As a Samoan born in American Samoa and left when I was 14 I’m ashamed about not knowing our history and what this song really means and the story behind this it.
There’s another verse not captured here: Oi le alofa e Oi le alofa e O Lealofi ua tofa i malae I Vaitagutu ma Lepea e Tofa oe, tofaina, soifua. RIP great grandad.
I'm grateful 4 da sacrifice my grandparents did bacc in da ole days my grandpa RIP was gangsta he took his whole family frm Samoa 2 America him my grandma nd da kids all 7 of um at da time just soo I can have a better chance in life sometimes I think what if he didn't do what he did.......I wouldn't be here writing dis now if he didn't do what he needed to do.......RIP PAPA TOETU FAITAU MISS U ILL C U WHEN I GET THERE.........
Can someone please go further with explaining this song?? I'd love to know more about what happened and what the song is about. I never knew it came from pain and loss.. My Samoan isn't good at all. And I can't ask my mum because she's not here anymore 🙁❤️ thank you
Try and get hold of the 'MAU' book by Michael Field.The best summation of Samoa's struggle for Freedom from the unforgettable racist NZ Administration.
In summary the song is about the massacre that occurred in Apia in 1929 resulting in the death of his highness Tui Atua Tamasese. The song mainly talks about how the New Zealand/British government denied killing Tui Atua Tamasese or that they ever used guns during the peaceful march in Apia. In whole the Mau Movement (Mau a Pule) was a Samoan political group made up of matai’s and matai sili’s trying to fight against the New Zealand/British government for Samoan independence. Hope that helps a little bit ❤️ Lyrics: E le fanata’avili ua ote’ote mai (E! Hear the machine guns fire!) Tula’i si ali’i ma ua fai mai (He stood up and said) Ia Samoa e ia to’a le tai (Samoa! Be still! Be calm!) Tali i lagi so tatou ai (The heavens will vouch for us) Fai talia pe le talia (Whether they accept us or not) E le Kovana e! (Hey Governor!) Ua e fa’afiti! (Why are denying?) E te le iloaina (Any knowledge) O se fanata’avili (Of a machine gun?) Ae molimau tamaiti (When the children) Ma le afafine o Filisi (And the daughter of Fritz) O oe lava na e fa’apa ole fanata’avili! (Witnessed you using the machine gun!)
E le fanata’avili ua ote’ote mai (E! Hear the machine guns fire!) Tula’i si ali’i ma ua fai mai (He stood up and said) Ia Samoa e ia to’a le tai (Samoa! Be still! Be calm!) Tali i lagi so tatou ai (The heavens will vouch for us) Fai talia pe le talia (Whether they accept us or not) E le Kovana e! (Hey Governor!) Ua e fa’afiti! (Why are denying?) E te le iloaina (Any knowledge) O se fanata’avili (Of a machine gun?) Ae molimau tamaiti (When the children) Ma le afafine o Filisi (And the daughter of Fritz) O oe lava na e fa’apa ole fanata’avili! (Witnessed you using the machine gun!)
Matagofie nei pesepesega I aso la sa tulai mai ai Samoa I le tonu ma le faamaoni o le sa avea ma Taitai lelei I si o tatou atunuu sa ia faia ma le tonu ma le Sao Lea la ole a toe oo iai Samoa I le taimi lenei I le faigamalo fou UA iai nei faafetai lava mo le pueina o lenei pese Soifua
