Samoan Ava Ceremony

Talofa all

I have just attended my first Ava ceremony in the Samoan Fale here on Alafua campus. The ceremony was to welcome the new Vice Chancellor for USP and our new Dean to the campus. We were once the Faculty of Islands and Oceans but have now been moved to the Faculty of Business and Economics hence the reason for a new Dean. We are hoping for great things out of these 2 for next year!

I have put some photos on Flickr for you to see. I am wearing my traditional Puletasi today just for the ceremony and I'm glad I did as everyone else was also dressed traditionally. When I arrived I was ushered to sit with the other female senior staff on woven mats on the floor. Shoes had to be removed and legs had to be covered. I am not used to sitting like this any more so my feet went numb!

The guests of honour were given leis and shown in. The orators then spoke (in Samoan so I cant' tell you what they said). Then the mixing of the Ava took place. The "Taupo" for the ceremony was none other than Gwendonlyn the current Miss Samoa. She looked lovely dressed in her fine woven outfit with elaborate head gear. A lot of mixing of the Ava (with stringy stuff from a coconut I think) goes on but the best part is when she squeezes out the stringy stuff and throws it over her shoulder without looking! It is up to the person behind to catch it and shake it out.

Once the Ava was mixed it was served up to the guests in a 1/2 coconut shell with lots of shouting and "Manuia's" (cheers) going on.

The new VC himself spoke and thanked everyone for the warm welcome to campus. It sounds like he has good plans to take USP forward in the future so I look forward to a meeting with him tomorrow to find out all about it.