O le Upega e Tautau ae Fagota

"O LE UPEGA E TAUTAU AE FAGOTA."(A Fishing Net Fishes Even While Being Hung to Dry)

A Samoan Proverb

 

(Note: A lengthy read).

I was watching this program titled "Vaili le Atoponapona" on a church-run (EFKS) TV based in Samoa. The program features discussions by panels of guests, involving Samoan traditions, customs and other cultural issues like language, oratory, alaga'upu (proverbial expressions), etc.

In this particular episode, the host presented a number of things for a panel of three consisting of a former Head of State (HoS), a Church leader/minister and a former Member/Speaker of Parliament. 

The former HoS emphasized the importance of the program especially for the young members of the Samoan diaspora who are students at colleges and universities. His hopes are that the program will at least stimulate the students' interests in their native language. He is a respected authority on the Samoan language and traditions. The former MP/Speaker is also known for his expertise in traditional oratory, and the Church leader was there, I gathered, for a religious perspective hence to induce balance to the discussion. And so I was excited and looked forward to their comments and insights. 

Unfortunately, as a former university student myself, I was somewhat disappointed in the lack of any specific deep and profound interpretation and meaning of the above alaga'upu. All three guests seemed to spend their time speculating without any concrete and/or intelligible explanation and meaning. And that's just my opinion -- and explication which I devised and formulated on the fly as I was watching the program -- which I hope I can defend with my own insights and interpretation hereunder.

 

Surprisingly, too, not one of the three guests even mentioned or refer to perhaps the most common meaning of the expression which is "if you don't succeed, try and try again," (which I had to look up online afterwards); meaning that the net will be used again and again even if it's hung up to dry. Ironically, even this seeming standard meaning did not leave a profound impression on me. This meaning would have been a perfect one had the word "toe" (meaning 'again') been part of the expression, like this: "O le upega e tautau ae [toe] fagota".

And so here's my own take on perhaps the more suitable meaning of the expression and alaga'upu "O le upega e tautau ae fagota".

My suggested interpretation is based on the essence and inherent purpose of the fishing net. Generally, it's akin to the Greek concept of 'Telos' as well as of the "idea/ideal".  

Telos (/ˈtɛ.lɒs/; Greek: τέλος, translit. télos, lit. "end, 'purpose', or 'goal'")[1] is a term used by philosopher Aristotle to refer to the full potential or inherent purpose or objective of a person or thing,[2] similar to the notion of an 'end goal' 

[This same idea is expressed] in the French term: raison d'être (plural raisons d'être or raison d'être or raison d'êtres)

1. Reason for being. The claimed reason for the existence of something or someone; the sole or ultimate purpose of something or someone. - Wikipedia.

The Samoan word for this concept is 'tofi'. Every thing and every individual is endowed with a 'tofi'. A 'tofi' is either inherent or acquired. Specifically, therefore, it means that even while the fishing net is hung up to be dried, its 'tofi' -- essence, sole purpose and end goal -- which is to catch/trap fish, is neither removed or lost, nor canceled and/or voided. The sole purpose is intrinsic and it's that which defines a thing or person. And so in Samoa, accordingly, as soon as someone enters a house and sees a fishing net hung up to be dried, the first and immediate thought that the observer conjures up is the purpose and function, hence the essence of the net which is fishing - its end goal. It's not to catch animals, trap birds or for any other purpose besides catching fish. The visceral purpose and function or role of an object or thing is what determines and justifies its creation and very existence. Hence, while the net is hung idle, its purpose and essence is still active in the minds and imaginations of everyone. Similarly, a hammer drives nails even while it's laid idle in a toolbox, just by being perceived through its primary purpose and function. And that's the whole notion behind the expression of the fishing net "fishing" even while it's being hung to dry.

Now, perhaps the more important question, which follows naturally, is this: How is the above 'telos' meaning applied within the defined context of the faa-Samoa and within the socio-cultural environment, perhaps in a more figurative and/or proprietary nuance? 

The meaning can be applied to things and people. For the latter (people), there are many other Samoan alaga'upu whose meanings are similar if not the same as "o le upega e tautau ae fagota." 

One of the most popular ones is "O Samoa ua uma ona tofi," which means that Samoa as a country has already been "classified". It means that the socio-political roles, duties, functions for different people -- combined to represent a collective essence and purpose -- have already been preassigned, established, predetermined and predestined. 

