Festivals in Western Samoa

In the middle of the South Pacific lies the Independent State of Samoa which includes Western Samoa. Life in this part of the world is still very much rooted in tradition and spirituality. This connection that the Samoan people have with their heritage is reflected in Western Samoa Festivals. Festivals and celebrations are important parts of the traditional culture of the area; they give families and friends time to get together and dance, eat good food, have sporting competitions and just relax. Some festivals are small and held only on certain islands, while others are huge and celebrated all over Western Samoa. The time of year with the most festivals is from June to October

Independence Day

The festivities for Western Samoa's day of independence are held from June 1 to June 3. This is probably the biggest celebration on the islands. Wise talking chiefs, or tulafale, give inspiring speeches to the public, and a variety of parties, both public and private, are created with abundant food, traditional music and dancing. The celebrations for Independence Day also include tons of sporting events and competitions. There is an international fishing tournament, horse races, an independence triathlon, and, more traditionally, a fautasi race, which is a race in traditional long paddling canoes.

Teuila Festival

Taking place during the first 2 weeks of September, the Teuila Festival is the second biggest festival in Western Samoa. Traditional food is served, fautasi races are held, and there is a church choir competition. There are colorful costumes all around, and there is much dancing, singing, and merriment. During the Teuila Festival, talent shows are common, as are beauty competitions, and the cricket and squash finals are almost always scheduled at the time of the festival.

Savai'i Palolo Festival

Palolo is a Western Samoan delicacy, a small, salt water, spaghetti like, reef worm that was historically, and still is, an integral part of the Samoan culture. They rise out of the reef only once a year to spawn at night in huge numbers. This is a very important event for the Samoans and, therefore, has its own festival. Locals go out in boats in the middle of the night during late October and wait with nets and lanterns to catch the palolo when they rise. Afterwards, they feast upon the palolo, either cooked in various ways or just eaten raw. It is similar to a sort of caviar.