Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Dr Sadat Muaiava lectures in the School of Languages and Cultures at Victoria University of Wellington. He was born in Sāmoa and holds the matai titles Le‘ausālilō (Falease‘ela), Lupematasila (Falelatai), Fata (Afega), and ‘Au‘afa (Lotofaga, Aleipata).
His research focus is the interdisciplinary domains of the Sāmoan (and Pacific) language and culture in the homeland, the Pacific, and in diasporic contexts. He has contributed widely and publicly in forums that discuss Sāmoan language, oratory, tattooing and history. He lives in Wellington with his wife, Shana Muaiava, and their four children.
Sadat Muaiava. Photo by Robert Cross Victoria University of Wellington
Lāuga or Sāmoan oratory is a premier cultural practice in the fa‘asāmoa (Sāmoan culture), a sacred ritual that embodies all that fa‘asāmoa represents, such as identity, inheritance, respect, service, gifting, reciprocity and knowledge.
Dr Sadat Muaiava, author of ‘Lāuga: Understanding Samoan oratory’, discusses this guide to one of the key practices in Sāmoan culture with Te Papa Press.
Five Sāmoan New Zealanders share what their tatau means to them.
ʻUa faʻasoa mai e tagata Sāmoa e toʻalima mai Niu Sila le tāua o le tatau iā i latou.
