Matai Samoa

Synopsis

A treatment of archival footage shot by George Milner of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, in 1955 and 1959 while gathering material for his ‘Samoan Dictionary’. The footage itself (18 min) focuses on the traditional Samoan way of life: activities such as fishing, cooking, house-building, hand weaving and bark-cloth making, in preparation for the formal installation (saofa’i) of a Samoan matai (a titleholder responsible for the welfare, prosperity and good behaviour of his extended family). This is one of the most important Samoan rites of passage. The ceremonies which validate his assumption of a new status are shown, both within the extended family and at the level of the village. There is a musical soundtrack with traditional songs recorded during the same period.
Part 2 (46 min) is a discussion between Revd Lalomilo Kamu of the University of Birmingham and Dr Christina Toren, a graduate of social anthropology of the London School of Economics. It centres on the significance of the installation ceremonies, ranging over the following: the formal preparation of a bowl of Kava, the role of the taupou, the making of sinnet, the structure of Samoan houses, cooking, informal schooling of the young in Samoan culture, the preparation of bark-cloth and the process of hand weaving.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. VHS. col. 65 min.

Year of production

1989

Availability

Hire (RAI Film & Video Library)
Sale (RAI); 2000 hire: £15.00 (+VAT +p&p) 2000 sale: £50.00 (+VAT +p&p)

Subjects

Anthropology

Keywords

ceremonies; Samoa; social life and customs

Credits

Director

George Milner

Contributor

Kevin Brooks

Production Company

Name

University of London Audio-Visual Centre

Notes

Closed down.

Distributor

Name

Royal Anthropological Institute

Contact

Susanne Hammacher (Film Officer)

Email

film@therai.org.uk

Web

https://www.therai.org.uk/film/film-sales External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7387 0455

Fax

020 7388 8817

Address

50 Fitzroy Street
London
W1T 5BT

Notes

The Institute sells more than 250 anthropology and ethnology titles on video and DVD, including some produced by students and staff of the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology. There is also a large library of internationally produced film and video productions from which items may be borrowed within the UK.

Name

Royal Anthropological Institute Film & Video Library, c/o Concord Media

Email

sales@concordvideo.co.uk

Web

http://www.concordmedia.org.uk/ External site opens in new window

Phone

01473 726012

Fax

01473 274531

Address

Rosehill Centre
22 Hines Road
Ipswich
IP3 9BG