say if you scream loud while in front of the ocean you will anger the ocean spirits and they will send a big wave your way. I've seen it happen.
Many of these superstitions have been lost as the Western Civilization has rapidly changed our island...some good...some bad.
Well, I guess I've said enough for now. I hope you all find these superstitions interesting. blessed be, samoanshark