Timeline Researches

• The origins of the Tatau pe’a (Samoan traditional tattoos, which reveals the coming-of-age of a boy to a man; also a symbol of manhood and a way of displaying courage). Origin date unknown, as it has been told in a story: https://1samoana.com/the-truth-about-the-samoan-tattoo-tatau/

• The origins of the Architecture of the Samoan Fale (The ideal style of house built in Samoa). Again, the origin is unknown, and it was placed into a mythology, which told a story of a Samoan God named Tagaloalagi, who was appointed as the island’s carpenter to create an ideal house style for the island (Tuavale, 2007).

The story was retold by historian Te'o Tuavale.

• The rise of the “Fa’ataupati” Samoan dance, which became prominent due to the large hordes of mosquitoes that invaded the islands in the 19th century. The dance was improvised from the slapping motions in which the Samoan people resulted, in order to avoid mosquito bites. This later became a cultural dance that tells the story of that very event and time. Nowadays, they would be performed at any Samoan event - people marvel at the fast-paced, strong and swift slap movements and sometimes - acrobatic movements that keeps the audience amused. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fa%27ataupati#:~:text=In%20the%2019th%20century%20there,off%20their%20body%20when%20bitten.

• First Polynesian church in New Zealand was in Auckland, 1947. https://teara.govt.nz/en/pacific-churches-in-new-zealand/page-1#:~:text=The%20first%20church,Niue%20and%20the%20Tokelau%20islands.

I believe the congregational movement of churches from the Pacific into New Zealand, plays a huge role in what brings family together. Where everyone is united under one ruler, leader-figure; God. This movement sparked more churches from the Islands, into Auckland and thus creating a community. Samoa, being the leading pacific ethnic group in the population, in Auckland today is an example of what a strong community looks like when “togetherness” is applied.

These researches were made solely based off the idea of "Samoan Culture" and heritage. Will be looking into the Pe'a (Tattoo) aspects of the culture and tradition, as well as the conflicting idealism of the Christian belief that counters the practice.