Okay, so this past week I watched ‘The Orator’ which is the first film shot entirely in Samoan and set in Samoa. It’s been named as New Zealand’s official pick to submit for the Foreign Film category for the Academy Awards (Peter Jackson’s on that board man. He watched this with his spherical orbs of sight and loved it. You know how much I wanted to cry?)
Anyways, being Samoan, I think the film took on a whole new personal approach for me. It was the first ‘foreign film’ I didn’t really need subtitles for, but even if you’re not Samoan, this film has really strong emotional points and sheds light on a community and society of people you otherwise wouldn’t have known about. The cinematography is top notch and the actors deliver such raw and beautiful performances. My personal favorite is not the lead himself, Fiaula Sanote, although he was fantastic, but Tausili Pushparaj, who portrays Vaaiga.
One of the rituals portrayed in the film, the Ifoga (phonetically pronounced ‘eee-foh-ngah’ is a formal apology. The word ifo means ‘to bow before/submit oneself’. An ‘ifoga’ is the traditional way of seeking forgiveness, you partake in the ceremony in order to offer a cease-fire, so to speak, so that no retalliation is taken by the offended party. This ceremony is ignited by robbery, murder, or anything done to offend another person. Those involved with the guilty party sit under woven mats (ie foga), in the hot sweltering sun, not allowed to leave, but remained enclosed until they are pardoned or forgiven for their offense. Sometimes there are gifts or food brought to the offended family to soften the blow, but ultimately, the offenders must submit to the Ifoga. The reputation of the family is more important that one person, and the ceremony is taken very gravely. If the family’s Matai (Chief or Head of family) is not satisfied with the ifoga, or is not willing to forgive, they are allowed the right to kill—yes, I said KILL, the offenders. It is known, allowed, and accepted in the villages. This is the tradition, and this is their way.
(Source: sawyering, via provocatoria)
