Samoa (part 3) - Sauniatu

Sauniatu, Upolu, Samoa

Brett worked in Sauniatu for years (let's say around 7 or 8) and my sister Caroline stayed there with him for 2 of those years. It has a history worth learning (I'll share a small bit here), but mostly I love the spirit of this Sauniatu and was thrilled to introduce it to Matt.

The first time I went to Samoa (way back in 2001) Brett picked me up at the airport and we chatted as we drove around the capital of Apia, running errands and munching on the tub of licorice that I had brought.  Eventually we headed out of town, driving along the coast line for a few miles until we came to a turn off that headed in-island.  The dirt road was long and bumpy, full of holes and the occasional passer-by who was often heading to or from the garden and always with a smile.  The road leads up to a village in the top of the mountain, in the caldera of a dead volcano.  It is surrounded, therefore, on all sides by the lush green mountainous rim.  It is a remarkable place.  In fact, President David O. McKay said of Sauniatu

"This indeed is the most beautiful place I have ever seen...

Such beauty, such grandeur and such splendor I have never heretofore known."



Sauniatu is now a small village of church employees who work at the school or on the plantation. We arrived in the late afternoon. It was overcast and pleasantly cool. We had come to Sauniatu for a few reasons.

First, you have to come to this place in order to experience some of the history of the Church in Samoa.

This "McKay Fale" was built to remember and commemorate David O. McKay coming.  When I was here in 2001 Brett's boys would read the Book of Mormon together each night here. 

There are carvings on each of the posts inside the fale that depciting Samoan fold legends.  They're beautiful.

Second, Brett is currently working on some nutrition and sanitation initiatives for the LDS church and has a model farm with stations set up to teach different principles and techniques to families and organizations. We were really interested in what he was doing.

Third, there was to be a picnic/gathering of the farm employees and their families. 

 
When we first arrived we wanted to see the river and waterfall.  The village is beautifully groomed and cared for.  We parked the van and walked down the path to the steps that go down to the waterfall.  Steps were built down to the pool about 50 years ago.  It took a year to build concrete steps down a volcanic cliff side to the swimming hole and the waterfall below. Four boys worked on this project. They had two picks, two crowbars, and one sledgehammer, and they worked every night after school and every Saturday for six months. Little by little, they chipped the rock away until they had a pathway wide enough to support some concrete clear to the bottom of the waterfall. It took them another six months of labor to make the steps.  It's a lousy picture, but you get the idea.  All of the sudden they seem more important thinking of those young boys working for months. 

 
The waterfall is beautiful and completely surrounded by the walls of volcanic rock.  Josiah and Alvin were ready to jump in, but we headed up to the river instead.

 
The river meanders through the village.  I know it has raged during storms and taken out the bridge a number of times.  When I was there in 2001 Masi (a wonderful young woman from the village, Caroline's best friend in Samoa) took me through the river to find shrimp.  We caught about a dozen (by "we" I mostly mean Masi).  It is a favorite spot for the youth. 

Here are Josiah (red shirt) and another boy pre-cannon ball.



Post-cannon ball.



Tufa and Sadie.

Brett and Tasi hangin' out.

Tasi Findley. 

Brett took us on a tour of the farm and the stations.  I love listening to him explain things.  Sadie came along to help explain things...

 

They teach farming techniques, nutrition and sanitation principles (purifying water, hand-washing stations, latrines, etc.)...

 

It was getting later...which meant time for the activities.  There were about 5 families that were there, two of which had come from the other island of Savai'i where the church has another school and farm.  Masi and her husband had recently moved to work there.  It was wonderful to see Masi and her husband Fa'amatala.  They have 5 (I think it's 5) kids now.    The men started working on uncovering the umu (ground oven) to get the food.  The woven baskets are blocking the oven, but you can see some smoke rising.  My mouth started watering. 

There it is.  Yumminess all wrapped up in a bundle is called palusami!  There is also taro and yam.  Oh, man!


Under the pavillion they had the stacks of woven mats that we'd be eating on.  Can I just say how much I loved being in the islands!!

We had an introductions and and opening hymn (heavenly) and prayer.  There were lots of little ones running around, everyone chatting and laughing.  And there I was holding hands with Matt when a rush of joy washed over me.  These were wonderful people doing an important work and Matt and I were together, enjoying a moment with them.  When it was our turn to get our food I had to take a picture before I could dig in.

As people finished eating and the night grew dark, Lorenzo (head of the farm in Sauniatu) began building a bonfire.  Brett explained that there was much for us all to be grateful for that night.  Just like a fire grows as wood is added to it, our gratitude can grow as we recognize and acknowledge things we are grateful for.  He had a pile of sticks and asked a few to come share something they were grateful for and add a stick to the fire.  Gratitude for family, children, the gospel were shared.  Gratitude for learning and for time to prepare were shared.  As I sat next to Matt I couldn't have felt more grateful to be with him.  What a good good day.