3/25/14

The Feagaiga in The Old Testament?

(O le Feagaiga i totonu o le Feagaiga Tuai)

Our lesson in Sunday School this past Sunday was on Joseph (son of Jacob) and the focus was on integrity and sexual morality. Though the seduction of Joseph by Potiphar’s wife was the main reference, the killing of Shechem was also included. The latter incident is often referred to as the "Rape of Dinah" daughter of Jacob (Genesis 34:1-2)
1. And Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2 And Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her; and he took her, and lay with her, and humbled her.

Shechem was a Canaanite prince who abducted and defiled Dinah. Simeon and Levi, brothers of Dinah, then avenged their sister’s defilement by killing Shechem, his father Hamor and others.

During the discussion, Dearie mentioned the similarity - in principle - of this action by Levi and Simeon to the feagaiga (covenant between the brother(s) and sister) in the Samoan culture. Note the following excerpt from "The Feagaiga" post in this blog:
[The] feagaiga gives rise to the expression: "O le tuafafine o le mea uliuli i le mata o le tuagane." ("The sister is the pupil in her brother’s eye.")Consider the sensitive and the vulnerable nature of the pupil which is protected and covered immediately when in danger of any external intrusion. Likewise, the sister is immediately protected by her brother[s] when she is in harm’s way. The brother attends to her and ensures she is cared for and protected. Sometimes, the brother takes this protector role to extremes especially when he suspects any advances of a sexual nature towards his sister by a suitor. The boyfriend [or admirer] usually gets beaten up for the slightest attempt to romance and woo the sister.
For my part in the discussion, I shared this:
... that the outrage and vengeance by Simeon and Levi became one of the reasons for Jacob’s indignation, and as a result deprived the two sons (hence tribes) of the blessing and inheritance of any specific land tracts, as were given to other tribes. Instead they (Simeon and Levi) were scattered in Israel with Judah absorbing most of them. Hence during the division of Israel (circa 924 BC) between the Northern and Southern kingdoms, Judah and Benjamin in the south also included Simeonites and Levites - the latter especially since the temple was in the Southern Kingdom. While the Levites were blessed with the priesthood (possibly through divine appointment and/or the roles of Moses and Aaron), Simeonites, on the other hand, diminished and dwindled towards the time of the Babylonian captivity. One of the important lessons to be learned here is that choices/decisions can have far-reaching and lasting effects, and therefore can still come back to haunt - or bless - us with unforeseen consequences and/or rewards.

3/20/14

Smile ...be happy!


.... hahaaa ..so did you smile, or are you smiling? ...albeit momentarily or for two or three seconds, or intermittently maybe?  LOL!  Well, today, officially, happens to be the International Happiness Day. So Happy Happiness Day!

3/13/14

Kokogi i Pologi (Rewarded with Blondes)

Here’s an excerpt of what the Prime Minister of Samoa said during a pep talk to a contingent of rugby players (Samoa A) before they left for a tour of Australia. I will not translate it. If you don’t speak or understand Samoan, have a friend or relative translate the excerpt - and the rest of the post (minus the linked article)... LOL!

"Ia aua nei galo iā oe a lelei lau taalo ua maua mea uma e te manao ai e oo foi i teine pologi, a lelei lau taalo e afe au pologi e maua.  Ia outou vaai i le tama o Manu Tuilagai ou te leiloa poo ua fia ni aga pologi aisea? Leaga foi e taufao e teine pologi aua e lelei le taalo. O lona uiga e faigofie lava le tali o mea uma o lou olaga, a lelei lau taalo tele tupe e ola ai ou matua uso ma tuafafine, tele teine pologi e fai ai lau filifiliga mo sou toalua."

Oute matua iloa ma malamalama i le agaga o le saunoaga a le Palemia, o le taumafai e faamalosi’au ma u’una’i tama ta’aalo ina ia manatua e iai taui o le ta’alo malosi ma le tauivi mo le manumalo. Peita'i, sa tatau i le Palemia ona ‘alo ‘ese mai i le faia o ni faamatalaga faaitu’au, faailoga lanu ma le faailoga tagata (racist comments), e le onomea ma talafeagai ona fai e se tagata iloga po'o se ta'ita'i o se malo ma se atunu’u. I se isi itu, e taunu’u ai le upu “Atonu e sa’o ae le a’o.”  Faamoemoe o iai ni fautua lelei mo le Palemia i tulaga faapea.

A tu’u i se faaupuga faigofie, fai mai le Palemia i le ‘au lakapi “A oukou faamaogi, o kou kokogi o pologi.” O le fesili la, Mr. PM, so what happened to the voluptuous teine Samoa? ... teine vae lapopo’a, o teine pito i aulelei na (ideal beauty)?  Mr. PM, remember the Miss World complaint? Hahahaaa... ua galo fo’i a?

Ia outou teine Samoa, ia o loa e dye uma tou ulu faa-pologi.... if not naturally blonde, then be legally blonde. LOL!!!... Ia ona uma ai lea o se manatu.

3/5/14

A Memoir

Today is my birthday so I was thinking of something to write as a brief yet meaningful memoir.
My thoughts turned to my mortal journey thus far and the true meaning of life and so I wrote the following poem. When I finished, I wanted a fitting image/picture to augment and reinforce the poem. Since the poem is about the progression and eternal nature of the family, I was thinking of a picture of the temple, not just any temple but the Laie Hawaii Temple where we were sealed as a family. Then I found this picture which complements the poem in a deep and profound way. I originally had “Reflections” as the title and theme, hence the pool reference/metaphor, but as I continued, the poem slowly took on its final and current meaning. Personally, the whole post (poem and picture) is an inspiration.

Laie, Hawaii LDS Temple - Bruce Bean 2010

Eternal Progression

The ripples abound
in the pool we found,
round and round
where images confound
- in silence; no sound.
But we stood our ground

Soon we were able to see
tender branches of a tree
moving happily and free.
Then on bended knee,
we knelt, kissed, vow and agree
on hopes of the highest degree

Now, the pool, placid and pristine
even afar is smooth and serene;
and the trees, oh how green!
Together, our faith in the unseen
- through celestial screen -
of becoming a king and queen.
_________
~ LV Letalu   March 5, 2014