One of the highlights of the Independent Celebration (June 02) each year is the Fautasi Race (long boat). The harbor is always crowded with people waiting to see the boats with 52 crew members crossing the finish line in front of “Aggie Grays Hotel”.
Some ninety six men of Lepea village are wasting no time in getting themselves prepared for the upcoming Independence Day fautasi race next Monday.
Lepea is one of the villages who have submitted two longboats for the upcoming race, namely Fetu Afiafi and La o Samoa II and are not taking this competition lightly. Captain of Fetu Afiafi, Siu Aoelua says 90 percent of his team are new rowers with last year’s rowers allocated to their newly built boat La O Samoa II.
The rowers of both boats have been in camp for two weeks and have had a busy training schedule with a 3am road run followed by rowing practices before breakfast. They have been doing weights mainly concentrating on upper body strength.
Let’s hope that they are all doing well.
There is a universal law saying “Giving is Receiving”. Although this concept is known it is not always used. I am living in a country and among people that practice giving as a natural part of their life. It would be impossible for someone in Samoa not to share their food with you if you came close to their house during meal times. The fact that the word for your and mine is spelled the same way (lau) must have something to do with that we all share the same things.
Please make a comment about people you met in Samoa that made a difference to you.