Alo i au faiva 'row/paddle to your fishing/goal'...

 

Here's another beautiful contemporary Samoan song that I picked up on Radio Samoa (1593AM) last year (and found on YouTube) in hanging out with my parents during the various lockdowns. It's sung by Livingstone Efu from the group Lani Alo.

The Samoan lyrics are thoughtful in sharing about the title 'alo i au faiva ia manuia' which translates as row/paddle to your fishing or metaphor for goal to do well. It continues by saying don't be down hearted with difficulties come.

It's a beautiful song about the Christian principles and values of Samoan culture about: about staying close to God; not giving up when this world brings about its difficulties; with advise to sons/daughters to take care of important matters and listen to the wise counsel of parents for a better future etc.

It would be nice if they also had an English version of this song for those Samoan youth who would benefit from learning about Christian and Samoa principles such as these. Often these songs are only heard in churches and hope it gets widely shared. There's so much that our diaspora (living away from the homeland) Samoans could learn and discuss from this song.

Here's my attempt to translate the lyrics for non-Samoan speakers (not including the rap). The official lyrics translation is on the YouTube clip comments:

Row/paddle to your goal to be successful

don't be downhearted when difficulties come

you'll be together with God in any path you take

My son, listen to me, to my words that I'm saying

Be prepared, don't go backwards to the goal that you've set.

This world is full of negative things

there are a lot of temptations to weaken your feelings.

be strong of heart, don't be fearful, 

go with happiness, my son, may you be successful.

CHORUS

Paddle to your goal to be successful

don't be downhearted when things get difficult

you'll be together with God in any path you take

My daughter listen here

to our words that we will be saying

in case you don't take it seriously

in the tears of your mother

when you travel in the vast ocean its difficult

you provide shelter to this family

My daughter, in you love, do it well

put away the mats

put away the pillows

be strong until we get to the completion.