Blacknotes' collective
in the pictures: My Samoan mother (Sofa'i--in white) and other people right before church. Dori, flashing a symbol. Dancing from our family's church service and party (lotu aiga ma siva)
blacknotes2
just a recap: these are some memorable notes I took during training. Or at least I think they’re interesting.
we left off on…culture I think. 1 in 4 Samoans has or is predisposed to diabetes. That’s a lot of people. I wonder if there is any diabetes education on the island. I could work that into an internet research project…I may have already mentioned this, but it’s so a part of my culture I thought I would say it again. In samoa it is rude to walk, and eat or drink, or eat and drink. In America, I always did this, and I always smelled my food. Oh well, another sensory experience goes underground…Fafafine culture is complex. I’m sure it is, and I’m getting a first hand experience because there are three fafafines in my family. They like cats (still don’t like dogs), do the house chores, and sit with the women in church. Well I guess you can count me one too if that means you write poetry, “do” art, and like animals.so step up. The Prime Minister is a big supporter of the fafafines in Samoa. Some of them may not fit in to so well to their biological family, some like to drink a lot. I like that fafafines in my family are cool…hard to get a list of village rules. I’ve experienced this in both the t
raining village, and the village I live in now. Different people say different things. And some people will let us do things even though they will get a fine later…a very strong connection with where you are born, the Samoans have. A strong strong strong bond with family, which is interesting to me the tension that may exist when someone moves to NZ or America for better opportunity and to send money back to the family. Even though they are getting more money now, they may still not see eye to eye…
Collective punishment—the whole family is punished when one person does something bad. The family has to “pay” in the form of fine mats and pigs and cows and horses and and and. So don’t do anything bad, but I see “bad” things on the front page of the Samoan observer everyday. Feels like America…in the classroom: handson, connect personally, utilize personal interest, practice presentation. Sounds like how I like to learn too. Should be fun… “getting something done” in Samoa, is it hard? Depends on what the getting is that is done. Personal lens is important…Samoan love to laugh. Yep…having a five year old really helps learning the language. No, I mean being around a five year old, not my own five year old. There are two three year olds at my house. I’m starting to practice with them. The 14 year old was very helpful too. She spoke very good English…it’s the relationship that moves things forward. Not the type A personal hamster spinning. Sit. Talk. Beer. Laugh…punishment at home, at school. What is appropriate? What people will accept—for better or worse…movie scene in Samoa: come watch a movie. What’s playing? I don’t care, I just want to sit in a cold room for a while. Davinci Code banned in Samoa because of religious tones, being unchristian. Where is the secret list of banned movies? Books are not censored. That leaves A LOT of available information in any category. That’s interesting to me…wireless internet coming in 2008? Internet means.well.lots. for now, I get to practice my no internet skills…Samoans get a sense of urgency from family/church. As HP would say, let’s use these to my advantage. I wonder what else will make urgency…
Laws sanctify rights of individual. Culture sanctifies rights of the collective. Clash clash clash…there are currently two prisons in Samoa I’m told. About 300 people. There is no prisoner reentry program in Samoa. A “new” old persons home—totally foreign to Samoan culture, when the kids take care of their parents and bury them in their front yard. Also a place for last chance kids from overseas. I want to see that place.
Lefaga Secondary School (aoga i le itumalo a Lefaga): about 100 students, 10 teachers including me. A yearly, term, weekly, and daily plan. I’ve never done that before. Blue pen. Very important for signing in and out your time. Computer lab: 12 computers, WindowsXP/Photoshop/3 printers/no internet. Rote memorization;( I’ll work on imaginative teaching (saw in NZ TV). Teachers hold much authority/prestige/power. In America at work, I had no authority (mamalu). Capital punishment happens, even though it’s “technically” illegal.