A tulafale's (orator) purpose is to give speeches/orations; an ali'i's (high chief) role and essence is to preside and administer the affairs of a family or village among many others. And these roles and functions define the "essence" and purpose of the holders of such titles and offices, EVEN while they're NOT actively engaged in those roles. Their oratorical duties and purposes are inherent and inbred in their title(s). A tulafale does not stop being an orator immediately after he/she gives a speech, instead he is intrinsically an orator during his lifetime, by virtue of the title he/she holds, just like a fishing net whose fishing purpose is inherent and ingrained since its creation and even during the time it is not being used but hung up to be dried. This division of social roles and functions in Samoan society affects everyone in a family or village, one way or another. And many of these roles are inherently dormant in different individuals based on family or village history.

Giving something or someone their rightful due (e.g. a tulafale to orate, fishing net for fishing, a doctor for healing treating the sick, an auto mechanic working on car repairs, etc.) based on his/her purpose, represents the very principle and essence upon which the Greeks (Plato and Aristotle) used to define Justice. Justice is met when people or things perform their rightful lots, dues or roles.

In another similar, yet still very kosher (pun intended) context, is in the culinary traditions and customs of the people. Foods like fishes, pigs, fouls, etc., and their different cuts and parts are already pre-apportioned and divvied to people based on the individuals'  socio-political, cultural or religious title and status. This proverbial expression explains the idea:

"E ta'a le manu i le tuasivi ae ua uma ona faainati." (An animal roams the hills and yet has already been precut and pre-apportioned). Again, chickens, fishes, pigeons, pigs, etc. when cut up and served, each portion/part (head, tail, leg, etc.) has already been pre-apportioned to certain people of status like chiefs, church ministers, etc. Giving the wrong part/portion to the wrong person is a blatant violation of protocols and etiquettes, and a specific indication of someone's ignorance and lack of training in the customs and traditions of the people.

E oo fo'i i mea'ai ua uma ona tofi, tatofi ma tofitofi (re: Samoa ua uma ona tofi).

O le ulu o se i'a/laui'a, o le tualā o se manufata, o alaga lima ma alaga vae ua uma ona tofi le tagata e 'ave iai pe a oo ina pena lufilufi ma faasoa ia ituaiga taumafa. 

The following are more of the same native expressions that illustrate the significance and relationship of the above concept of inbred and teleological (re: 'telos') functions and purposes in the Samoan context: 

"E pa'ia ma maota tauave Samoa." (Personal/Famliy/Residential honors are visceral in people and therefore mobile)

"E le tau faafuluina le segaula."

(A segaula (colorful bird) need not to be embellished. It already is naturally beautiful.)

"E le tau toe faalaeia le ma'a osofia."

(A naturally attractive octopus lure needs no artificial adornment.)

"E le tau faailoina le tamali'i"

(A person of noble character needs no acknowledgement)

Notice how all these and many other similar alaga'upu connote the same context of the essence/function/natural purpose, role or character (inherent or acquired) of a thing or person, and help "define" a thing or person in his/her socio-political and cultural environment, again even while he/she is not actively performing those functions and roles. 

E mafai la ona faaaogaina o le upu lea e uiga i le upega faapenei:

"O outou pa'ia ma mamalu ma o outou faivaalofiaao e le toe tau taulagia ma patiapatia, ua iloa ma taualoa ua faapei foi o se "upega e tautau ae fagota".

O le tagata ma lona tupuaga o le tagata fo'i ma lona faasinomaga (or 'tofi') e faapei o se "upega e tautau ae fagota."

 

Lastly, the above suggested meaning of the maxim is universal which is the same as many other like and similar principles. Samoa and Samoans neither exist, nor had ever existed, in a bubble or vacuum. They have always been part of the whole human experience. Our customs and cultural practices may be unique and tailor-made for our siosiomaga (environment) but the underlying principles are not. Accordingly, therefore, the relevance and applicability of the 'telos' of the Greeks, and the 'raison d'etre' of the French in explaining the meaning of the "upega e tautau ae fagota" of the Samoans, need to be seriously considered and accepted. Notwithstanding, e talalasi Samoa, meaning Samoan stories are always multiversioned.

Ma le Faaaloalo.