Senior Class Fia Fia Night!
Friday night, there was a Siva (dance) in the fale next door! The sivas are what I look forward to the most on this island, and there is usually one held about once a month. Dances here are generally fundraisers, and this one was to raise money for the senior class at Manu’a High school, for their graduation and prom; it was called the senior class fia fia night (fia fia is like a party). For me, the sivas are times when I can dance, take pictures of my friends and neighbors, and just have a great time listening to live music from an awesome island band, and partaking in a real cultural experience.
The band sets up inside, but on the outer edge of the fale. There is one traditional song that is played over and over throughout the night, and it is a cue for different families to come do the traditional Samoan dance in the center of the fale. During the dance (which is beautiful for both men and women), people walk into the fale and throw money onto the dancers, then stand on the outside of the fale and dance along with them. Each family raises money this way (and also donates money pre-dance) for whichever group is throwing the dance, often a church or a village club. The families who are dancing wear their beautiful personally-tailored puletasis and lavalavas. The women dance a hula-like dance, swaying side to side while gracefully flipping their hands up and down. The men dance from side to side and swing their arms to the beat of the music. The dancing can get crazy, too. As the song continues, each dancer will start putting new moves in, and getting lower, and shaking their hips more. It’s SUCH a fun dance to watch. People on the sidelines start yelling and getting involved in the dancing even more. If a woman is dancing in the center, male dancers will come into the center and sort of challenge-dance with them, or they may lay on the floor, so the woman can put her foot on the man’s back and continue dancing. If a man is dancing in the center, as the music continues, he will start going crazy and slapping his hands on his knees and clapping them together. For some traditional dances, the guy will dance shirtless, wearing only a lavalava and his body will be oiled up.
In between these traditional dances, the band plays regular, fun songs where everyone can come into the center and dance. So, we all go to the middle and dance to fun, upbeat island songs. As the song finishes, everyone hurries off of the dance floor to their respective places they were sitting in before. Everyone walks around, takes pictures, passes out sodas, etc. I usually walk around and take lots of pictures of my students and neighbors, and try to get to know my students better outside of the classroom. I love the sivas more than anything! I, of course, love dancing anytime I can, and I love, love, love live bands. But more than that, they are the times when I am reminded as to why I did this program. After the dances, I always come back home glowing and happy and thinking about the fact that I cannot imagine my life not having met these people, and experiencing these dances, and teaching these students. I wish there was a dance every night. School here is so draining, and it’s such a big part of my life, that I often forget why I did this year. But when the electric slide comes on in the fale, and I get to get down with my students, it is the most alive I feel the whole month.
Bringing a camera to a dance attracts every person near you to come and have their picture taken, over and over! The kids will beg you, as will the adults sometimes. I prefer to document the dancers and my students, so I can remember some of them next year for something other than aggravating me in class.
The senior class fia fia night was the best, because it was a chance to really see my senior students have fun. Watching my genius precalculus girls do the traditional dance was amazing. They are all so beautiful and graceful! And seeing my senior Algebra II boys on the dance floor carefree and smiling is so awesome. I’m so jealous of the way they all dance, too! Kyle and I, who are normally the only of us volunteers to attend the dances, are determined to learn the traditional style of dancing and perform at our possible going away dance in May!
The band sets up inside, but on the outer edge of the fale. There is one traditional song that is played over and over throughout the night, and it is a cue for different families to come do the traditional Samoan dance in the center of the fale. During the dance (which is beautiful for both men and women), people walk into the fale and throw money onto the dancers, then stand on the outside of the fale and dance along with them. Each family raises money this way (and also donates money pre-dance) for whichever group is throwing the dance, often a church or a village club. The families who are dancing wear their beautiful personally-tailored puletasis and lavalavas. The women dance a hula-like dance, swaying side to side while gracefully flipping their hands up and down. The men dance from side to side and swing their arms to the beat of the music. The dancing can get crazy, too. As the song continues, each dancer will start putting new moves in, and getting lower, and shaking their hips more. It’s SUCH a fun dance to watch. People on the sidelines start yelling and getting involved in the dancing even more. If a woman is dancing in the center, male dancers will come into the center and sort of challenge-dance with them, or they may lay on the floor, so the woman can put her foot on the man’s back and continue dancing. If a man is dancing in the center, as the music continues, he will start going crazy and slapping his hands on his knees and clapping them together. For some traditional dances, the guy will dance shirtless, wearing only a lavalava and his body will be oiled up.
In between these traditional dances, the band plays regular, fun songs where everyone can come into the center and dance. So, we all go to the middle and dance to fun, upbeat island songs. As the song finishes, everyone hurries off of the dance floor to their respective places they were sitting in before. Everyone walks around, takes pictures, passes out sodas, etc. I usually walk around and take lots of pictures of my students and neighbors, and try to get to know my students better outside of the classroom. I love the sivas more than anything! I, of course, love dancing anytime I can, and I love, love, love live bands. But more than that, they are the times when I am reminded as to why I did this program. After the dances, I always come back home glowing and happy and thinking about the fact that I cannot imagine my life not having met these people, and experiencing these dances, and teaching these students. I wish there was a dance every night. School here is so draining, and it’s such a big part of my life, that I often forget why I did this year. But when the electric slide comes on in the fale, and I get to get down with my students, it is the most alive I feel the whole month.
Bringing a camera to a dance attracts every person near you to come and have their picture taken, over and over! The kids will beg you, as will the adults sometimes. I prefer to document the dancers and my students, so I can remember some of them next year for something other than aggravating me in class.
The senior class fia fia night was the best, because it was a chance to really see my senior students have fun. Watching my genius precalculus girls do the traditional dance was amazing. They are all so beautiful and graceful! And seeing my senior Algebra II boys on the dance floor carefree and smiling is so awesome. I’m so jealous of the way they all dance, too! Kyle and I, who are normally the only of us volunteers to attend the dances, are determined to learn the traditional style of dancing and perform at our possible going away dance in May!