Alcohol. A lot of Vailima consumed in Samoa. There is no AA type program in Samoa. Presentation #2 in the training village: a lesson on how to validate information. Can’t get any straight information…uses for your lavalava (so far): pot holder, neck stabilizer, bed sheet, snot wiper.
just a recap: these are some memorable notes I took during training. Or at least I think they’re interesting.
we left off on…culture I think. 1 in 4 Samoans has or is predisposed to diabetes. That’s a lot of people. I wonder if there is any diabetes education on the island. I could work that into an internet research project…I may have already mentioned this, but it’s so a part of my culture I thought I would say it again. In samoa it is rude to walk, and eat or drink, or eat and drink. In America, I always did this, and I always smelled my food. Oh well, another sensory experience goes underground…Fafafine culture is complex. I’m sure it is, and I’m getting a first hand experience because there are three fafafines in my family. They like cats (still don’t like dogs), do the house chores, and sit with the women in church. Well I guess you can count me one too if that means you write poetry, “do” art, and like animals.so step up. The Prime Minister is a big supporter of the fafafines in Samoa. Some of them may not fit in to so well to their biological family, some like to drink a lot. I like that fafafines in my family are cool…hard to get a list of village rules. I’ve experienced this in both the t
raining village, and the village I live in now. Different people say different things. And some people will let us do things even though they will get a fine later…a very strong connection with where you are born, the Samoans have. A strong strong strong bond with family, which is interesting to me the tension that may exist when someone moves to NZ or America for better opportunity and to send money back to the family. Even though they are getting more money now, they may still not see eye to eye…Collective punishment—the whole family is punished when one person does something bad. The family has to “pay” in the form of fine mats and pigs and cows and horses and and and. So don’t do anything bad, but I see “bad” things on the front page of the Samoan observer everyday. Feels like America…in the classroom: handson, connect personally, utilize personal interest, practice presentation. Sounds like how I like to learn too. Should be fun… “getting something done” in Samoa, is it hard? Depends on what the getting is that is done. Personal lens is important…Samoan love to laugh. Yep…having a five year old really helps learning the language. No, I mean being around a five year old, not my own five year old. There are two three year olds at my house. I’m starting to practice with them. The 14 year old was very helpful too. She spoke very good English…it’s the relationship that moves things forward. Not the type A personal hamster spinning. Sit. Talk. Beer. Laugh…punishment at home, at school. What is appropriate? What people will accept—for better or worse…movie scene in Samoa: come watch a movie. What’s playing? I don’t care, I just want to sit in a cold room for a while. Davinci Code banned in Samoa because of religious tones, being unchristian. Where is the secret list of banned movies? Books are not censored. That leaves A LOT of available information in any category. That’s interesting to me…wireless internet coming in 2008? Internet means.well.lots. for now, I get to practice my no internet skills…Samoans get a sense of urgency from family/church. As HP would say, let’s use these to my advantage. I wonder what else will make urgency…
Laws sanctify rights of individual. Culture sanctifies rights of the collective. Clash clash clash…there are currently two prisons in Samoa I’m told. About 300 people. There is no prisoner reentry program in Samoa. A “new” old persons home—totally foreign to Samoan culture, when the kids take care of their parents and bury them in their front yard. Also a place for last chance kids from overseas. I want to see that place.
Lefaga Secondary School (aoga i le itumalo a Lefaga): about 100 students, 10 teachers including me. A yearly, term, weekly, and daily plan. I’ve never done that before. Blue pen. Very important for signing in and out your time. Computer lab: 12 computers, WindowsXP/Photoshop/3 printers/no internet. Rote memorization;( I’ll work on imaginative teaching (saw in NZ TV). Teachers hold much authority/prestige/power. In America at work, I had no authority (mamalu). Capital punishment happens, even though it’s “technically” illegal.
Alcohol. A lot of Vailima consumed in Samoa. There is no AA type program in Samoa. Presentation #2 in the training village: a lesson on how to validate information. Can’t get any straight information…uses for your lavalava (so far): pot holder, neck stabilizer, bed sheet, snot wiper.
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