Traditional Fia Fia nights are one of the great cultural experiences of Samoa. These are performed at all the major hotels in various forms. The most glamourous is at Aggie Grey's in Apia with professional male and female dancers and traditional costumes of mat dresses and flower garlands. The Fia Fia at Sa'Moana, on the other hand is a much more relaxed affair with the village youth performing impromptu shows with much laughter. Even some of the village beach fales host weekly Fia Fia nights with dances afterwards. The highlight of the Fia Fia is the Samoan Fire Dance with spectacular displays of handling fire sticks by boys as young as six years old.
The dance routine is performed to upbeat rhythmic drumming, hand clapping and singing. A dance troupe can include from 2 to as many as ten rows of dancers, with the men jumping up and down and the women moving gracefully from side to side. The dance recalls stories from the past, from farewells to loved ones, to great fishing expeditions and war campaigns.
After the dance, an 'Ava ceremony is held to welcome and initiate guests to the ceremony. 'Ava is a traditional drink, consumed at all ceremonial occasions across the South Pacific where it is known as Kava in other parts of Polynesia or Yaqona in Fiji. Extracted from the roots of a Pepper tree family and mixed with water, this murky brown drink has an unusual taste and gives a tingling sensation to the tongue. Drunk in volume. 'Ava is mildly narcotic.
Following the 'Ava ceremony, a feast is presented - these vary depending on your choice of resort - at Aggies and Kitano in Apia, the feast is buffet style and the emphasis is on quantity - at Sa'Moana, the feast is more ceremonial. Traditional feasts consist of fish, pork and several different root crops (yams, sweet potato or taro) all cooked in an underground oven or 'umu and flavoured using coconut cream as well as other delicacies including raw fish, lobster and tropical fruits.
Samoa Tour Companies
Our top 10 things to do in Samoa
1) - Stay in a Traditional Beach Fale,
explore secluded locations in the real samoa
2) - Circle Island Tour, Upolu & Savaii,
tropical waterfalls to golden beaches
3) - Woodcarvers of Uafato Forest Reserve, Upolu
experience fa'a samoa, village life and traditional handicrafts
4) - Alofaaga Blowholes and Coastal Walk, Savaii,
lava flow, black sand beach, craters and blowholes
5) - Saanapu to Return to Paradise Beach Walk, Upolu
stroll for miles along secluded beaches and rock pools
6) - Visit Manono Island,
traditional fishing villages, archaeological sites;
7) - Falealopu Rainforest Preserve, Savaii,
canopy walk, sea arches, sacred rainforest;
8) - Swim with Turtles at Satoalepai, Savai'i,
lava flow, rainforest, waterfall and turtles
9) - Fia Fia night,
traditional dancing, fire dancing and feast
10) - Visit American Samoa,
organised overnight trips
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