For the Children

My first Sunday in Sāmoa was spent celebrating the holiday White Sunday and now here I am two years later, celebrating it for the third time.



White Sunday is a holiday I find unique to Sāmoa and was first instituted by the missionaries when they came to the country. It can also be called Children’s Day (Aso Sā o Tamaiti) as it is a day to celebrate the children of Sāmoa.

In Sāmoa, children are constantly doing feaus (chores) both in and out of school. It is a strong belief in Sāmoa that you should work and serve in order to earn respect (and titles). Therefore, service and work is instilled in children from a young age. They are typically seen cooking, doing laundry, making tea, serving tea, cleaning and generally doing things for their parents or other adults.
It is not unusual across the world to see children doing assorted chores. The biggest difference I see in Sāmoa, however, is that 99% of the time, children do what they are told without complaint. It is a part of their life to take care of and serve adults, particularly in their family. I honestly don’t know how I’ll go back to children in the USA who can be so whiny when you ask them to do something. But I digress...
Children also typically eat last in their families. There is a particular order to the way a family eats as not everyone usually eats at the same time. Chiefs, guests, and the elderly of the family typically eat first. They are then followed by any other adults. Children then eat last.

White Sunday, however, is a time to celebrate children and the Sāmoan way gets turned around just a bit for the day. Like any holiday in Sāmoa, it is based in church. During church, children and families get up to do performances of songs, dances, and/or skits. During to’ona’i (the lunchtime meal after church), children get to eat first and they are served by the adults. This whole day is a special treat for the children and a lot of preparation goes into it. I have been hearing song and dance practice in my village for two weeks leading up to it.

All of the families in my church who lost someone this year performed in the afternoon service. This year, my family even performed a song in dedication of our late father Mila.